Renault Austral

In that complete range of SUVs from Renault, the Austral is the mid-size model. The Austral was followed by the (revamped) Captur, Espace and Rafale, and they all have a more modern look. From the 2025 model year, the Austral will also have Renault's modern face with the so-called "diamond grille". Instead of slats, the grille now consists of diamond-shaped elements, giving it a refined look. For a more adventurous element, the Austral now has visible protective bumpers all around. To complete the new look, Renault also supplies a new colour and the "bleu naxos" shown here looks good on the car!

The rear lights have been adopted from the larger Renault Rafale and that too has been deemed an improvement. The headlights use "LED matrix" technology. This allows precise control of the beam and allows driving with high beam at all times in the dark. To avoid blinding oncoming traffic, not the entire beam is dimmed, but only the element that would hinder them. Previously the Austral had 12 elements, now there are 20 for even more precise control of the beam.

Space and equipment

The rejuvenation cure for model year 2025 aims to make the Austral more modern and high-performance, and therefore more competitive. Therefore, not only have style elements from the larger Rafale been adopted, but even the entire front seats! Renault no longer uses animal materials (read: leather) in its cars and even the alcantara of these new seats consists of 60% recycled material. Long and intensive driving was done for this test, and even then the seats remain comfortable. The rear seat is on rails and can be moved over a distance of 16 cm. Despite the new large front seats, head and legroom in the rear remains good partly for this reason.

From now, the Austral features a camera aimed at the driver's face. In many new cars, this means the driver's face is continuously scanned and an alarm sounds if the driver does not look in front of him. By the end of 2025, this will be mandatory in all cars and from then on this feature will also be activated in the Austral. For now, the camera serves an entirely different purpose. Users of the car can create a user profile based on a facial scan. Upon boarding, the driver is recognised on which the seats are automatically adjusted to his position, the desired temperature is selected, tuned to the favourite radio station and the dashboard lighting takes on a custom colour.

Note: this information will be linked to a Google profile and, from a privacy point of view, not everyone will find this desirable. And as for Google: the Austral is equipped with an audio, communication and navigation system based on Google's Android operating system. This works very well, and anyone with a Google account automatically has access to all data in the car. At the time of writing, the Austral's infotainment system is based on the now vastly outdated version 12 of Android. When asked, Renault reveals that it intends to provide updates for 5 or 6 years. The hardware is said to be prepared for this now. After that time, more and more applications will fail as protocols to communicate with servers gradually change and will eventually no longer be supported. This applies to all cloud-based systems that no longer receive updates, however Renault is completely dependent on Google while other manufacturers manage development themselves.

Hybrid

The price list still shows the same engine as when the Austral was introduced in 2022: a full hybrid. However, the software that controls the engines has changed. Despite improved soundproofing, it is audible that the engine produces a raucous, rumbling sound, which detracts from this otherwise beautiful and high-quality car. At low revs, the engine is audible in the background; during a sprint, the three-cylinder is even very audible. Thanks to new engine mounts, engine vibrations are actually less present.

There is nothing wrong with the performance and agility of the 200 hp / 205 Nm hybrid. In eco mode, the Austral is quiet and comfortable as the electric motor frequently assists. Thanks in part to frequent use of this economy mode, consumption of 5.7 litres per 100 km could be achieved on a demanding route (city traffic, mountain roads). In sport mode, the response to the throttle becomes much sharper and the Austral performs well. Low-speed sprint times in particular (40 to 60 km/h) are noticeably shortened. Bear in mind that throttle response can be so sharp that passengers may find the sporty character unsettling. With a sporty driving style, consumption increases to around 6.5 litres per 100 km.

Handling

The best is saved for last. The more expensive versions of the Austral come with "4Control", or four-wheel steering. This determines the car's character. At low speed, it provides more manoeuvrability. Or rather: much more manoeuvrability, as the Austral willingly changes course with the slightest steering movement. Nevertheless, thanks to an advanced suspension and a large wheel size, the Austral does not "sway", but remains stable. However, on bad road surfaces, the Austral can react nervously because the car is so agile. In most cases, this combination works fine. In fact, the Austral scores better with dynamics than some sports-oriented brands with much more expensive cars!

At high speed, all-wheel steering provides more stability. This gives peace of mind and makes it easier to cover long distances.

Conclusion

What's new about the Renault Austral for the 2025 model year? The exterior with a new grille, a new paint colour and new lights. This gives the Austral a more refined and premium look. Comfort has been improved with larger seats and better sound insulation. The engine has modified software for more smoothness and fewer gearshifts. This works, but the raucous sound of the 200hp hybrid, despite all the improvements, detracts from the otherwise good feeling about the car.

Most of the tweaks were felt to be sensible improvements. As a result, the Austral not only fits in better with Renault's other SUVs, but can also compete better. Previously, the Austral was very strong in some areas and only average in all others. From 2025, the overall picture is getting better, as if this is how the Austral was actually meant to be. So the Austral has matured for model year 2025.