Photo: S. Baldauf/G. ten Brink
Renault has a strong lineup on display at the 2022 Paris Motor Show, which has officially opened its gates for the media today. Nonetheless, few vehicles will be able to top the Austral in terms of sales, which is their latest compact crossover.
Unveiled earlier this year, it is the replacement of the Kadjar, and it is built on the same platform. The construction is widely spread among the Alliance, and it is the foundation stone of a lot of cars, including the Talisman, Megane, Koleos, and Scenic, as well as the X-Trail/Rogue, Sentra, Qashqai/Rogue Sport, Mitsubishi Outlander, and Mercedes-Benz T-Class.
Joining the Arkana and Megane E-Tech in the French company’s compact vehicle family, the 2022 Renault Austral has a familiar design on the outside, with soft lines running across its length. There’s nothing to write home about here, and the same goes for the cockpit too, but it looks modern. The front seats are separated by a wide armrest, and a portrait-oriented screen adorns the dashboard in the middle.
Next to it sits the tablet-like digital instrument cluster, behind the new steering wheel that houses many buttons. Speaking of buttons, there are quite a few of them scattered around, albeit not as many as some would wish, as the infotainment system has to be used to control most functions. The equipment level is generous, as the Austral features some gizmos that were once considered premium, from Nappa leather and Alcantara upholstery, to contrast stitching, and aluminum trim.
One thing that should be taken into account if choosing Renault’s new compact crossover instead of something from the competition is that it doesn’t have an all-wheel drive system. All models are front-wheel drive, and interested parties will have to settle for one of the three electrified drivetrains, one mild-hybrid, and two full hybrids, mated to either a six-speed manual, seven-speed automatic, or CVT, depending on the configuration.
Joining the Arkana and Megane E-Tech in the French company’s compact vehicle family, the 2022 Renault Austral has a familiar design on the outside, with soft lines running across its length. There’s nothing to write home about here, and the same goes for the cockpit too, but it looks modern. The front seats are separated by a wide armrest, and a portrait-oriented screen adorns the dashboard in the middle.
Next to it sits the tablet-like digital instrument cluster, behind the new steering wheel that houses many buttons. Speaking of buttons, there are quite a few of them scattered around, albeit not as many as some would wish, as the infotainment system has to be used to control most functions. The equipment level is generous, as the Austral features some gizmos that were once considered premium, from Nappa leather and Alcantara upholstery, to contrast stitching, and aluminum trim.
One thing that should be taken into account if choosing Renault’s new compact crossover instead of something from the competition is that it doesn’t have an all-wheel drive system. All models are front-wheel drive, and interested parties will have to settle for one of the three electrified drivetrains, one mild-hybrid, and two full hybrids, mated to either a six-speed manual, seven-speed automatic, or CVT, depending on the configuration.
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