Renault Debuts Symbioz: Another Compact CUV, Featuring E-Tech Hybrid Power

The French automaker is trying hard to make itself fresher than spring daffodils. We have seen the arrival of the retro-futuristic Renault 5 E-Tech all-electric hatchback as a modern spiritual successor to the model once dubbed 'Le Car' in the United States and Canada. Still, the year's best-seller will surely be the thoroughly refreshed Captur, as the second generation of the subcompact crossover SUV went through a comprehensive update process.

In the compact segment, Renault has ditched the old Kadjar name in favor of bringing to life the Austral nameplate, and in some markets, they also sell the Arkana coupe-SUV model – the one based on the Renault Samsung XM3 using the more advanced CMF-B platform rather than the model initially revealed in Russia on the old Dacia/Renault Duster B0 platform. Anyway, now there's another entry into the C-class sector: Symbioz.

Teased in February, this new compact crossover SUV has arrived as predicted during the spring season to offer "modern, contemporary design blended with a highly adaptable interior and the latest in automotive technologies." It showcases Renault's latest styling ethos, and order books will open this summer in July for the newest member of the company's product offensive, which has a "piercing gaze and sculpted rear end."

More importantly, the CUV has a practical cabin with up to 24.7 liters of storage space, up to 24 new-generation driving aids for "optimized safety and driving comfort," plus a standard 10.4-inch vertical touchscreen for the OpenR Link multimedia system with Google built-in, which is standard across the lineup. The range is also simple – only three grades are available: techno, techno esprit Alpine, and iconic esprit Alpine.

Positioned as the entry-level model in the compact CUV class, the Symbioz is just 4.41 meters long, thus falling short of the Arkana (4.57m) and Austral (4.51m), while also sitting in the electrified corner alongside the Megane and Scenic E-Tech electric. However, Symbioz is actually an E-Tech hybrid with the 145-horsepower powertrain mixing a 39-kW electric motor and an 18-kW HSG (High-voltage Starter Generator) with a 94-hp 1.6-liter inline-four, "an intelligent multi-mode clutchless dog box," and also a 1.2 kWh battery pack.

It's built on the newer Renault–Nissan CMF-B HS platform, so it's closer to the Renault Captur II than any member of the Alliance and is supposed to play the practical crossover card in an ultra-compact format: it has a rear sliding bench for 492 to 624 liters of trunk capacity and goes up to 1,582 liters with the 60:40 seats folded away. The weight was also kept in check – the new Renault Symbioz tips the scales at 1,500 kg.