Renault Austral arrives in UK priced from £34,695

The Renault Austral will be priced from £34,695 when it arrives in the UK later this year, the brand has confirmed.

Entry-level Techno models get 19in alloy wheels, adaptive LED headlights and a rear-view camera, among other features.

The Kadjar replacement is also Renault’s first model to offer an Esprit Alpine (‘spirit of Alpine’) trim modelled on the marque’s sports cars. Upgrading to Techno Esprit Alpine costs £36,695, upsizing the wheels to 20in and adding heated Alcantara-upholstered seats, plus driver assistance technologies including adaptive cruise control.

The range-topping Iconic Esprit Alpine specification costs £39,495 and brings rear-wheel steering – giving the SUV a 10.1m turning circle – a 12-speaker Harman Kardon sound system and a panoramic sunroof, plus more.

The Austral is also the first Renault to use the new third-generation CMF-CD platform co-developed with Alliance partners Mitsubishi and Nissan, which can accommodate a range of electrified drivetrains. 

Renault says the new platform makes the Austral "a true joy to drive", hailing its rigidity and "optimised" suspension set-up as factors that give the potential for "true driving pleasure". 

All UK-bound examples are powered by a new petrol-hybrid powertrain, pairing a 1.2-litre three-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine with an electric motor. This gives combined outputs of 157bhp and 196bhp, plus fuel economy of up to 60.1mpg and CO2 emissions of 105g/km.

The structural reinvention for Renault's mid-size SUV comes alongside a wide-reaching design overhaul aimed at bringing it into line with the new Renault Mégane E-Tech Electric and boosting aerodynamic efficiency.

C-shaped headlights, a new Renault logo, 4x4-inspired chunky skidplates and alloy wheels measuring up to 20in in diameter are among the defining cues.