Alongside the many official teasers of the “short” 5-seater Renault Austral, the long 7-seater version has just been flushed out in Spain. Let’s take stock of this future rival of the Peugeot 5008 and the Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace. But what will it be called?
Officially, Renault multiplies the teasers of its future Austral SUV. Camouflaged, the leisure vehicle replacing the Kadjar is gradually being revealed while awaiting its presentation in the spring of 2022 and then its arrival in the dealership in September. It’s a skilful way of occupying the field, of getting people talking about it in order to prepare the clientele to acquire it. These teasers above all allow engineers to carry out their test campaigns on open roads without being flushed out before the communication campaigns. On the other hand, what the diamond brand had not foreseen was that the 7-seater version, distinguished essentially by an elongated rear overhang, was surprised in Spain. This model, which internally bears the RHN code – HHN being the name of the Austral “short” 5-seater in a 4.51 m format – will not arrive before 2023 since its entry into production in Spain is scheduled for May 2023.
TO READ. Renault Austral (2022). The first official camouflaged photos!
Which competitors for the Renault Grand Austral?
For the sake of rationalization, Renault has maximized the number of common parts between the two lengths of the Austral. The rear door is identical, the wheelbase too. Only the quarter panels and the rear overhang are different.
With its format close to 4.70 m, this more family-friendly Austral will take over from the Renault Koleos (4.67 m) while embarking on the niche of 7-seater rivals of the Volkswagen group: Tiguan Allspace, Seat Tarraco and Skoda Kodiaq are targeted. And especially among the tricolors, it will finally bring a frontal response to the Peugeot 5008 which, until then, had no competition among its compatriots. Finally, in the Renault group, it will target the fourth generation Nissan X-Trail, already known in China as in the United States, which will arrive in Europe in the summer of 2022.
TO READ. Renault Koleos (2021). Second restyling for the SUV and price increase
The return of space?
Therefore the question of the surname of this new SUV arises. Given its low commercial success, the name Koleos should no longer be on the program, to move forward and start on a good basis, Renault is making a clean sweep of the past. In the manner of the strategy adopted for a long time for the Scénic, the “Grand Austral” hypothesis is possible, as is that of a new name. Unless a much more evocative surname, Espace, returns to the range? The fifth generation of the historic minivan will leave the scene without replacement this year. The Douai plant, which has been producing since 2014, will now have a completely different vocation: to become a major electrical hub with the manufacture of the 100% electric Mégane E-Tech, its big brother, the Scénic, in 2023, then future Renault 5 (2024) and Renault 4 (2025).
TO READ. Renault will stop production of the Scénic, Talisman and Espace in 2022
