2023 Renault Kardian teased ahead of October reveal

UPDATED 03/10/2023 2:15pm: The 2024 Renault Kardian has been previewed again via a new batch of shadowy teaser images, showcasing the upcoming small SUV’s key design cues and its apparent relationship with the Dacia Sandero Stepway.

Portrayed with a squinty but high-set lighting signature and a compact but nuggety silhouette, the resemblance with the aforementioned Dacia is clear for all to see, especially when you factor in Renault’s description:

“Including its high ground clearance and its roof bars, all-new Kardian has everything you expect from an up-to-the-minute, robust SUV.

“And its silhouette is compact enough (less than 4.15 metres) to be completely at home in cities.”

As luck would have it, the Sandero Stepway sold in Europe measures just 4099mm from bumper to bumper and stands 201mm off the ground when unladen – a generous figure for such a small vehicle.

The plucky little Romanian offering is powered by two versions of a 1.0-litre turbo-petrol triple and drives the front wheels via a six-speed manual or continuously variable transmission (CVT) depending on the variant.

Both models appear to share the same profile, lighting arrangements and key body lines as one another, even without the help of Photoshop’s shadow enhancement.

ORIGINAL ARTICLE PUBLISHED 29/08/2023 11:15am: Renault has released a teaser image of an all-new global SUV – to be named the Renault Kardian – that’s destined initially for Latin America before being made available in markets outside of Europe.

Specific details are rather thin on the ground, but we know the model will be positioned as an “urban SUV” aimed primarily at the South American market, suggesting it won’t be an electric-only offering despite its stated urban intent.

The teaser image itself doesn’t reveal much about the model – either from a design or mechanical viewpoint – with the single image showing only the car’s rear badging.

Look closely and you might notice the tailgate has a convex shape to it, as per most small SUVs these days, while the tail-light clusters will sit independently of one another at opposite ends.

Renault says the Kardian nameplate suggests “protection and robustness” – fitting given it was derived from the English word ‘guardian’ (not cardigan!) – while simultaneously evoking “liveliness and agility” on account of it also sounding a bit like ‘cardio’.

A peppy engine and nimble handling are certainly hallmarks of a good city-car, as is an attractive exterior design – something hinted at by its vibrant burnt-orange paint work.

The new model will reportedly make its public debut on October 25 in Rio de Janeiro, marking the start of a new international product offensive that Renault will detail the same day.

Rumour has it the Kardian could be the Renault version of the Dacia Sandero Stepway, which in turn is a high-riding version of the third-generation Sandero that’s powered by a trio of 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol engines.

This theory could have some weight to it given the two models’ similar tailgate lines and the fact Renault Australia is looking to introduce Dacia vehicles Down Under in the near future, albeit wearing the French brand’s diamond logo.

Therefore we’ll be paying close attention to the October 25 event as it could give us some hints about what’s coming from Renault Australia.