2024 Renault Rafale revealed as French brand’s new flagship
But there’s no word yet whether the coupe-style mid-size luxury SUV will be offered in AustraliaThe covers are off and the slinky Renault Arkana now has a bigger sibling bearing a similar coupe-like SUV design.
The all-new 2024 Renault Rafale has broken cover in Europe as the French brand’s next flagship SUV, and it will be available exclusively with a hybrid powertrain.
Renault Australia is yet to confirm any local plans for the new mid-size SUV, but European executives say it will “reach markets in spring 2024” – autumn next year for us.
Like most coupe-crossovers, the Rafale is defined by its swooping roofline and bold front-end design, the latter of which signals the arrival of a new design language for Renault.
Under the sharp looking body is the familiar Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance CMF-CD platform, as seen under the latest Mitsubishi Outlander and Nissan X-TRAIL.
And under the bonnet lurks the French-Japanese conglomerate’s 1.2-litre three-cylinder turbo-petrol hybrid system developing a combined 149kW of power with the help of front- and rear-mounted electric motors sustained by a 2kWh lithium-ion battery.
The system drives all four wheels via a Formula1-derived clutchless multimode automatic dog box transmission and yields a maximum driving range of up to 1099km on a full tank of fuel, equating to an average fuel consumption of 4.7L/100km… in ideal conditions. CO2 emissions are pegged at 105g/km.
For anyone thinking 149kW doesn’t sound like much for a flagship SUV, Renault apparently agrees since it has already confirmed the Rafale will also be offered with a higher-output (224kW) plug-in hybrid (PHEV) powertrain and more aggressive chassis tune.
Meantime, the standard version brings chassis technologies including a four-wheel steering system that can counter-steer the rear wheels by up to five degrees at low speeds, thereby reducing the Rafale’s turning circle to 10.4m.
Once clear of tight manoeuvres, the rear wheels turn in the same direction as the fronts at speeds of up to 48km/h, albeit to an angle of just one degree.
The system pairs with a complex multi-link rear suspension set-up (and the AWD system) and Rafale-specific spring, damper and anti-roll bar settings to ensure the new model is as agile as its sporty looks suggest.
The athletic attitude continues within the cabin with a chunky and purposeful interior headlined by recycled Alcantara upholstery, Alpine-branded sports seats, a scalloped steering wheel, 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a driver-oriented 12-inch infotainment screen.
Other touches include a 9.3-inch head-up display, as well as automatic and adjustable LED ambient lighting.
A ‘SolarBay’ glass roof with four-way adjustable tinting adds another layer of opulence to the ambience, while blue, red and white trim stitching honours Renault’s French heritage.
Sustainably-sourced materials like cork, recycled plastics and slate are in abundance throughout the interior, primarily for the steering wheel, door and dash trims.
Other standard equipment highlights include an Android Automotive 12 operating system, adaptive cruise control, 360-degree camera, parking sensors all round, 20-inch alloys and full LED exterior lighting.
Renault says a big 671 litres of boot space is on offer behind the rear seats, and the body measures 4.71m long, 1.86m wide and 1.61m tall overall, riding on a 2.74m wheelbase.
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Related: 2022 Renault Austral breaks cover
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