Mid-size Renault SUV not for Oz

Renault’s future SUV strategy is getting clearer. And, shock horror, the Aussie arm may leave one on the shelf.

Indeed, while Renault Australia may be gearing up to include a one-tonne ute in its local line-up, in a surprise move, it looks set to leave a new QASHQAI-based crossover off the list.

The news came from Renault Australia boss Justin Hocevar at last week’s Paris motor show. Instead of matching alliance partner Nissan with compact, medium and large SUVs Down Under, the growing Euro brand is considering pursuing a two-model SUV strategy.

Hocevar stated the brand was committed to launching the new B-segment Captur SUV (pictured), which will finally go on sale here in January or February, and was also focusing on the next-generation Koleos.

Renault’s new crossover based on sister brand Nissan's QASHQAI and intended to slot between the two above-named models “was not currently in our model planning”, said Hocevar.

“From an SUV point of view, we’ve obviously had Koleos that sat in the upper end of C [segment]. The next generation is upper C to early D,” he explained.

“We’re aware of [another QASHQAI-based C-segment crossover] and we’ve looked at a business case on it and it's very interesting… But when you look in Australia, there’s a lot of ‘crossover’ — you can see people come in [to the segment] and can be swayed either direction on size relative to the specification and brand that they want,” he said.

Renault Australia is under pressure to grow its volumes. Regional boss Gilles Normand told motoring.com.au at Paris the French marque is targeting 3.6 to 4.0 per cent share, but stated the target was a medium-term goal.

SUVs and the ute will be key to this growth. Hocevar says the decision to stick with just two soft-roaders is indicative of the brand’s position currently.

“We are looking at a very strong product with the upper C [replacement for Koleos]. Very strong design. But because of our volume, at the moment less [models] is more,” Hocevar commented.

“If we had more market share, more dealers, more volume, I would say it would be a much easier consideration, but I’m hesitant to do too much too soon,” he said.

One potential route via which Renault’s ‘middle-child’ SUV may come Down Under is RenaultSport (RS).

Australia is a key market for Renault’s go-fast house, second only outside France to Germany in volume.

Although to date RS has concentrated on hatch-based models, global sales chief Regis Fricotte says a fettled SUV is not out of the question.

“It’s the sort of thing we are looking at. There are some markets where SUVs are very important — in Australia it's the case,” he explained.

Fricotte says the form the vehicle might take could differ from the powered-up RS Megane and Clio.

“SUV is an area you can’t ignore. It doesn’t mean we will do it but we need to look at it.

“I believe ‘sportivity’ in a vehicle can be expressed not only as a power to weight ratio or how a car can be on the track. Sports can be expressed with other aspects,” he stated.

“If you look at what some other manufacturers are looking to do with their SUV range, [then] I think there is room in our [RS] range for an SUV.

In the absence of a RS-badged model, the SUV could wear RenaultSport's ‘softer’ GT label. Fricote was also quick to rule out any more diesel-powered RS models.

“It depends on the basic vehicle on what we can do — between technical [specs] and the engine [type].

“Obviously, if we could go up to what we could imagine would be the standard of an RS in a SUV then yes we would do it,” he said.