Renault Austral interior teased

Renault has released yet another teaser of the all-new 2022 Renault Austral SUV that will replace the Kadjar Down Under, and has confirmed it will be fully revealed on March 8.

In the latest round of teasers, Renault has shown how its Nissan QASHQAI alternative will smarten up its act compared to its predecessor, with the Renault mid-size SUV destined for a far classier cabin.

Among the upgrades, the Renault Austral will be the beneficiary of a padded dash, with a soft-to-the-touch matte finish.

New LED ambient light strips have also been extended to the door cards that now feature soft foam padding on even the rear doors.

Finally, there's real wood trim that features a finish that uses Japanese lacquer decoration called maki-e.

A fresh textile material that fades from black to light grey has also been introduced that's combined with a faux-leather trim.

Other new details revealed include a chrome-accented hand rest that slides forwards and backwards while making a mechanical noise that is claimed to be reminiscent of a safe's dial, adding to a more premium feel according to the French brand.

Real wood will also reappear in the range-topping versions, with the Iconic trim featuring the option of an open-pore finish normally associated with luxury cars.

Earlier teasers also suggested that the Austral will not be lacking for in-car tech, and the next-generation Renault SUV's cabin shows it will be dominated by an L-shaped infotainment and digital instrument cluster unit that stretches its total screen width to no less than 24.3 inches.

Copying a similar arrangement seen in the soon-to-be-introduced all-electric Renault Megane E-Tech, the new infotainment system is said to be easy to reach, simple to use, intuitive and always connected.

Like the battery-electric Megane crossover, the infotainment system runs on the Google Automotive platform that combines Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, plus useful apps like Google Maps.

Renault says the system is quick and responsive to touch, with 90 per cent of all functions just two clicks away.

Externally, we already know the Austral will draw styling cues from the upcoming Renault Megane E-Tech Electric. But it will miss out on pure-electric powertrains and will instead share its engines with the upcoming 2022 Nissan QASHQAI.

Confirmed to measure 4.51m long, the new Austral is 60mm longer than the Kadjar due to its move to QASHQAI underpinnings, which is also set to bring big benefits to both packaging and technology.

The powertrain line-up at launch is likely to kick off with a new 1.3-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine that will produce around 110kW and is likely to be paired with a continuously variable transmission (CVT).

Even more sophisticated electrified engines will also be available, with both E-Tech Hybrid and E-Tech Plug-in Hybrid powertrains set to be offered, the latter bringing a pure-electric range of 50-60km.

Stay tuned as Renault plans yet more teasers of the Austral ahead of its unveiling.