Renault has announced that its 2022 replacement for the Kadjar crossover will be called the Renault Austral.
What's in a name?
According to the company, the name "conjures up the vibrancy and heat of the southern hemisphere and extends an invitation to explore, which makes it an ideal fit for an SUV. The word is built around a harmonious balance of sounds that are easy to pronounce by people all around the world, giving it a truly international feel." Quite.
What we know about the Renault Austral so far
Renault hasn't released many details about the Austral so far, but we can surmise a couple of things.
Though only seen wearing camouflage, the new model will feature slim LED headlights, quite like those seen on the upcoming Mégane E-Tech Electric which may, judging by the company's current design language, meet light-bar-style in the middle of the front-end.
The new model is set to be based on the same CMF-C platform which underpins the Nissan Qashqai meaning that mild-hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains, such as those seen in the company's Arkana and Captur models, should be options. The Captur plug-in hybrid uses a 9.8kWh battery for a 50-kilometre electric range, but Renault is likely to fit a higher capacity battery in an Austral version.
While there's likely to be petrol-only models - perhaps featuring the same 1.3-litre turbocharged petrol engine seen in the Qashqai - a diesel model doesn't look quite so certain.
Expect a thoroughly revised interior with a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and, possibly, on higher-spec models, a 12.0-inch infotainment touchscreen in portrait aspect running the latest version of Renault's OpenR Link system.
When is the Renault Austral coming to Ireland?
The Austral is slated to go on sale towards the end of 2022 with details such as specs and pricing to follow in the new year. Considering the new powertrains and upgraded tech, prices will likely be higher than the €33,550 of the outgoing Kadjar.