MADRID -- Renault hopes to reinvigorate its compact SUV sales with the Austral, a feature-packed new model with a plush interior and a powerful but frugal full-hybrid powertrain option.
The Austral is the first Renault to use the Alpine designation for the highest trim level rather than Initiale. The Esprit Alpine trim, in two levels, is cosmetic, but it signals CEO Luca de Meo’s emphasis on racing rather than traditional luxury as a premium signifier. It will appear in showrooms in this month, starting in France.