Renault unveils the Austral’s sharp dashboard

Although the Renault Kadjar had an honorable sales performance at the beginning of its career, it was quickly overtaken by a much sharper competition. So, after seven years of existence, the compact SUV is about to bow out. Its replacement will no longer be called Kadjar but Austral, a way of marking the clear break promised by the new model. After releasing images showing the vehicle in camouflage, the French brand has moved up a gear by revealing a sketch of the dashboard.

What a change! The Austral has clearly given itself the means to succeed with a modern interior design very much inspired by that of the Mégane E-Tech Electric. The top-of-the-range versions will feature two digital panels forming an “L”. The interface should be similar to the one adopted by the electric compact car, namely a Google OS. The squared steering wheel with touch-sensitive buttons is also part of the package. On the passenger’s side, the air vents are perfectly integrated into the trim, similar to those found on other Renault models.

The differences with the Mégane E-Tech Electric can be summed up by the raised centre console that promptly separates the front occupants. This sporty configuration is reminiscent of the Peugeot 3008, which is sure to be the Austral’s worst enemy. On the technical side, the crossover will be based on the new CMF-CD3 platform which will allow a multitude of hybrid powertrains. By going completely electrified, the Austral will try to compensate for the absence of diesels in its catalogue. The Renault Austral will be officially presented in the coming weeks.