Should you buy one?

Yes, if you’re looking for a good family SUV the Renault Austral is worth considering. With a great safety record and plenty of technology, even if it won’t set your pulse racing, it is a commendable if not class-winning effort. But most importantly, it’s a huge step up over the old Renault Kadjar and will be affordable to run.

This 2025 update freshens up the Austral and brings meaningful improvements to its refinement and comfort – though we still need to try the car on the UK-spec suspension to be sure if Renault really has improved its low-speed ride.

Even so, the car’s technology, high-quality interior and practicality put up a good enough fight to make it a credible alternative to the established list of hybrid SUVs.

What we like

The Austral’s interior is a very nice place to be and we love its Google-powered infotainment system. It’s also surprisingly refined as its hybrid powertrain prioritises electric running. Its fuel economy is excellent in the real world and features like sliding rear seats make it a practical choice for families.

What we don’t like

The top-spec Iconic Esprit Alpine model’s 20-inch alloys are too big and spoil the ride quality. The gearbox, even with its improvements, can still feel quite crude when accelerating hard and the engine isn’t particularly tuneful. It’s actually quite rough at idle. Renault also isn’t offering a budget-friendly version of the car to UK buyers. The cheapest model we get costs around £35,000.