Evidently automakers can’t have sufficient SUVs of their lineup to maintain their prospects happy. In line with the most recent reviews, Renault is planning one more high-riding mannequin, this time specializing in the compact section. The yet-unnamed SUV is anticipated to reach later this 12 months, filling the hole between the soon-to-be facelifted Captur and the Austral.

The objective of the brand new providing is to compete towards the likes of the Toyota C-HR and the Honda HR-V. When it comes to footprint, it might measure round 4,400 mm (173.2 inches) lengthy, which is barely greater than the 4,329 mm (170.4 inches) of the Captur, however lower than the 4,510 mm (177.6 inches) of the Austral.

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Earlier reviews from French automotive media steered that Renault is engaged on an extended model of the Captur with a stretched physique, leading to more room for the rear passengers and their baggage. Nonetheless, it’s not clear if the brand new SUV will share physique panels with the marginally smaller Captur, or function a novel design. Be aware that Renault has an identical technique with the Austral and the Espace siblings, making us marvel if this might be replicated in smaller segments.

In line with Autocar, the brand new mannequin will seemingly share the CMF-B underpinnings with the Clio, the Captur, and the Arkana, permitting it to be priced from round £25,000 (€29,181 / $31,770). Moreover, the platform’s confirmed compatibility with hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains is essential for the compact SUV section – particularly in Europe, the place the vast majority of automakers provide a couple of electrified choices for his or her fashions.

Talking about their technique, Bruno Vanel, Renault’s product efficiency boss, mentioned: “We have been loads targeted on the B-segment (sub-compact)- perhaps a bit bit an excessive amount of – whereas the European market is a minimum of as a lot targeted on the C-segment (compact).” Vanel added that Renault will now steadiness its focus a bit bit extra between these segments. A brand new providing on this area would contribute to the model’s push for greater margins. As for the automaker’s market positioning, Vanel mentioned that Renault doesn’t need to change into a premium model, however prefers sitting “on the high of what you name the mainstream”.

If the rumors a couple of 2024 reveal are true, then our spy photographers ought to begin recognizing camouflaged prototypes of the Fench compact SUV out within the wild, revealing the extent of visible differentiation with the Captur. The latter can also be up for a mid-lifecycle replace in 2024, adopting the most recent styling language, launched final 12 months by the Rafale and the Scenic E-Tech.