New 2024 Renault Rafale: Prices, specs and release date
Tue, 20 Jun 2023
- New Renault Rafale is a coupe-SUV range-topper for the French brand
- Based on the Renault Austral but brings distinctive looks and a bold coupe-like rear
- Full hybrid engine line-up will include a 300ps 4x4 performance version
- On sale in 2024 with prices likely to start from £40,000
The new Renault Rafale is a range-topping coupe-SUV for the French brand that arrives in 2024 to push its model line-up further upwards.
The new Renault Rafale is based on the Renault Austral family SUV, but has much more distinctive styling including a stylish coupe-like rear end. The new Renault Rafale is a D-sector car, sitting above the C-sector Austral.
The new Renault Rafale will take on direct competitors such as the Peugeot 408, Citroen C5 X and Cupra Formentor, and have one eye on premium models such as the Audi Q5 Sportback and BMW X4.
A high-performance 300ps 4x4 new Renault Rafale will later add further excitement at the top of the range, and further build on the links with the sporty Alpine brand.
The new Renault Rafale – pronounced ‘ra-fal’ – is named after a famous French fighter jet.
New 2024 Renault Rafale prices and release date
The new Renault Rafale is set to go on sale from Spring 2024. Reservations are likely to open either later this year or in early 2024.
The new Renault Rafale will sit above the Renault Austral in the firm’s line-up. As Austral prices start from just under £35,000, the more premium new Renault Rafale is likely to cost upwards of £40,000.
New 2024 Renault Rafale styling, interior and technology
The new Renault Rafale is a striking SUV coupe with a svelte profile and plunging rear end design. It is much sportier and distinctive than the more conventional Renault Austral it is derived from.
The new Renault Rafale is marked out at the front by high-tech LED lights, which create a distinctive pattern when on the move. It also has a striking 3D grille, comprising a constellation of small diamonds, which appear to ‘move’. It was created using AI.
The new Renault Rafale combines sharp, bold lines with smooth surfaces that flow rearwards, giving it a graceful and well-defined look. Gloss black contrast lower cladding for the wheelarches and lower doors underlines the SUV cues.
The new Renault Rafale has a wider track than the Renault Austral, giving it a sportier stance. It also offers wider wheels, with alloys up to 20 inches in diameter available.
The rear of the new Renault Rafale features a boldly-raked tailgate. The rear screen tilts 17 degrees, which Renault says is perfect for aero efficiency – and means a rear wiper is not necessary.
The new Renault Rafale is the firm’s first car to use the design language of new designer Gilles Vidal, who was formerly design boss of Peugeot. This is based around chiselled surfaces, generous curves and plenty of technical details to add character.
The new Renault Rafale will be offered in five different body colours, including two all-new ones – satin White Pearl and a fresh Alpine Blue tone. The latter colour is a shade deeper than on the Alpine A110 sports car.
Inside, the new Renault Rafale has a dash derived from the Renault Austral. It features the Renault OpenR digital cockpit, with two adjacent screens arranged in an L-shape. The driver display is 12.3-inches, and the portrait-style centre screen is 12.0-inches.
The new Renault Rafale uses the Google ecosystem, with Google Maps, Google Assistant and a range of apps from the Google Play store – up to 35 for the UK market. It also runs Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.
The new Renault Rafale also offers an extra-wide 9.3-inch head-up display. This features speed, driver assistance systems and sat nav directions.
The new Renault Rafale has all-new seats that give plenty of side support. They are clad in Alcantara, which is made from 61% recycled material. The seats give a pronounced ‘GT’ feel, say the designers.
New materials available in the new Renault Rafale include dyed cork and slate. New Renault Rafale Alpine trim uses slate, which chads the dashboard on the passenger side, and the hand rest. Techno trim uses cork on the dashboard, for a premium effect.
The new Renault Rafale has a huge 1470mm by 1117mm Solarbay panoramic glass roof. It has AmpliSky ‘smart glass’ tech that can darken each section at the touch of a button. It does this sequentially across the roof’s nine sections. There are four settings: all light, all dark, light in the front and dark in the back, and the reverse.
The new Renault Rafale offers reasonable passenger space. The 2740mm wheelbase gives 302mm of knee room in the rear. There is 880mm of headroom in the rear, which Renault says is ideal for young adults – notably though, it doesn’t mention fully-grown adults.
In the rear, the new Renault Rafale has a clever centre armrest. This includes two USB power outlets, enough stowage space for tablets and smartphone, plus two foldout screen stands. This will keep those young adults happy.
The new Renault Rafale has a particularly commodious 647-litre boot.
New 2024 Renault Rafale engines, performance and fuel economy
The new Renault Rafale is likely to follow the Renault Austral and only be offered in E-Tech full hybrid guise in the UK. The volume engine will be the E-Tech full hybrid 200, which combines a 130ps 1.2-litre three-cylinder turbo petrol engine with two electric motors, for a combined 200ps. It uses a clever automatic gearbox and a 2kWh ‘self charging’ lithium ion battery.
Renault is targeting best-in-class fuel economy, with an average of 60.1mpg and CO2 emissions from 105g/km. This will give it a range of up to 683 miles on a full tank of fuel.
The new Renault Rafale will later be offered in E-Tech 4x4 300ps guise. This high-performance version will have an additional electric motor on the rear axle – and it will be available in plug-in hybrid guise, with an EV range of around 30-40 miles.
The sporty new Renault Rafale version’s 4Control Advanced four-wheel drive system will also offer four-wheel steering. At higher speeds, the rear wheels turn in the same direction as the front, to improve stability. At lower speeds, they turn in the opposite direction, to improve manoeuvrability – the 10.4-metre turning circle is the same as a city car.
The new Renault Rafale has bespoke suspension settings with sportier spring, damper and anti-roll bar settings. The wider track and wider wheels will also give it plenty of grip in corners.
The new Renault Rafale is based on the group’s CMF-CD platform. It is the same platform used by the Renault Austral.
What is clever about the new Renault Rafale’s panoramic roof?
The panoramic glass roof in the new Renault Rafale is a world first. The AmpliSky can darken each section on demand using electric fields to displace molecules.
Where will the new Renault Rafale be built?
The new Renault Rafale will be built at the firm’s Palencia factory in Spain. This also builds the new Renault Austral.
How big is the new Renault Rafale?
The new Renault Rafale is 4710mm long, 1860mm wide and 1610mm tall. An Audi Q5 Sportback is 4689mm long.
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