Renault is just about to pull the plug on the Kadjar by intensifying the teaser campaign for its direct successor. The latest preview gives us the opportunity to take a peek inside the cabin where there are two screens, one bigger than the other. Where have we seen this setup before? On the Megane E-Tech Electric, of course.
The new Austral will have a similar screen layout by combining a fully digital instrument cluster with a wide infotainment to form an "L" shape. Renault says its new compact crossover will boast 24.3 inches of screen real estate and an intuitive interface with 90 percent of the features at only 1-2 clicks away. The OpenR Link interface will incorporate Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, not to mention Google Maps and even Google Search.
Gallery: Renault Austral teaser images
Elsewhere, the 2022 Renault Austral has several storage areas throughout the cabin to offer more than 30 liters of cargo volume. The company with the diamond logo goes as far as to say the cabin offers a cocoon-like atmosphere. We're particularly interested in seeing the rear compartment since the transmission tunnel is gone. Does that mean it will have a completely flat floor? It would be a rare sight on a car still powered by combustion engines.
For greater practicality, the Austral has one feature we mostly associate with minivans – a sliding rear bench. It can obviously be folded as well, and on the more expensive trim levels, there's a button in the rear to electrically drop the back seats. Overall, the cabin gives us the impression it has a far more modern look compared to the mechanically related 2022 Nissan Qashqai.
This could very well be the final teaser since the French brand has already confirmed plans to have the Austral on sale in Europe this spring. Its unclear whether the crossover will come without a diesel engine like the Qashqai or the dCi will be retained. Much like its Japanese cousin, we are expecting the gasoline powertrains to be sold alongside a hybrid setup.
