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New car review

Renault Rafale test drive

While the coupé SUV market is swelling with new models, the Rafale adds a stylish, economical and practical option to the mix.

Summary

While the coupé SUV market is swelling with new models, the Renault Rafale adds a stylish, economical and practical option to the mix.
Design
7
Comfort
6
Driving experience
7
Value for money
7
Safety
8

Summary

While the coupé SUV market is swelling with new models, the Renault Rafale adds a stylish, economical and practical option to the mix.

Make and model: Renault Rafale
Description: mid-size SUV coupe
Price: from £38,195

Renault says: “The new Renault Rafale E-Tech 4×4 300 hp plug-in hybrid delivers a dynamic driving experience and precise roadholding developed with support from Alpine.”

We say: While the coupé SUV market is swelling with new models, the Renault Rafale adds a stylish, economical and practical option to the mix. 


Introduction

Renault released a flurry of new and updated models in 2024, with the Rafale joining at the top of its SUV range. To compete at the bigger end of the market, the Rafale offers a larger footprint with hybrid and plug-in hybrid options to choose from. In an ever-more competitive SUV segment, Renault now has a variety of models to choose from. 

Since the Rafale is a brand new model, we don’t yet have an Expert Rating for the car in our Expert Rating Index. However, Renault models tend to score highly, with the ScenicMeganeClio and Captur all achieving A ratings, while the Austral and Arkana (which shares a similar SUV coupe body style to the Rafale) carry a B rating. 

What is the Renault Rafale?

The Rafale is a large ‘coupe SUV’, to use the car industry’s current marketing buzzwords. So it’s a high-riding vehicle, but the rear window slopes back at a shallow angle rather than being more vertical like a conventional SUV. It’s an increasingly common vehicle form that puts style ahead of ultimate load-carrying practicality.

With the SUV market brimming with options, the Rafale is up against a wide range of different models. Competitors include the likes of the Peugeot 3008, Mazda CX-60, Volkswagen Tiguan and Citroën C5 X. With all but the entry-level trim available at more than £40K, it ventures into the price point of more premium rivals like the Audi Q3 Sportback and BMW X2

First impressions

In its overall styling and shape, the Rafale has a lot in common with the smaller Arkana, although the new model is built on a larger platform. It shares Renault’s new grille design and comes together to create quite a handsome-looking car. While coupé SUVs can suffer from restricted interior space, the Rafale is large enough for this to be less of an issue than in the Arkana. The body style helps to add some sporty flair and interest to the exterior look. 

Inside, the Rafale follows the general layout of the rest of the Renault range with a large, vertically oriented display screen. The infotainment system is powered by Google, which makes its operation and functionality generally easy. Gear selection is controlled using a stalk behind the steering wheel, freeing up space on the centre console.  

We like: Google-powered infotainment and smart interior 
We don’t like: Sloped rear window reduces visibility

What do you get for your money?

The Rafale range is split into four different trim levels: Techno, Techno Esprit Alpine, Iconic Esprit Alpine and Atelier Alpine. 

Techno is the entry-level trim available with a 200hp hybrid engine priced from £38.2K. Standout features include 20-inch black diamond cut wheels, a 12-inch touchscreen, six-speaker audio and keyless entry. 

Techno Esprit Alpine comes with the choice of a hybrid or plug-in hybrid engine at £42.2K or £45.7K, respectively. This trim has four-wheel steering which helps to reduce the turning circle of the vehicle to make manoeuvring in tight spaces easier and to improve stability at speed. It has a nine-inch head-up display, heated windscreen and steering wheel, rear view camera, adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping assist. 

Iconic Esprit Alpine is on offer with the standard hybrid engine from £44.7K. The audio system is upgraded to a 12-speaker Harman Kardon system. Other features include a useful 360-degree 3D camera, hands-free parking and an opacifying panoramic sunroof that can be controlled with the infotainment system. 

At the top of the range is the atelier Alpine E-Tech plug-in hybrid at just under £50K. It adds a hands-free tailgate, which opens if you wave your foot below the rear bumper. This model also gets ‘active’ suspension, which alters the vehicle’s suspension in line with the road conditions. A camera scans the road ahead for potholes, dips and the like, and the suspension automatically adjusts to cushion the impact. 

The model’s standard warranty period is three years / 60,000 miles, which is one of the stingiest on the new car market and well short of best-in-class (Kia’s seven-year warranty, for example).

We like: Lots of useful equipment on all trim levels
We don’t like: Entry-level model misses out on several safety systems, warranty duration is poor

What’s the Renault Rafale like inside?

Despite its sloping roofline, the Rafale feels spacious and accommodating inside. In the front, the portrait 12-inch infotainment touchscreen is angled towards the driver so the entire screen is easier to use on the move. The system uses Google infrastructure, which makes it feel more like a smartphone than a new system to learn. Android Auto and Apple CarPlay come as standard in case you prefer to use either of these. Renault has retained a strip of physical climate control buttons beneath the central screen. 

As well as shortcut buttons on the steering wheel, there are a number of stalks behind the wheel. Alongside the ordinary windscreen wiper and indicator stalks, there’s one dedicated to media functions and the other is for the gear selection. It takes a little while to get used to the column shift setup and muscle memory initially means you find yourself searching for a traditional gear lever, but this system frees up room in the centre console instead. 

Passengers in the rear will have no complaints about space and the boot is a good size too. Everything feels well put together and trimmed with quality materials to add a more upmarket feel. Without the panoramic sunroof the black interior might feel a little dark, especially for those travelling in the back. 

We like: Great infotainment system, angled screen is easy to reach 
We don’t like: Feels a bit busy behind the steering wheel 

What’s under the bonnet?

Both Rafale engines are hybrids, with both basic and plug-in versions offered.

The regular hybrid engine has 200hp and a six-speed automatic gearbox. It sends its drive to the front wheels only and offers a 0-to-62mph time of about nine seconds. The plug-in hybrid improves this to 300hp, drives all fours and cuts the 0-to-62mph time to a bit over six seconds.

On both models, maximum speed is limited to 111mph. Regardless of which hybrid option you choose, both offer an unbraked towing capacity of 750kg and braked towing up to 1,500kg.

The plug-in hybrid model offers much better fuel economy, provided it is charged regularly. It has an electric-only range up to 65 miles in Techno Esprit Alpine trim and just under 60 miles with the Atelier Alpine trim, which could be enough to do the daily commute without needing the engine.

Official fuel economy for the plug-in Techno Esprit Alpine sits at 564.9mpg and 403.5mpg for Atelier Alpine. These figures are completely unrealistic but that’s how the official EU/UK government lab tests are run. A new testing programme is being rolled out in 2025, which will see all plug-in hybrid models being re-tested to hopefully provide results that better reflect real-world use.

What’s the Renault Rafale like to drive?

In the plug-in hybrid version we tried, town driving is relaxed and quiet in electric mode. When you’re not travelling around town, the electric power is used to assist with acceleration and when some extra oomph is required going up hills. For short commutes, it’s likely the Rafale will function as an EV in daily life with the flexibility to travel longer distances as needed.

From Techno Esprit Alpine upwards, the car is fitted with four-wheel steering. This works to both improve low-speed manoeuvrability and higher-speed stability. At low speeds, the rear wheels turn up to five degrees in the opposite direction to the front wheels to reduce the Rafale’s turning circle – so you’re more likely to perform that u-turn in one go, rather than having to back out and try again. Above 30mph, the rear wheels turn in the same direction as the front wheels but only by one degree. This helps to make the car more stable at speed. The small steering angles mean the effect is subtle rather than dramatic, but offers useful benefits.

The plug-in hybrid version gets up to speed with no issues and has good acceleration. The suspension feels quite firm, so it can be a bit unsettled over lumps and bumps in the road. However, that firm doesn’t translate into the sporty handling characteristics that you might expect from this style of SUV. Nevertheless, it offers a comfortable ride and enough power to give you confidence in any situation, from pulling out at a junction to overtaking on the motorway. 

We like: Great electric-only range and smooth driving experience in EV mode 
We don’t like: Suspension feels a bit firm 

Verdict

While the coupé SUV market is swelling with new models, the Rafale adds a stylish, economical and practical option to the mix. Renault’s infotainment system is easy to control, although it works better if you have an Android phone than an Apple iPhone. At this price point, some rivals will be able to offer a better ride with suspension more suited to British roads but that’s not to say the Rafale is uncomfortable. 

If you have the ability to charge the battery regularly, the plug-in hybrid version will likely be a better solution than the regular hybrid. For everyday use, it will mostly function as an EV but also gives you a greater opportunity to travel further afield without relying on public charging. Being just happy pootling around town as it is on the motorway, the Rafale is a great all-rounder. 

Similar cars

If you’re looking at the Renault Rafale, you might also be interested in these alternatives

BYD Seal U | Citroën C5 Aircross | Cupra Ateca | Ford Kuga | Honda CR-V | Hyundai Tucson | Jeep Compass | KGM Korando | Kia Sportage | Mazda CX-5 | MG HS | Nissan Qashqai | Omoda 5 | Renault Austral | SEAT Ateca | Skoda Karoq | Subaru Crosstrek | Suzuki S-Cross | Toyota C-HR | Vauxhall Grandland | Volkswagen Tiguan

Key specifications

Model tested: Renault Rafale Atelier Alpine E-Tech
Price as tested: £49,695
Engine: 1.2-litre petrol plug-in hybrid 
Gearbox: Six-speed automatic

Power: 296 bhp
Torque: 230 + 205 Nm
Top speed: 111 mph
0-62 mph: 6.4 seconds

CO2 emissions: 15 g/km
Euro NCAP safety rating: 5 Stars
TCE Expert Rating: Coming soon

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Trinity Francis
Trinity Francishttps://www.trinitygfrancis.com/
Freelance automotive journalist and motoring writer focusing on all aspects of automotive content, with particular attention to emerging trends, industry innovations, tech and consumer advice.
While the coupé SUV market is swelling with new models, the Renault Rafale adds a stylish, economical and practical option to the mix.Renault Rafale test drive