Renault Austral E-Tech Hybrid long term test review 2026

Renault Austral E-Tech Hybrid long term test: First report

Spec: Renault Austral Iconic Esprit Alpine | Price: £38,695 (£39,445 as tested) | Mileage: 4,129 | Test MPG: 54.1 | Report date: 1^st May 2026

Renault is on a roll currently. We celebrate cars like the 5 E-Tech, 4 E-Tech and Scenic E-Tech as being among the best EVs at their price points, and having just finished six fantastic months with the Scenic only served to verify that.

But what about the non-electric models? Renault also uses the E-Tech branding for its hybrids, which perhaps don’t get as much of a look in as its celebrated EVs. With that in mind, I’m now running a Renault Austral E-Tech for the next six months.

Having also spent some time in the Renault Rafale plug-in hybrid last year, I’m keen to see how losing the ability (or hindrance) of plugging in to charge affects my daily driving. You see, the Austral is a ‘self-charging’ full hybrid that continually juggles petrol and electric power as you go along.

Unlike cheaper Renault and Dacia hybrids that use a non-turbo petrol engine as their base, the Austral features a punchy 130hp 1.2-litre turbo unit. That combines with an electric motor to produce 200hp combined – plenty for a family-focused SUV.

‘My’ Austral is a top-spec Iconic Esprit Alpine model, which is a reasonable £3,500 more than the cheapest version. For that you get plenty of goodies including 20in alloys, Harmon Kardon audio, a 360-degree camera system, a head-up display and a panoramic glass roof.

It’s worth pointing out that this roof differs from the Rafale and Scenic I ran previously because it does without the clever opacifying tech, using a simple electric blind instead. To be honest, it does the job perfectly well.

I was keen to not stick with the basic white paint you get as standard, and pleased when it turned up in the smart, almost teal Naxos Blue which will set you back £750. Even though this is hardly the most daring Renault design out there, the paint and spec mean it warrants a second glance.

Initial impressions are good. This Austral has already done just over 4,000 miles of demanding service on Renault’s press fleet, yet I haven’t noticed any squeaks, rattles or worn trim. Having said that, a service is due soon, so I’ll report on Renault’s service in that department in later reports.

While it isn’t as smooth and punchy as the all-electric Scenic, the Austral’s hybrid system can go a decent distance (and offer good acceleration) in EV mode before the engine fires up for 20-30 seconds to feed power back into the battery. You also still get regenerative braking adjustable by paddles on the steering wheel, which is common in an EV but rarer in a hybrid.

Making use of all this has meant strong fuel economy in the first few hundred miles I’ve put under the Austral’s belt. 54.1mpg isn’t too far from the official WLTP figure, especially with a decent mix of motorway driving combined with the town trips that benefit a hybrid’s efficiency.

Overall, I’m looking forward to putting the Austral through its paces as we go into summer and beyond. Stay tuned for more reports.