Renault Symbioz Breaks Cover As Marque’s New Hybrid C-SUV

The all-new Renault Symbioz debuts as the hybrid alternative to the new Scenic E-Tech EV SUV.

French automaker Renault is back with yet another family-friendly model, cordially known as the Symbioz. This new C-segment SUV serves as a more ‘practical’ alternative to the marque’s spanking new EV SUV, the Scenic E-Tech, thanks to both its hybrid powertrain setup and equally impressive space utilisation.

The Symbioz gets a hybrid powertrain setup with a 1.6-litre 4-cyl petrol mill as its core.

The Symbioz’s partially-electrified moniker stems from a 1.6-litre 4-cyl petrol mill that makes about 94 HP by itself, which is then mated to a 52 HP-rated hybrid electric motor and a supplementary 24 HP starter generator. As a result, the Symbioz boasts a total system output of 143 HP, which makes it a tad bit less peppier compared to its 215-HP-rated all-electric counterpart.

Similar to the Scenic E-Tech, the Symbioz comes with a front-wheel-drive (FWD) drivetrain setup, which is hooked up to its unique hybrid automatic transmission that features four ratios for the petrol engine and two for the electric motor.

On the design front, the new Symbioz carries some of Renault’s latest design language that we saw on both the facelifted Captur and Scenic E-Tech, notably on its front face. Besides that, the Symbioz gets a pretty sporty roofline, at least for an SUV standard, plus some sharp design elements like its LED taillights, side skirts, and many more.

Touted as the brand’s new ICE-powered C-segment SUV fighter, the Symbioz slots between both the recently-facelifted Captur and the new Austral, measuring 4,413 MM long, 1,796 MM wide, 1,575 MM tall, and with a wheelbase of 2,639 MM.

Its generous overall dimension allows Renault designers to play around with tons of space and rooms when designing the Symbioz’s interior. While its standard 429-litre cargo space sounds pretty so-so for a C-segment SUV, Renault claims that the cabin boasts 24.7 litres of storage, which includes its massive 7-litre glovebox and many other small cubbies scattered around the cabin.

As for the tech bits, the Symbioz gets a 10.4-inch vertical infotainment screen powered by Google, a fully digital instrument cluster, as well as the novel Solarbay glass roof that features electrochromic dimming functions. Safety features are also not too shabby in this family-oriented SUV, with the car featuring no less than 24 active and passive safety functions.

Set to go against the likes of the Honda CR-V hybrid and the recently updated Nissan Qashqai, the all-new Renault Symbioz is poised to make its landfall in the European market later in July this year. By then, we can expect to know more details about this C-SUV’s prices and its availability in other international markets.