New Renault Austral E-Tech Review

There’s only one engine available with the Austral – a hybrid consisting of a 1.2-litre three-cylinder turbo petrol paired to two electric motors and a seven-speed automatic. This self-charging hybrid has 200hp and 410Nm of torque, with 0-60mph taking 8.4 seconds, and a 1.7kWh battery used to drive the electric motors.

The rear-wheel steering on the top-spec car is seriously impressive, with a 10.1-metre turning circle – around the same as a Clio. You have 13 settings to alter how aggressive the rear wheel steering engages and it can feel odd when you use it for the first time.

However, it makes the Austral manoeuvrable in town, with progress simple thanks to the light steering. You get large wing mirrors to help negate the narrow rear window, and a 360-degree camera is also on offer. It’s only fitted in top-spec cars.

Ride comfort can be a bit jittery on the 20-inch alloys and you feel it both in town and on a twistier road at higher speeds. The light steering so handy in town isn’t quite as assured here, but the rear-wheel steering does help with stability.

When you’re cruising at motorway speeds, the Austral is comfortable and feels very composed. The multiple driver assist systems include cruise control, while adaptive cruise control fitted on the top two trims makes long distances easier.