Renault Rafale (2024-) Review

Introduction

The Rafale name will mean quite a lot to aviation lovers, whether it’s used for the Dassault Rafale fighter jet or the Renault-engined Caudron racers of the 1930s, but now Renault hopes it will become a household name among motorists. The new Rafale is a larger, coupe-shaped take on the Austral family SUV, but one with some slightly more premium aspirations, which put it in the firing line of some pretty big players.

Yes, Renault wants this to be seen as a rival to the Audi Q5 Sportback, the BMW X4 and even the Range Rover Evoque, but the French company has given it a comparatively low list price with which it hopes to entice customers away. Will it work for those looking to lease, and will the Rafale have what it takes to shoot down the premium aces?

At a Glance

The Rafale sits at the top of the Renault range, but there’s something familiar about the way it looks. There’s quite a similarity between it and the Peugeot 408, but the Rafale sits a bit taller and has some distinctly Renault attributes, including the front grille with the new Renault logo and the stylish, high-tech interior.

Inside, Renault has fitted its newest infotainment technology, which is powered by the same technology used in Android smartphones. That means the screens are intuitive, sharp, well designed and easy to use, and they come with Google Maps as standard. That’s combined with a snazzy digital instrument display, and some neat ‘proper’ switchgear on the dash, which is good for ergonomics, although the vast array of stalks behind the steering wheel is less positive.

Further forward, there’s a 1.2-litre petrol hybrid system under the bonnet, combining a three-cylinder engine and two electric motors. That means there’s 200hp heading to the front wheels via a very complicated transmission, allowing adequate performance and impressive economy. Officially, the big Rafale will manage more than 60mpg, and that’s before the plug-in hybrid version arrives later.

That focus on economy is carried through to the way the Rafale drives, with a distinct lack of sportiness. Steering is quite sharp, thanks in part to an all-wheel steering system that’s standard on all but the base model and body control is reasonable. The system is quite good in town, where the turning circle is better than you might expect. The ride is still quite firm thanks in part to the massive wheels Renault fits as standard.

Key Features

Aside from the Rafale’s design, perhaps the biggest draw will be the hybrid powertrain. By using a 1.2-litre three-cylinder engine, rather than a larger four-cylinder unit, the Rafale is much more refined than many of its similarly powered rivals, with a smoother engine that has a more characterful sound. And it’s also enormously efficient. While the 60mpg promised by the official economy test might be unlikely in the real world, you could achieve 50mpg without too much trouble. And it can do that despite being a small petrol engine in a big SUV, and while providing adequate power and performance. It’s a really solid all-rounder and one that makes us less sorry to see diesel power fall out of favour.

The less obvious appeal of the Rafale comes from the space inside, which is perhaps a surprise for something with a fastback shape, but though Renault may have premium aspirations and the Rafale may have a list price that’s roughly in line with the Audi Q3 Sportback, this is a car with the cabin space of a Q5 Sportback. It’s also a car with spectacular technology, including the Google-powered touchscreen that’s every bit as intuitive as an Android phone. Sharp displays, simple menus and a familiar interface make it one of the best touchscreens on the market, and Renault has balanced it with an almost perfect amount of physical switchgear to make it ergonomic without it feeling cluttered.

Performance & Drive

For the time being, there’s only one engine option for Rafale customers, and that’s the E-Tech hybrid, which combines a 1.2-litre, three-cylinder, turbocharged petrol engine with two electric motors. Together, they produce 200hp, which is more than sufficient for a family SUV, and performance is perfectly adequate as a result, with 0-62mph taking a little less than nine seconds.

But though that performance is more than respectable, it isn’t the Rafale E-Tech’s focus. Yes, economy is a key consideration, and the system proves very efficient in a range of different scenarios, but refinement is a particular highlight, with an impressive lack of noise from the powertrain at any given point. And even when the three-cylinder engine is working hard, the sound isn’t too offensive.

And for those who want more performance, a more powerful plug-in hybrid version of the Rafale is on the way with a bit more power at its disposal. We don’t know exactly how fast the plug-in version will be, but we’re expecting a noticeable uplift in pace compared with the basic hybrid and a really useful electric-only range, which should make it even more efficient around town.

Urban areas don’t seem to be the Rafale’s home turf. At least not in hybrid form. With big wheels fitted as standard and stiff suspension that’s intended to keep the car’s sizeable body in check, the ride can be firm over the sort of short, sharp imperfections that tend to litter town centres. Things improve at higher speeds though you'll find greater comfort in the likes of the DS 7 and Genesis GV70.

That said, the Rafale is surprisingly manoeuvrable for a car in its class, with all but the very cheapest models getting the 4Control all-wheel-steering system. That means the back wheels turn slightly when the front wheels turn, either in the same direction to improve high-speed stability or in the opposite direction to improve low-speed agility. The system is a bit spiky – it makes the steering feel a bit too urgent – but it comes with a choice of 13 settings so you can get it to suit you and your needs. For our money, setting 1 is a bit too vague and setting 13 is way too twitchy, so somewhere around 3-5 is where we’d be heading. Once you’ve got that right, the Rafale is pleasant enough to drive on a country road though we'd question the lack of all-wheel drive in hybrid models.

Running Costs & Emissions

The Rafale’s hybrid technology has already proven highly economical in the Austral, and it does so again here, claiming more than 60mpg on the official economy test. Although it may not achieve that figure in the real world, it should manage more than 50mpg in the right conditions, and that will be more than enough for most private customers, particularly with the 200hp power output.

However, the forthcoming, more powerful, plug-in hybrid version may be the one for company car drivers. Though the standard hybrid’s 105g/km emissions are low for such a big car, the plug-in version will be in a much lower company car tax bracket, and that will make all the difference among those with company-financed wheels.

Interior & Technology

The Rafale largely takes its interior design from the smaller Austral, and that means it’s a bit of a mixed bag. The overall style is quite futuristic, but it doesn’t necessarily feel premium, with a steering wheel festooned with switchgear and a vast and confusing array of stalks behind the wheel for various media and vehicle functions.

Ergonomically, then, it’s a bit of a challenge, and there’s more. Some of the cabin plastics are a little on the thin side but it’s all screwed together pretty well, and though some of the buttons feel better than others, the panels all fit together nicely and there’s a bit of solidity to it.

There are also some neat touches, such as the little arm rest on the centre console, which slides fore and aft like the thrust levers on an airliner. Perhaps Renault missed a trick in not using this as the gear selector (yes, that’s one of the aforementioned stalks), but it’s handy for bracing your hand when using the central touchscreen.

Speaking of which, the tech on board the Rafale is highly impressive. Powered by much the same software you’ll find in an Android phone, the system is clean, easy to navigate and intuitive to use, and it comes with Google features built in, including Google Maps. It’s so good you barely need to use the Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone integration systems that come as standard. Similarly, the digital instrument display is nice and crisp, and the combination ensures the Rafale feels nice and modern.

But Renault hasn’t forsaken the old ways altogether, and some physical switchgear remains for key functions such as the temperature settings. It makes it much easier to use, and the row of switches beneath the screen is a neat and tidy way of combining physical switches with touchscreen technology.

Practicality & Boot Space

Despite its coupe shape, the Rafale is the flagship SUV in Renault’s range, and it comes with plenty of interior space. There’s a huge amount of rear legroom, and though the roofline does impact headroom a bit, it doesn’t prevent there from being more than enough space for four tall adults to sit comfortably.

The Rafale also provides plenty of luggage space, with 535 litres of carrying capacity according to the official figures. However, this number does not include the space beneath the false floor in the Rafale’s boot. Add that to the total, and it’ll take you well beyond the 600-litre mark, which makes the Renault a much better load-lugger than the BMW X4 – at least on paper. Even without the space under the floor, the Rafale has fractionally more luggage space than the BMW, and if you fold the back seats down, the 1,709-litre cargo space is competitive for cars of this size.

Safety

Renault has a strong reputation for safety, built up over more than two decades, and it was no surprise to see the Rafale cruise to a five-star rating when it was crash-tested by Euro NCAP, the independent European crash test body. Strong scores across the board assured its top-marks rating, with a particularly strong showing in the adult occupant protection and safety assistance technology stakes.

That’s no surprise, given the amount of safety technology that comes as standard with the Rafale. Even basic models come with traffic sign recognition, lane departure warning and autonomous emergency braking that can stop the car if the driver fails to react to a hazard. Automatic headlights, a rear-view camera and blind-spot monitoring are included, too.

Although all those systems are designed with safety in mind, they don’t always function brilliantly in the real world, and it seems Renault is aware of this. For example, the company knows lane departure warning isn’t always brilliant on narrow streets, so it has put a preset button in the Rafale’s cabin that allows you to pick the assistance technology you want, then switch off all the rest. It then saves your setting and allows you to access it via a single button that you can press when you get in, switching off the systems that are automatically activated by law when you start the car.

Options

Rafale customers get a choice of three main trim levels, with Techno representing the entry-level option. But though it may have the lowest list price of any Rafale in the range, the Techno still has lots of standard kit, including parking sensors all around, two-zone climate control and 20-inch alloy wheels. It gets a reversing camera, too, as well as the touchscreen infotainment system and heaps of safety technology as standard.

Those in search of more can move up to the Techno Esprit Alpine, which gets a sporty makeover inspired by Renault’s sporty sister brand, Alpine. It also comes with a head-up display, microfibre upholstery and heated front seats, not to mention electrically adjustable seats with a massage function for the driver. A heated steering wheel is also included, along with an electrically operated tailgate and a clever rear armrest with phone holders, cupholders and all kinds of storage.

Finally, the range is crowned by the Iconic Esprit Alpine, which adds a Harman/Kardon sound system and a 360-degree manoeuvring camera, as well as a heated windscreen and the Solarbay panoramic roof, which doesn’t need a blind because of electrically operated film in the glass, which allows it to darken or lighten on demand.

As with so many other cars, the Rafale is offered in a choice of colours, including the smart Flame Red that’s included as standard. Customers picking an Esprit Alpine version can also get a glorious Summit Blue paint job, as well as the usual grey, white and black options. Aside from that, though, the options list is relatively short, with just a temporary spare wheel available on Techno models.

Rival Cars

In many ways, the Rafale is competing with some pretty big names in the coupe-SUV class, including the Audi Q5 Sportback, the BMW X4 and the Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupe. It’s a tall order to challenge those models in terms of premium quality, and the Rafale can’t compete when it comes to handling, but it offers much the same space without commanding the same enormous price tag.

In terms of monthly outgoings, it’s more in line with the smaller Audi Q3 Sportback and BMW X2, both of which have considerably less space inside, even though they are better to drive and still more upmarket. But the Rafale runs those cars much closer, offering something a bit different from the German norm and promising a few little extras.

Yet it will still largely be compared with the Peugeot 408, to which it bears such a striking resemblance, and the Citroen C5 X, although the latter is clearly more of an estate than an SUV. Nevertheless, as a French subject of intrigue that blurs the lines between genres, the Rafale is a worthy rival, and one with plenty going for it.

Verdict & Next Steps

The Rafale has strengths, from the refinement of its hybrid system to the capability of its touchscreen infotainment system. Rather than beating the premium brands at their own game, the Rafale is instead a quirky and cool alternative to the coupe-SUV establishment. It might never be as popular as the Audis, BMWs and Range Rovers of this world, but it has enough about it to ensure it competes well with other mainstream rivals.

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**Score based on Select’s unique meta score analysis, taking into account the UK’s top leading independent car website reviews of the Renault Rafale.

**Correct as of 11/09/2024. Based on 9 months initial payment, 5,000 miles annually, over a 48 month lease. Initial payment equivalent to 9 monthly payments, or £3,475.80 (Plus admin fee) Ts and Cs apply. Credit is subject to status.