2024 Renault Symbioz Is the Brand's "New Compact Family SUV" – Are You Still Awake?

2 months, 2 weeks ago - 12 February 2024, autoevolution

You have probably lost track of how many SUVs crossovers Renault has, and for good reasons, as there are quite a few of them around. However, one company – erm… Renault thinks there is room for more, so they are getting ready to lift the curtain for it this spring.

That is not the big announcement, though, as according to Renault, the new model will be called the Symbioz. Does it sound familiar? It is probably because you remember The Apprentice. Either that, or Renault's 2017 eponymous concept, the self-driving demo shown that same year, or maybe both.

The press release that announces the upcoming model's name refers to it as being a "new C-segment compact family SUV," stating that it measures 4.41 meters (173.6 inches) long. This places it above the subcompact Captur, which is 4,228 mm (166.5) from bumper to bumper, and under the 4,470 mm (in) long Scenic E-Tech and the larger Austral.

Thus, it will rival the likes of the Nissan Qashqai and other compact crossovers sold in the Old Continent. What else do we know about the upcoming Renault Symbioz? That it will tip the scales at under 1,500 kg (3,307 lbs), that it will feature an E-Tech electrified powertrain with 145 ps (143 hp/107 kW), and will have a new trick panoramic glass roof that can become opaque at the flick of a switch.

So, there you have it: it is not fully electric and does not have autonomous driving capabilities like the previous Renaults that wore this moniker. But where did its name come from? From the French word 'symbiose' (symbiosis in English), in turn, derived from the ancient Greek 'symbiosis,' which means 'living together.' And together it will live with Renault's modern-day high-riders when it premieres sometime this spring.

According to Sylvia Dos Santos, who is the brand's chief of naming strategy, the name wanted to evoke "the close bond between a family and their car," and "Symbioz perfectly illustrates life with our vehicle, a place where passengers are as one with their vehicle and the environment." These are big words for yet another compact crossover that packs a partially electrified powertrain and probably won't be anywhere near as exciting as Renault makes it sound.

On a final note, the diamond brand has also released a teaser pic of the upcoming car. It partially shows the back end with the name proudly displayed under the corporate logo. We can also see the left taillamp to some extent and some of the rear windscreen, which looks very arched. Assuming we haven't bored you to death with this story, we will remind you that the Renault Symbioz is due this spring and will likely be a Europe-only product.