The sixth generation Espace will deviate from its mininvan past, being heavily based on the electrified Austral
7 hours ago
by Thanos Pappas
This story contains independent illustrations that are neither related to nor endorsed by Renault.
Renault has officially confirmed that the next generation of the Espace is set to debut this spring, morphing into a hybrid SUV. What once was a pioneer in the minivan segment will now sit at the top of Renault’s SUV range, heavily based on the Austral and adding a choice between five-seater and seven-seater configurations.
In terms of exterior design, Renault has only shown us a small portion of the tailgate in the official teaser but this was more than enough to reveal the extent of similarities with the smaller Austral. After all, earlier spy shots showed that the two SUVs will share a large portion of their bodywork, including the entire front end, the LED lighting units, the surfacing, and most of their greenhouse.
If the connection between the Renault Austral and the Espace reminds you of the rival Peugeot 3008 and 5008 SUVs, note that all four models were designed under the direction of Gilles Vidal, who jumped from Peugeot to Renault in late 2020. Based on the camouflaged prototypes, our associates created a rendering that accurately depicts the profile of the new Espace. Chances are that Renault will also offer a range-topping Alpine trim with sportier looks and high-tech features.
Read: Renault’s Alpine Sports Car Brand Is Working On Two Electric SUVs For The USA
The latest reports from France suggest that the new Renault Espace will be 200 mm (7.9 inches) longer than the Austral, with 70 mm (2.8 inches) added on the wheelbase and 130 mm (5.1 inches) on the rear overhang. If those numbers are legit, then the sixth-gen Espace will measure 4,710 mm (185.4 inches) long, which makes it exactly as long as the mechanically-related Mitsubishi Outlander, but a full 168 mm (6.6) inches shorter compared to the fifth-gen Espace.
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Despite the smaller footprint, the cabin will still be quite roomy, satisfying the needs of larger families. Renault has also confirmed that the Espace will be offered in five-seater and seven-seater variants, unlike the Austral which doesn’t get more than two rows of seats. The five-seater Espace will be for those who prioritize boot space, offering more luggage capacity than the 500 liters (17.7 cubic feet) of its smaller sibling and quite possibly increased legroom for the rear passengers thanks to the stretched wheelbase.
As for the seven-seater Espace, this will allow families with more than three kids to take them all for a ride thanks to a set of extra seats at the back that will be able to fold when not in use. Below you can see a rendering of the cabin layout, showing what to expect from the Frech SUV.
As depicted on the rendering, the dashboard of the Espace will be carried over from the Austral. This means it will get the OpenR cockpit with a 12-inch infotainment touchscreen, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, and a 9.3-inch head-up display. However, in order to differentiate the Espace, Renault designers could integrate more storage solutions around the cabin, as a homage to its minivan heritage.
Familiar Underpinnings, Electrified Powertrains
Like most ICE-powered models from the Renault Group in the C and D segments, the new Espace will be based on the tried-and-tested CMF-CD architecture. The platform also underpinned the previous generation of the Espace (2015-2022), but it has been upgraded in terms of chassis setup and compatible powertrains as proven by newer models. The SUV could inherit four-wheel steering and multi-link rear suspension from the high-end trims of the Austral, benefiting its ride and handling credentials.
Renault hasn’t revealed anything about the powertrains of the new Espace, but as noted by our colleagues in L’Argus, the gold-finished “E” on the name suggests it will be an electrified offering. A safe bet is that the Espace range will mirror the Austral. The latter is available with a 1.3-liter 12V mild-hybrid producing either 138 hp (103 kW / 140 PS) or 158 hp (118 kW / 160 PS), with a 1.2-liter 48V mild-hybrid producing 129 hp (96 kW / 130 PS), and with a 1.2-liter full hybrid producing a combined 197 hp (147 kW / 200 PS).
We will learn more about the new Espace very soon, as Renault has confirmed a spring 2023 debut, and French media report it will break cover in March. The SUV will not only replace the outgoing fifth-gen Espace (2015-2022) that will soon go out of production, but also the second-gen Koleos (2016-2022) whose sales never took off. Rivals in the D-SUV segment will include the Peugeot 5008, Skoda Kodiaq, VW Tiguan Allspace, Nissan X-Trail, Honda CR-V, and Toyota RAV4.
