Renault Rafale – did he meet high aspirations?

I have to admit that the French have tried. Rafale looks great, and at the same time has a really original and dynamic body line. The sports profile clearly indicates Rafale's aspirations, which is not only SUV, but also has a coupe genes. The tested Alpine version looks particularly good, branded with the Renault Sports Department. Her special characters are the matte Satin Blue varnish and 20-inch wheels.

Rafale is not particularly large. This is a compact SUV, built on the CMF-CD chassis, which we also know from other Renault models, such as Espace and Austral. Despite this, a lot of space in the cabin was made, developing a good compromise between appearance and space. In the back of the space there is surprisingly a lot and both on the legs and above the head. It is a pity that the rear sofa cannot be moved, but here we have one positive: the support can be changed the angle of the backrest. This property can be useful if an extremely tall person is to sit in the back – a coupe syllable means that the roof falls firmly backwards, limiting the space above the head.

For this I have no objections to the trunk and this is a big surprise. It has a volume of 539 liters, which can be increased to 1826 liters when we fold the seats. This is a surprisingly high value, because the volume of the trunk limits the dynamic design of the car, and the tested model is a plug-in hybrid, so with a large battery on board.

Renault Rafale – a very interesting drive

Interesting in the case of the tested rafale is not only the shape of the body, but also the drive. In the plug-in version we have 300 km available, but this number of horses is provided to us by three engines: gasoline 1.2 with turbocharged and two electric ones. The maximum speed of the car is not impressive, it was limited to 180 km/h, but you don't need anymore. The sprint to a hundred raises respect: it's only 6.3 s. Renault Rafale actually pulls out with great vigorously, pressing passengers in the back of the armchairs. Acceleration is immediate and smooth, because electric motors are responsible for the drive.

Well, in Rafale, the internal combustion engine has no connection to the wheels. It serves as a power generator, a bit like a combustion locomotive. Only that in Renault the four -wheel drive transfer system is more complicated. From the driver's point of view, however, two things are important. First of all, a small, 3-cylinder “exhaust” begins to work noisy when you need more electricity. Secondly, this system can really smoke little when driving, especially in the city.

Of course, this is a plug-in, so theoretically you can drive without switching on an internal combustion engine. According to Renault, you can travel over 90 km, but in practice it will be about 60-70 km. It's a lot. Once the battery is exhausted, it is possible to get about 6-7 l/100 km in the city. A pretty good result, considering that the car weighs nearly two tons.

Renault Rafale – there is no shortage of sports experiences

I have already mentioned acceleration, it is worthy of a sports hot-hatch from a dozen or so years ago (the newer ones are faster). Renault Rafale has another surprising, sporty feature. In the tested copy we have a 4Control system, i.e. the rear torsional axle. Thanks to it, the car is very stable in turns. We feel that it stays above average, despite the fact that the renault suspension is set for comfort, not sports driving. Bonus: the rear, torsion wheels also make the turn of turning off when free driving, so this 4.7-meter car will maneuver relatively easy.

Renault Rafale – fulfilled aspirations

The interior of Rafale, even in the Alpine version, is not done “sports”, but rather for functionality and comfort. It can also be seen that Renault has focused on quality, because in the cabin we will not find poor, cheap materials. On the contrary: suede, velor, aluminum and soft plastics are the norm in Rafale. The French brand aspires to the premium class and does it with good results.

It is also worth paying attention to the rich equipment. Take even front seats: they have heating, electric control, but also a simple massage function. It may not be as sophisticated as in much more expensive Mercedes, but on a long route it will allow you to ease your back a bit.

The Renault Rafale cockpit raises no objections. It is nice, orderly, intuitive. I also like the multimedia system with a large tablet screen located in the middle of the cockpit. Renault focused on Google's car system, including a map and voice assistant.

Thanks to this, not only on -board multimedia can work well with telephones equipped with Android, but also without a smartphone you can use the excellent and constantly updated maps of the American group. Minus: if someone has an iPhone, Apple Carplay works with some restrictions, e.g. about voice assistant.

Renault Rafale – Price also Premium?

Renault Rafale is only available as a hybrid or as a plug-in hybrid, and the cheapest version costs almost 193 thousand. zloty. This is not enough for a compact SUV, even with such an attractive figure. A car such as tested, i.e. a plug-in hybrid, it costs almost 227 thousand. PLN, but in return we have 300 horses and a drive that allows you to drive around the city without the need for gasoline refueling, if we regularly load the batteries. It's something.

However, the richest version, like described, costs nearly 250 thousand. zloty. On the other hand, in return, we get a 4×4 drive, rear axle and very rich equipment in the standard. And this, especially in combination with the high quality of the cabin finish, makes Renault Rafale an attractive proposition.

Renault Rafale E-Tech 4×4, technical data:

R3 gasoline engine, 1.2, 150 HP, 230 Nm (internal combustion), 68 HP, 205 Nm and 136 HP, 195 Nm (electric), 300 HP (total). Multi-MODE MMT automatic transmission. Acceleration 0-100 km/HW 6.4 s. Maximum speed-180 km/h. Average fuel consumption: 0.5 l/100 km (WLTP). Price: from PLN 226,900.