Taking flight: 2024 Renault Rafale debuts as brand's new mid-size SUV flagship, but will it come to Australia?

Renault has a new flagship, and despite its positioning as a mid-size SUV, it departs from tradition enough that it's clear the brand isn't chasing volume. Instead, it's going more premium.

The Renault Rafale, which derives its name from the Caudron C.430 Rafale - a two-seat plane built under Renault's aviation subsidiary that set a speed record of 292 km/h soon after its first flight - is not only the French brand's new flagship, but also a model very important to its overall line-up.

Renault CEO Fabrice Cambolive said the Rafale is a central piece to the brand's strategy, which it calls the 'Renaulution' - a portmanteau of Renault revolution - and that it "symbolises [Renault's] move upmarket".

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Unlike its namesake, the Rafale SUV won't be setting any speed records as it debuts with a single front-wheel-drive option for now - a hybridised and turbocharged 1.2-litre four-cylinder engine making 147kW and employing a pair of electric motors, powered by a small 2kWh battery.

One motor fits between the engine and gearbox for starting the engine and acting as a clutch, while the other helps drive the front wheels from the axle.

Renault says it'll later be joined by a more powerful all-wheel drive E-Tech version, with 220kW and a bigger battery.

Renault CEO Fabrice Cambolive said the Rafale is a central piece to the brand’s strategy, which it calls the ‘Renaulution’.

The Rafale features a new styling direction for the brand, something which the brand says helps establish it as a "status-symbol coupe-SUV", thanks to its raked back and sharp lines - elements like its new light pattern and its diamond-themed gloss black grille are highlights.

The design is so important to the brand that it's the most prominent part of its official media communications about the Rafale, coming before the interior features and drivetrain are even mentioned.

The Rafale features a new styling direction for the brand, something which the brand says helps establish it as a “status-symbol coupe-SUV”.

In terms of an Australian launch, it's not confirmed which global markets will receive the Rafale, though Renault says it'll launch around Q2, 2024 for the northern hemisphere's spring.

CarsGuide has contacted Renault Australia for a statement on whether the local arm has the Rafale under consideration.