20/08/2024 A few months ago we drove the new Renault Symbioz E-Tech in Spain. Today, 8:30 CET to be precise, the press embargo lifted and we can finally tell you how the new hybrid car performs. So, apart from the name being a bit of a struggle to pronounce, is Symbioz a step forward for the automobile or just another car to choose from in a sea of crossover SUVs? Read on.
Right now Renault has a ridiculously fresh and good-looking range of cars on sale e.g. Captur, Austral, Scenic and Rafale – join the Megane and Clio. If car choice was a beauty contest – Renault would be near the top. Symbioz is a relatively long, five-seater SUV crossover – with a relatively big boot for a C-segment car. From a design styling point of view, Symbioz looks good, but to our eyes is the least impressive looking of the new crop of Renaults. Symbioz is a hard car to pigeonhole. It is similar in size to a KIA Niro and quite narrow at less than 1.8 metres, this makes it quite urban street-friendly. It looks long, but at 4,413mm it is shorter than a Nissan Leaf (4480mm). At under 1.5 tonnes it is relatively lightweight for a compact, family car so it appears Symbioz has a class-size to itself. It is slightly smaller than an Austral, yet bigger than a Captur. We’re in Goldilocks territory here for a family looking for a one-car solution.
Inside the cabin seats five, or four adults in comfort. The car’s wheelbase is long at 2,638mm and this helps deliver lots of interior room but also a mature level of ride comfort. The connected car features many of the controls and displays recent buyers of Renaults know. Party tricks include the (optional) Solarbay tinted glass roof – that goes opaque at the flick of a switch, and Renault’s OpenR Link multimedia with Google built-in. Up front, the cabin is nice but not quite in the premium car arena. It is well appointed with good connectivity and clear displays. Drivers will feel content in the knowledge they’re driving a sensible and modern machine that also has ‘Google’ incorporated. The cargo area is easy to access, flexible and versatile, the boot can hold anything from 492 litres up to 624. The seats in the second row can slide and tilt to prioritise passengers or luggage. If you fold down the rear seats there is 1,582 litres of space.
Under the bonnet is an E-Tech hybrid powertrain – so it features an automatic gearbox. Motorhub knows and likes this hybrid unit already – it features in a couple of Renault’s already. The engine is a petrol-powered, four-cylinder 1.6 litre that combines with a full hybrid system to deliver 145hp and 205nm of torque. It’s no race car, 0-100km/h takes 10.9 seconds, but you will never find yourself striving for GTI-like driving thrills behind the Symbioz wheel. Symbioz treats its occupants well and while we found the search for dynamic thrills was seldom on the agenda, the car can hustle along in comfort when needed. Generally, Symbioz drivers will feel encouraged to chill and go with the flow of traffic. The car delivers diesel-like fuel consumption and for a petrol/hybrid with an average quoted figure of 4.7L/100km. Symbioz has perfectly adequate performance for its target market of young families. Average emissions are respectably low at 105g. There is an E-SAVE button option to reserve a minimum of 40% of the hybrid’s battery power for later use. Plenty of ADAS systems are on board with Level 2 autonomous driving, predictive hybrid driving, and rear auto emergency braking some of th highlights. There is also a convenient ‘My Safety Switch’ that allows drivers to customise what safety systems are on/off – including the bings and bongs made by them.
The brand-new Symbioz is a practical hybrid that slots neatly into a comprehensive range from Renault, a car maker that at present appears to have an offering to meet any demand. Symbioz pricing in Ireland starts from €36,995 (Techno), rising to €39,395 (Techno Esprit), and the range-topper is the Iconic Eprit Alpine model at €41,395. Michael Sheridan
