Renault Symbioz Estate

• Body Glass
  • Automatic windscreen wipers with rain sensor
  • Dark tinted rear windows and tailgate
  • Front and rear electric windows with driver window one touch facility and anti pitch function
  • Heated rear window
  • Rear wiper
• Brakes
  • Abs with emergency brake assist
  • Active emergency braking system - Urban and pedestrian/cyclist
  • Electronic parking brake with auto hold function
  • Hill start assist
• Communication
  • Wifi smartphone integration compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
• Driver Aids
  • Adaptive cruise control with speed limiter
  • Driver attention alert system
  • Eco mode driving function
  • Front, rear and side parking sensors
  • Front/rear detection with emergency lane keep assist incl. solid line, oncoming traffic and road edge detection
  • Multi Sense - 3 driving modes and up to 48 ambient lighting colours
  • My safety shield - ability to personalise ADAS features at press of a button
  • PAS
  • Rear view camera
  • Traffic sign recognition with overspeed prevention
• Driver Convenience
  • Wireless phone charger
• Driver Information
  • 10.25" digital driver display
  • 10.4" OpenR link touchscreen with with built in Google Automotive Services and navigation
  • Gear change indicator
  • Renault automatic emergency assist
  • Trip computer
• Driving Mirrors
  • Electric adjustable/heated/auto folding door mirrors
  • Frameless auto dimming rear view mirror
• Embellishment Trims
  • Granite grey decorative upper strip
• Entertainment
  • 2 front and 2 rear USB-C ports
  • Arkamys speakers - x6 inc. 2 boomer, 2 tweeter and 2 bicone
  • DAB radio with Bluetooth
• Exterior Body Features
  • Radiator grille with 3D graphics in black upper part with grey graphics and body tone lower part
  • Rear side wing doors
  • Satin chrome lower door protection
  • Satin chrome window surround
  • Shark fin antenna
• Exterior Lights
  • Automatic headlights
  • Automatic high / low beam
  • Full LED front and rear lights
  • LED daytime running lights
  • LED rear fog lights
  • LED third brake light
• Heating/Cooling/Ventilation
  • Automatic air conditioning with one touch quick demist function and air quality regulator
• Interior Features
  • Fabric upholstery
  • Flying console with central storage, sliding armrest and 2 rear air vents
  • Height and depth adjustable steering wheel
  • Modular boot floor
  • Synthetic leather steering wheel
• Interior Lights
  • 2 front roof LED lights and central rear rooflight with 3 reading LED lights
• Safety
  • 3x3 point rear seatbelts
  • Distance warning alert
  • Driver and front passenger and 3 rear passengers seatbelt reminder
  • Driver and front passenger, side, head and curtain airbags
  • Driver height adjustable seat belt
  • Front passenger airbag deactivation
  • Rear window and door child locking function
  • Tyre pressure warning light
• Seats
  • 3 seat bench in 2nd row
  • Driver and front passenger seat height adjustment
  • Front and rear head restraints
  • ISOFIX child seat fixing points on rear outermost seats
  • Rear seats - 1/3:2/3 foldable sliding bench
  • Single front passenger seat
• Security
  • Central door locking
  • Hands free keycard with Keyless access and start
• Vanity Mirrors
  • Sunvisor with mirror and light
• Wheels - Alloy
  • 18" Gravity alloys wheels

• Electric Vehicle Data
  • Battery Capacity in kWh: 1.26
  • Battery Type: Lithium-ion
• Emissions - ICE
  • Standard Euro Emissions: EURO 6
  • WLTP - CO2 (g/km) - Comb: 105
  • WLTP - CO2 (g/km) - Comb - TEH: 106
  • WLTP - CO2 (g/km) - Comb - TEL: 105
• Engine and Drive Train
  • Camshaft: DOHC
  • Catalytic Convertor: Yes
  • CC: 1,598
  • Cylinder Layout: IN-LINE
  • Cylinders: 4
  • Cylinders - Bore (mm): 78
  • Cylinders - Stroke (mm): 83.6
  • Engine Layout: FRONT TRANSVERSE
  • Fuel Delivery: MULTI POINT FUEL INJECTION
  • Gears: 6 SPEED
  • Number of Valves: 16
  • Transmission: SEMI-AUTO
• Fuel Consumption - ICE
  • EC Directive 1999/100/EC Applies: No
  • WLTP - FC (l/100km) - Comb: 4.7
  • WLTP - MPG - Comb: 60.1
• General
  • Alternative Fuel Qualifying: Yes
  • Badge Engine CC: 1.6
  • Badge Power: 145
  • Based On ID:
  • Coin Description: E-Tech FHEV 145
  • Coin Series: Techno
  • Generation Mark: 1
  • Insurance Group 1 - 50 Effective January 07: 16E
  • Man Corrosion Perforation Guarantee - Years: 12
  • Manufacturers Paintwork Guarantee - Years: 3
  • NCAP Adult Occupant Protection %: 73
  • NCAP Child Occupant Protection %: 80
  • NCAP Overall Rating - Effective February 09: 4
  • NCAP Pedestrian Protection %: 76
  • NCAP Safety Assist %: 69
  • Safety Concerns?: No
  • Special Edition: No
  • Special Order: No
  • Standard manufacturers warranty - Mileage: 100,000
  • Standard manufacturers warranty - Years: 3
  • Vehicle Homologation Class: M1
• Performance
  • 0 to 60 mph (secs): No
  • 0 to 62 mph (secs): 10.6
  • Engine Power - BHP: 143
  • Engine Power - KW: 105
  • Engine Power - PS: Yes
  • Engine Torque - LBS.FT: 110
  • Engine Torque - MKG: 15.2
  • Engine Torque - NM: 149
  • Engine Torque - RPM: 3600
  • Top Speed: 106
• Test Cycles
  • Emissions Test Cycle: WLTP
  • RDE Certification Level: RDE 2
• Tyres
  • Alloys?: Yes
  • Space Saver?: No
  • Tyre Size Front: 215/55 R18
  • Tyre Size Rear: 215/55 R18
  • Tyre Size Spare: TYRE REPAIR KIT
  • Wheel Style: GRAVITY
  • Wheel Type: 18" ALLOY
• Vehicle Dimensions
  • Height: 1,575
  • Length: 4,413
  • Wheelbase: 2,638
  • Width: 1797
  • Width (including mirrors): 2,003
• Weight and Capacities
  • Fuel Tank Capacity (Litres): 48
  • Gross Vehicle Weight: 1,925
  • Luggage Capacity (Seats Down): 1498
  • Luggage Capacity (Seats Up): 434
  • Max. Loading Weight: 499
  • Max. Roof Load: 80
  • Max. Towing Weight - Braked: 750
  • Max. Towing Weight - Unbraked: 745
  • Minimum Kerbweight: 1,426
  • No. of Seats: 5
  • Turning Circle - Kerb to Kerb: 11.1

Ten Second Review
The Symbioz Hybrid offers yet another Renault option for customers in search of a C-segment crossover. It's a more spacious, versatile and trendy take on a Captur. Which for the right kind of customer might make it very appealing indeed.

Background
You can never have too much of a good thing - or so Renault thinks when it comes to C-segment SUVs. If you want something a little larger than the brand's supermini-based B-segment Captur crossover, the company already offers the Arkana and then the fractionally larger Austral and Rafale models. Or, if you want an EV, the Scenic E-Tech Electric. Nevertheless, here's yet another alternative from the brand to consider, the Symbioz. Renault course thinks the Symbioz model's place in the range is quite distinct. The company needs to offer a direct alternative to the lower mid-sized crossover C-segment sales leader, Nissan's Qashqai. The Austral is a little too large and expensive to fully fill that role, the Arkana and the Rafale are Coupe-SUVs and the Scenic is electric and therefore too pricey. Renault loyalists might expect the Symbioz to be electric too, since this was a name first used back in 2017 for one of the brand's full-EV concept models. But that was a much bigger, more ambitious kind of design. This Symbioz (its name borrowed from the French word 'symboise' meaning 'living together') is basically just a super-sized version of the Captur. But that could be exactly what many young families want.

Driving Experience
Only one drivetrain is being offered to UK Symbioz customers. That's Renault's E-Tech full hybrid 145 set-up. Renault makes much of the way the design of this car's engine borrows from its F1 racing technology. Like the brand's racing powerplant, this one is extremely compact and features two electric motors, one with 36kW on the rear of the gearbox and one with 15kW on top of the transmission, along with a four-cylinder 1.6-litre normally aspirated petrol engine which contributes most to the 145hp total output. 62mph takes 10.6s en route to 106mph. The gearbox is an auto of course (but of the more unusual 'dog box' clutchless variety) and the motor is powered by 1.2 kWh lithium-ion battery pack located beneath the boot floor. The rest of the drivetrain has somehow been shoehorned beneath the bonnet. There's plenty of mid-range pulling power, so plenty of scope for enthusiastic progress here, particularly if you select the most dynamic of the three drive modes on offer - 'Sport'. But you're not going to want to use that too often for fear of decimating the frugal fuel returns which would have prompted you to choose this car in the first place. For the best readings, you'll most of the time want to stay in 'MySense', a hybrid setting which blends the petrol and electric motor output for maximum economy. In town, you might want to select the 'Pure' mode (or the 'EV' button on the centre console) which prioritises battery-electric drive up to about 38mph, providing there's sufficient charge. Renault claims that a Symbioz E-Tech Hybrid will be able to travel for 80 per cent of urban journeys on battery power alone. There's also a further 'Brake' setting on the gear lever, which increases throttle lift-off electrical regeneration.

Design and Build
The Symbioz was developed alongside the latest version of the Captur, which you could tell from a glance at the nose because from the front, the two cars are almost identical. The differences become obvious in profile, where the CMF-B platform undergirds bodywork stretched to 4,413mm in length, 186mm longer than a Captur and 97mm shorter than an Austral. Size-wise, it's basically a combustion alternative to the Scenic E-Tech Electric. The rear styling is unique, featuring sculpted lights with the 3D 'ice cube' effect. Wheel sizes are 18 or 19 inch. It's a similar design story behind the wheel. The front is pretty much the same as a Captur, which means you get a portrait-orientated 10.4-inch central touchscreen running Renault's Google-based 'OpenR Link' infotainment system. Plus there's a 10.3 inch customisable digital driver's display. The key differences over the Captur are obviously further back. Renault hasn't used this Symbioz model's extra body length to add in the kind of optional third seating row you'd get on a rival Vauxhall Frontera or Citroen C3 Aircross. But the second row is noticeably more spacious and usable than you'd get in cars like those, with up to 221mm of knee room and a bench that slides by up to 160mm. With top-spec trim, there's the Solarbay sunroof with automatic tinting electrochromatic glass that we first saw on the Scenic E-Tech. Out back, that sliding bench can vary boot space between 492 and 624-litres (70-litres more than a Captur). And with the 60:40-split backrest folded, there's 1,582-litres of luggage space.

Market and Model
Prices start from just over £29,000 - which is around £4,000 more than a Captur Hybrid. There are three trim levels - 'evolution', 'techno esprit Alpine' and 'iconic esprit Alpine'. The latter top two trim levels have 19-inch wheels, sporty features and elegant nods to the Alpine brand. All variants come with Renault's 10.4-inch 'Open R Link' central screen with wireless smartphone-mirroring, Google Maps and Google Voice Assistant built in. Plus there's Google Automotive services including navigation and an Arkamys audio system with 6-speakers. Also fitted are a 10.25-inch digital driver's display and a wireless charging mat. And there's a rear view camera, a modular boot floor and auto high beam LED headlights. As you'd expect, the Symbioz is on a par with the best for active and passive safety. New-generation driving aids, such as Active Driver Assist, with Level 2 autonomous driving, and Predictive Hybrid Driving (with the hybrid powertrain) optimise efficiency by maximising the use of electrical energy while driving. The European General Safety Regulation (GSR2) requires some ADAS features to be activated by default every time the car is started. For this purpose, a function to the left of the steering wheel - My Safety Switch - lets drivers enable or disable their preferred settings for five ADAS at the same time, at the touch of a button.

Cost of Ownership
You're not going to be able to go very far on all-electric drive in this Symbioz E-Tech full hybrid, but that's not the point of the HEV powertrain. Instead, it's there to constantly cut in and out with battery power at urban speeds. As a result, this Hybrid 145 model's official 60.1mpg figure should be quite real-world achievable, as should its quoted 105g/km CO2 reading. You can see why Renault doesn't offer a Symbioz diesel. Of course, official figures are one thing; actual day-to-day returns are another and mindful of this, Renault has provided a variety of e-driving tools to enable Symbioz Hybrid drivers to get as close as possible to the stated readings. As you drive, you'll need to keep a close eye on the central dial, keeping its needle as often as possible in the 'Charge' rather than the 'Power' section. You'll also want to make use of the piano key-style EV drive mode button below the central screen. This is for slow town traffic and when activated, it prioritises battery-electric drive up to about 27mph, providing there's sufficient charge. Renault reckons that it should be possible for a Symbioz E-Tech full hybrid 145 owner to drive around town at low speeds in all-electric mode for 80% of the time. On the open road, remember to switch the auto gear lever to its 'B' position so that you can maximise regenerative brake energy harvesting and so preserve battery charge.

Summary
Renault calls Symbioz a 'sexy box'. You might not see it quite like that, but this car does bring a dash of extra style to the Qashqai sector. And, as the brand says, should be a 'very good answer for a lot of families'. There's an emphasis on practicality here that the company says evokes the spirit of some of its past family models, the 16 saloon of the 1960s and the Espace of the 1980s. Interestingly, Renault is also implying that choosing a Symbioz Hybrid might be a more sensible choice than an electric vehicle right now. Paula Fabregat, the marque's small car design chief, calls it 'more rational and less emotional than an EV'. We'd be minded to agree - and you might too.