Renault Australia has announced that the Renault Symbioz small SUV will be launched locally in the second half of 2026 after its local debut at this week’s Melbourne Motor Show. Sold in Europe as a larger and more practical sister to the familiar Captur, the Symbioz will be the first full hybrid product to be offered locally by Renault. It features a new 1.8-litre hybrid system designed to use its electric motor as much as possible to save fuel, including when accelerating from a start, while a mild-hybridised 1.3-litre turbo-petrol variant will also be offered locally.

The Renault Symbioz will be one of the largest small SUVs when it launches in Australia. Measuring 4412mm long, 1797mm wide, 1567mm tall and riding on a 2639mm long wheelbase, the Symbioz is only 13mm shorter than a Nissan Qashqai. In the UK, its boot measures a healthy 492 litres with the rear seats slid rearward, 624 litres with them slid forward and 1582 litres with them folded.

The Renault Symbioz will offer two hybridised drivetrain choices when it launches here: a 104kW/245Nm 1.3-litre mild-hybrid teamed with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, or an 80kW/107Nm 1.8-litre petrol engine combined with a 36kW/205Nm electric motor and 1.4kWh battery with a claimed total system power output of 116kW.

European WLTP fuel consumption is rated at just 4.4L/100km for the full hybrid, and 5.9L/100km for the mild-hybrid, with Australian figures yet to be confirmed.

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According to Renault, the hybrid system has been engineered to use the electric motor, rather than the petrol engine, during its initial acceleration phase up to 60km/h. That reduces fuel consumption by 40 per cent, according to Renault, though fuel consumption figures are yet to be announced.

Standard features and the local line-up are also yet to be confirmed, but the brand gave an initial available features list ahead of its debut with “easy-to-use” cabin controls, a panoramic sunroof called ‘Solarbay’ that can be dimmed on demand, Harman Kardon audio, Google Built-In connected services, a 10.4-inch touchscreen with a 10.25-inch digital driver’s display, 18- or 19-inch alloy wheels and a sliding rear seat all available on the Australian Symbioz.

In the UK, entry-level Techno and upper-spec Esprit Alpine models are available like the Australian-spec Scenic E-Tech that recently launched.

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“The new Renault Symbioz is well positioned to offer Australian motorists a choice of hybrid options in one of the most hotly contested segments of the new-car market,” said Glen Sealey, General Manager of Renault Australia. “We have worked very hard with the factory to ensure the new Renault Symbioz is well equipped, delivers excellent real-world fuel economy, and will be available at an attainable price point.”

The Renault Symbioz will debut at the Melbourne Motor Show and go on sale in Australia in the second half of 2026.