Renault Rafale

New range-topping coupé SUV combines rakish looks with hybrid and plug-in hybrid power options On sale Spring 2024 Price from £40,000 (est)

- Darren Moss

WHAT DO ELON Musk, Mark Zuckerberg and Tim Cook all have in common? Well, aside from eye-wateringly large bank accounts, they're all the figureheads of the companies they represent. If their firms ever have an all-company dinner, they'd sit at the head of the table. And the new Renault Rafale will occupy the same position for the French brand.

This all-new range-topping coupé SUV shares its underpinnings with Renault's new Austral family SUV but, at 4.7 metres long, is larger and more upmarket than its sibling. It's aimed squarely at models such as the Citroën C5 X, Cupra Formentor and Peugeot 408.

The Rafale's looks might well turn a few CEOs' heads. The distinctive front grille looks like it's backlit in bright blue and its appearance changes depending on the angle it's viewed from. There are also thin LED lights at the front and rear, as well as body cladding around the car's lower edges to give it a more rugged appearance. All versions come with adaptive LED headlights that can shape their beams around cars ahead, giving you maximum visibility at night without the likelihood of dazzling other drivers.

At launch, the sole engine option will be a hybrid, combining a 1.2-litre petrol engine with two electric motors for a combined power output of 197bhp, with all of this going to the front wheels. Like other regular hybrids, this version of the Rafale is capable of driving on electric power alone around town. Indeed, Renault says it expects up to 80% of urban driving to be completed without the petrol engine firing up.