Renault Rafale | Test Drive

28 April 2025 Redazione News, Tested

Words Marco Rallo / Photos Gian Romero

Its name is a tribute to a famous racing plane from the 30s, obviously powered by a Renault engine, and the same blue bodywork of that last century racer is included in the pattern that embellishes the front grille. Rafale, or rather the coupe SUV – even if it is more humbly defined as a crossover – that Renault places alongside the Austral and Espace. The dimensions are therefore generous and the line with a sloping tail increases a sportiness traced by the Esprit Alpine specification we’re testing, which uses a series of details that embellish a refined look that is capable of standing out despite maintaining those stylistic traits that it shares with a significant portion of the family catalogue.

Why choose the Rafale then? Certainly not for the badge in italics in the middle of the tail, but rather because it brings with it the SUV coupe declination of one of the best products of the French brand, at least as far as recent times are concerned. With large 20-inch burnished wheels and a body rich in ribs, the Rafale embraces the best of Renault engineering, confirming the choice of a Full Hybrid engine that relies on a 3-cylinder 1.2 cc engine for a total power that, added to the electric unit, offers the driver 200 horses and 205 Nm of torque. Traction is on the front axle, but the rear steering wheels of the 4control system increase directionality and facilitate maneuverability in tight spaces, acting in phase and counterphase, depending on the speed.

There are therefore many tried and tested solutions that make this car interesting in many respects and which, unlike the less fortunate Arkana, can count on a precise 4-speed robotized gearbox and a substantially impeccable infotainment system. Inside, we find seats with infinite adjustments, a dashboard with stitching in the colors of the French flag, backlit Alpine logos and an inverted L-shaped instrumentation that incorporates the customizable and fully digital 12.3″ display and a vertical touch screen from which to control the various parameters of the car, including Google satellite navigation and maximum connectivity with Android PlayStore. Oh, I almost forgot: from this screen you can set the colors of the environment but above all the type of intervention of the 4control system, in order to further customize the driving according to your style and needs.

By the way there are 4 driving modes to choose from: Comfort, Eco, Sport and Personal, with 4 additional regenerative braking steps, easily adjustable via the paddles on the steering wheel. Above your head there is a gigantic photochromic roof, a glass that even if it always remains closed offers the possibility of adjusting its opacity to increase the interior light, a truly interesting bit, just like the generous rear central armrest, which integrates sockets for charging your electronic devices and two cup holders that also function as a stand for smartphones and tablets.

What I hated during my weeks of testing was the crowding in the right area of the steering, where in addition to the satellite for the radio controls we have the windshield wiper lever that overlaps with the gear lever, making me start the windshield washer instead of putting it in reverse, a situation that in the chaos of the city is not the best surprise you’d ask for. The 3-cylinder can come into play in a somewhat noisy way, especially when cold, but when driving the hybrid system manages great, showing off truly remarkable mileages. A reference number? 4.5 liters per 100 kilometers. All this while also being brilliant and ensuring a fluidity that rewards a precise behavior between the curves, making the Rafale pretty nice to drive in any circumstance.

The price reflects the mechanical and stylistic qualities, with the Esprit Alpine trim of this 200 horsepower Full Hybrid costing €48,200 – a 300 horsepower PHEV has also been introduced – reducing the preference over the Austral and Espace to a mere aesthetic question, given that the load capacity remains excellent also in its case, despite the sloping tail: 627 liters and even 1,600 liters with the rear seats folded down. There is everything here, even LED matrix light clusters capable of illuminating at great distance, shortcuts (for the climate) promptly remained physical and a Harman Kardon audio system, just like on brands usually defined as luxury ones. But where is the line between an excellent and surprising Renault and a so-called luxury car? Perhaps it has never been so thin.