Renault Rafale 4x4 PHEV long term review

Cast your mind back to the quirky Citroen CX, XM and C6 models – cars that didn’t exactly fly out of showrooms back in the day but now have a significant enthusiast following. Peugeot has had a few, too, but Renault’s back catalogue of big posh models is larger.

It all kicked off with the Renault 25, progressing through models like the unloved Safrane, the bizarre, tall ‘executive hatchback’ Vel Satis and the even weirder Avantime. Renault’s last effort was the Latitude, a forgettable saloon not sold in the UK that went out of production nearly a decade ago.

But the big, range-topping Renault is back in the form of this: the Rafale. And this is the range-topper of the range-topper: the bells-and-whistles ‘atelier Alpine’ model with the 300hp E-Tech plug-in hybrid powertrain – including a 22kWh battery and promised range of up to 65 miles. We’ll be running it for the next six months to see if that all delivers in the real world.  

The Rafale adopts the increasingly popular coupe-SUV bodystyle instead of trying to create its own niche, like the old Avantime. It’s the sixth SUV in Renault’s UK lineup alone (seventh if you count the recently departed Arkana) but it’s by some distance the largest in the range.

It’s also the most luxurious, particularly in this atelier Alpine trim. As the name suggests, it’s been worked on by Alpine engineers, with standard-fit ‘4Control’ four-wheel steering, uprated tyres and (unique to this spec) adaptive suspension that uses a camera to read the road ahead and decide whether to soften or firm up the ride.

That’s alongside a massive tally of standard equipment, including heated seats, a heated steering wheel, matrix LED headlights, a 12-speaker Harmon Kardon sound system, Renault’s ‘Solarbay’ opacifying panoramic glass roof, a gesture controlled electric tailgate and sports seats with neat backlit Alpine logos on them. Ventilated seats for the incoming summer aside, I don't want for anything else. 

Our car also gets striking matte ‘Summit Blue’ paintwork, adding an extra £1,700 and pushing the price well over £51,000. That’s a lot for a Renault in theory, but not necessarily too much for a fully-loaded, 300hp, four-wheel drive SUV with premium intent. For reference, a top-rung V6 Renault Vel Satis in 2002 was the equivalent of over £57,000 today.

In more modern terms it’s pretty much exactly what you’ll pay for the slightly smaller Cupra Terramar PHEV First Edition, which is similarly kitted out but comes with a less powerful, front-wheel drive powertrain. It’s also nearly £15k less than the cheapest Mercedes-Benz GLC 300 e – and Renault’s lease deals on the Rafale are extremely keen at the time of writing, too.

Those all-important initial impressions are good. I’ve never been sold on the whole coupe-SUV genre (personally I think it’s home to some of the ugliest new cars money can buy) but the Rafale is at least smartly proportioned. It also benefits from that stand-out paint and the 21-inch ‘Chicane’ alloys – the best wheels offered on the Rafale, in my opinion.

The Rafale also uses its considerable size effectively by being very roomy inside. Renault’s latest interiors are arguably its best yet, too, There’s no shortage of tech to play with, but the dash layout is intuitive, while I’ve enjoyed the combination of comfort, agility and strong fuel economy during my first commutes in the car (more on that in future reports).

So, is this a compelling flagship offering a taste of luxury for a lower price than premium brands? Or a confusing curio that isn’t worth the extra over Renault’s Austral family SUV? We’ll pile on the miles and hope to discover that over the next six months.

Key details

Spec: Renault Rafale E-Tech plug-in hybrid 300 atelier Alpine | Price: from £49,965 (£51,665 as tested) | Mileage: 2,059 (at start of test) | Test MPG: 169.5 | Report date: 20th May 2025