New Renault Rafale

AMKC

Looks very classy,

https://youtu.be/C8jrkT4V7UU

Its looks similar to the Peugeot 408 but classier and better executed. No ugly rear bumper.

Larbre34

Take it from me, it does not look like a Peugeot 408.

The 408 is low and long and svelte and quite well proportioned.

This Renault Rafale is a badge engineered Nissan Ariya and the Ariya is a horrible dumpy looking pudding, like the Skoda Enyaq coupé or Merc GLE Coupé.

And being built by Renault as it is, the Rafale will be a dreadful crap box, quality wise.

My advice, if you like those proportions, is buy the Ariya itself, or better yet the Enyaq.

newmember2

Good god

AMKC

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120731778#Comment_120731778

Take it from me, it does not look like a Peugeot 408.

Your right it looks much better than the 408.

And being built by Renault as it is, the Rafale will be a dreadful crap box, quality wise.

Rubbish. Someone obviously stock 40 years in the past. All Renaults have been well built for the last 15 years now at least. Renault have learnt from there mistakes of the past.

kirving

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120731778#Comment_120731778

Rented an Arkana the other week, wasn't much to complain about at all tbh. Well put together, loads of tech, comfortable, drove well if a little down on power.

coolbeans

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120732831#Comment_120732831

Ditto. Renault have quietly been making decent cars for years. Yer man's chat together with the "take it from me" line can be taken with a large pinch of salt.

AMKC

https://youtu.be/SMbM7Rm9jTs

A classy advertisement for a classy car.

kirving

Cool advert, but Renault Deserve as much stick as Ford got for calling their EV crossover a Mustang. The original was no fighter plane, and a crossover definitely isn't.

Let's not forget SAAB either lol

bazz26

It does have Peugeot connections in that the guy who designed it used to work for Peugeot.

Sure they will sell next to none of them here anyway. This is meant to be their "latest" flagship model so given the Austral starts at 46k this will probably start at upwards of 60k which is pretty hefty for what is a Nissan Qashqai underneath. It answers another question nobody asked.

bbuzz

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120731778#Comment_120731778

Don't think it's a badge engineered version of the Nissan Ariya, since that is a pure EV on the CMF-EV platform and the Rafale is a plug-in hybrid on the CMF-CD platform.

Miscreant

Is it just me or does it look like a slightly overinflated/jacked up Polestar 2 from the pic in the OP?

I spotted one of these last week in Dublin and first thought was that I had never heard of it. Looked quite nice but as someone has said, the price needs to be right for it.

AMKC

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120740206#Comment_120740206

It definitely was not a Renault Rafale you spotted in Dublin last week as I was only unveiled on Sunday.

Maybe it's the polestar 2 you are talking about

Miscreant

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120740442#Comment_120740442

Definitely was not a Polestar 2, it was too tall for that. It was certainly a Renault model I had not heard about. Could have been an Austral now that I think about it.

AMKC

So I seen my first one of these out in the wild yesterday. A beautiful ice white model 141-D

Looked stunning.

con747

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122569980#Comment_122569980

A 141-D yeah? A bit old for a new car.

PopePalpatine

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120739604#Comment_120739604

There's enough suckers for the Hyundai Santa Fe or Tucson, what's one more crossover for the Irish public to fall for?

AMKC

Great review of the Rafale here,

https://youtu.be/ttvF6oJ8ffg?si=psT9Nb7tvTNPZqD4

AMKC

Another great review of the Rafale. Now if Renault would just cut the price by 10k they might actually sell some,

https://youtu.be/YG57D9Hfxl8?si=K5WcJgShJe6knIP7

sumo12

I don't doubt the quality of the new Renault cars and some of them are actually quite nice looking inside & out. But what they always suffered from is terminal depreciation - they are sale proof second hand. That will put off the majority of buyers, particularly in the top end of their range, which is an eye-watering 60k+

Nickindublin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122870342#Comment_122870342

I just looked at carzone and this hybrid starts from 51495 and the top one is 64945. Im sorry but someone is going to take a massive hit with depreciation.

AMKC

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122870365#Comment_122870365

Yes as I said about 10 to 15k too much. I love a nice Renault but it's almost like they do not want to sell the Rafale here. I would love to see them being popular but Renault need to reduce the price first.

PsychoPete

It's a shame it has that horrible loud noisey engine in it which I find off putting when I drove one other wise it's a really nice car. They priced the Rafale and Austral stupidity expensive

Nickindublin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122870510#Comment_122870510

Starting Mid 30s is enough IMO but costs have soared. I dont see many buying at that price TBH

Nickindublin

Im not in the market for new car but i like to browse. My 10yo car is just fine ATM. I would not be attarcte to a hybrid. I would go all Electric or Petrol. I feel a hybrid can be twice the trouble in making. You can get all the problems of a petrol and an electric car in one.

AMKC

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122870515#Comment_122870515

Yes they should really give it an electric drive train too.