The French brand is experiencing a dip in sales this year, down 15 per cent in the opening seven months compared to 2024. That’s despite an upturn for its best-selling model, the Master van.
Commercial vehicles continue to dominate its sales, with the Master, Traffic and Kangoo combining for almost two-thirds of its overall deliveries, despite the Koleos SUV being its second-best seller, albeit with less than half the volume of the largest van.
Speaking to Australian media at the launch of the new Duster (sold in Europe as a Dacia), Renault Australian managing director Glen Sealey detailed the brand’s plans to see it through to the start of 2027.
“Duster is the start of a major model of rejuvenation for the Renault brand here in Australia. While I can’t go into detail today, following Duster we will launch six new or refreshed models over the next 18 months.
“That’s on average one every three months or once a quarter, so you’re going to see a lot from us, and you’re going to hear a lot from us in the not too distant future.”
Sealey wouldn’t be drawn into which six models would be included in that, saying “there’s a lot of water under the bridge between now and then, and the order and the cars themselves may change”.
However, we can take an educated guess at some of the models in the pipeline based on previous announcements.
In the next few months, a facelifted Renault Captur is set to launch, having debuted in Europe last year. We’ll also see it in Mitsubishi showrooms as the new ASX, after the existing model was axed earlier this year.
Renault’s performance brand Alpine is also set to come back to Australia in the near future with the A390, an electric SUV based on the same AmpR medium platform as the Renault Megane E-Tech and Nissan Ariya.
It may not make the 2027 cutoff though, as European deliveries will start later this year and right-hand drive production may push it to more than 18 months for now.
While Renault Australia has also put its hand up for the wild Renault 5 Turbo 3E hot hatch, this won’t enter production until 2027, meaning it too is unlikely to be included in the 18 month target.
The tamer Renault 5 could be on the cards as it’s already built in right-hand drive, though the Australian division of the brand is still yet to lock in a local launch, regardless of time.
A Renault 4 and Scenic E-Tech comprise its electric options in Europe – alongside the battery powered Kangoo and Megane E-Tech which are in Australian showrooms – while the hybrid Symbioz was revealed last year.
An outside chance for Australia is the South Korean market Grand Koleos E-Tech Hybrid, based on a Geely SUV from China. The current Koleos turns 10 next year, while the Nissan X-Trail with which it shares its platform last underwent a generational change in 2020.
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