Renault Rafale review

Two options then: the ‘entry-level’ full hybrid starts at £38,195 in base spec Techno trim, and the PHEV starts at £45,694, which forces you to step up to Techno Esprit trim.

Flagship French cars always suffered crippling depreciation – here Renault has smartly crafted some tempting finance deals which ought to help shore up the leaks. It’s the same thinking that’s led to so many Arkanas trickling around on our roads. Thankfully the Rafale is a more convincing proposition that you can still enjoy for around £220 (full hybrid) or around £285 (PHEV) a month if you’re willing to have a short, low-mileage deal and can lay down a stocky deposit.

It's more like £400-600 monthly on typical, 10,000-mile-per-year, 36/48-month terms, which makes it very competitive with Peugeot's startlingly similar 408 crossover. Such figures also help bridge the large six grand leap between an Austral and Rafale, one we’d otherwise try to talk you out of unless you really like the looks here. This is a less rational purchase than most of Renault’s other SUVs. Perhaps that’s the appeal.

Every Rafale ‘full hybrid’ has a 26 per cent BIK rate; the plug-in hybrid version is a much more enticing business car prospect with its eight per cent rate.

What do I get for the money?

Base Techno trim gets 20in wheels, the full touchscreen experience, front/rear parking sensors, a reversing camera, LED lights all round and a whole host of active safety kit.

Techno Esprit Alpine (£4k extra in full hybrid guise) smartens up the trim inside and out, adds heated and electrically adjustable front seats, a heated steering wheel, a head-up display, the trick rear armrest and an electric tailgate. Perhaps more enticingly it brings adaptive cruise control and the 4Control four-wheel steer, the two options that’ll make the most difference to how it actually drives.

Topping the full hybrid range is the £44,695 Iconic Esprit Alpine, which takes all the kit of the trim levels below and adds 360-degree cameras, self-parking, a 12-speaker Harman Kardon stereo and the delightful sunroof.

You don’t get that option in the PHEV however, instead jumping to Atelier Alpine trim for an eye-watering £49,695. Most notably it brings the predictive self-adjusting smart suspension, plus all the goodies of the Iconic Esprit Alpine listed above.

What's the best spec?

If it’s the full hybrid you want, we’d go for the Techno Esprit Alpine for the extra dynamic ability (£42,195). If it's the PHEV, we’d be tempted by the Atelier Alpine trim... if you can justify spending just shy of fifty grand on a Renault SUV.

It’s worth noting that the claimed 65-mile e-range is one of the best in the PHEV business and will easily cover the average daily commute/school run. Just make sure you charge it up.