The Renault Symbioz joins a proud line of family cars, almost 60 years after the launch of Renault 16 with its spacious and functional design, and 40 years after the revolutionary Espace, an adaptable vehicle just 4.25m long but able to carry seven people.
Launched in 1965, the Renault 16 was designed to stand apart from the competition, premiering a new body style with hatchback access to the boot. More versatile than any of its contemporaries, Renault 16 included a bench seat with a ‘holiday travel’ position. It met the needs of families looking for a car that suited their lifestyles, while keeping pace with rapid social change.
Since then, Renault has continued to innovate with family cars that move with the times. This was true in the 1980s with Espace, a car that started a revolution with its groundbreaking one-box design and modular layout. In the 1990s, Renault did it again with Scénic, the first compact MPV. Designed to resemble a cocoon, Scénic featured an interior dedicated to passenger well-being.
Symbioz shares this same DNA. Able to adapt its boot and passenger compartment to family needs, with useful technologies and compact dimensions that are also ideal for city driving, it joins a long line of versatile models that reflect our changing needs. Showcasing Renault’s new design language, Symbioz follows on from the recent Scenic E-Tech electric and is the latest all new model in Renault’s product offensive.
Combining the best of Renault C-segment vehicles in modular design, connectivity and efficiency, packed with expertise and intelligence, Symbioz is able to meet the highest standards of onboard comfort on both short and long journeys. It is consequently aimed at a broad customer base. First and foremost, it is a car for families looking for space and efficiency with modular, contemporary design. It is also built for corporate fleet owners, looking for a level of electrification while keeping TCO on a tight rein. For both categories of customer, Symbioz delivers an uncompromising win-win.
Positioned below Austral, Symbioz gives Renault stronger entry-level presence in the C-segment. Just 4.41m long, this new model completes the E-Tech ‘hybrid’ range already comprising Arkana (4.57m) and Austral (4.51m), while expanding the E-Tech ‘electric’ range with Megane and Scenic E-Tech electric. It confirms the coherence of Renault’s strategy, to address a full range of user requirements by building a dual range with dedicated platforms.
Symbioz is packed with the best of Renault technologies. It features the OpenR Link multimedia system with Google built-in, as well as the Solarbay opacifying glass sunroof and up to 24 new-generation driving aids for optimised safety and driving comfort.
With boot capacity of up to 624 litres – exceptional in a car of this size – and a modular layout with a sliding bench seat that folds to create a flat floor, Symbioz is on a par with the best in its class. At the same time, it remains compact and agile. Designed for both city traffic and family life, Symbioz is ideally versatile.
A new family car that is both eco-friendly and economical to run, Symbioz weighs in at under 1,500 kg. Featuring the E-Tech hybrid 145 powertrain, it stands with the best for fuel consumption and emissions with exclusive, ultra-efficient technology that has been continuously improved since its launch in 2020.
After Arkana, Megane E-Tech electric, Austral and Scenic E-Tech electric, Symbioz completes the range of compact Renault vehicles, as the last vehicle in the Renaulution offensive on the C segment.
Modern, sophisticated design – Built on the extended version of the CMF-B platform, Symbioz is a vehicle of well-balanced proportions. Even the rear overhang, with its promise of boot space, adds to the flow of the overall design. The rear end complements the modern, assertive prow, with its high, horizontal bonnet and vertical lines.
An original rear end – The rear end is sculpted, generous and dynamic, catching the light continuously. The lights make the car look wider, giving it a strong visual presence while allowing it to slip through narrow passageways. The vertical tailgate holds out a promise of generous interior space.
Life on board: a generous, light-filled living area – Without sacrificing its compact exterior dimensions, Symbioz offers generous interior space, combining a modular layout with a sliding bench seat and a wide range of features contributing to onboard comfort, such as the Solarbay opacifying glass sunroof and power tailgate. A multi-skilled, multifunctional car, it is also a ‘living area’ for the whole family.
The Symbioz dashboard structure is finished in special soft-touch paint on the techno version, and a blue gradient pattern on the techno esprit Alpine and iconic esprit Alpine versions. The lower part of the fascia is finished in a sporty high-tech fabric on the esprit Alpine versions.
More compact than most C-segment vehicles (4.41m long and 1.79m wide), Symbioz is built to deliver an agile performance with no trade-off on interior space or load capacity, this being one of its key strong points. Symbioz is the ideal blend of family versatility and urban agility.
Exceptionally modular – The rear bench is designed to slide over 16 cm, creating knee room of 221 mm for passengers at the rear, while also maintaining a boot capacity of 492 litres in this configuration. When the rear seats are not occupied by adults, the bench seat slides forward to increase boot capacity to 624 litres, and up to 1,582 litres when the rear seats are fully folded (60:40). The boot has no lip, making it easy to access the flat floor and load even the bulkiest items. This is a particularly welcome configuration for a family model. Symbioz also boasts 24.7 litres of storage space inside the cabin, including 7 litres in the glovebox alone.
Solarbay opacifying glass sunroof – Premiered on Rafale and Scenic E-Tech electric, the Solarbay opacifying glass sunroof uses ‘AmpliSky’ technology to do away with the need for a blind. The completely active system darkens the sunroof in segments on demand, using PDLC (Polymer Dispersed Liquid Crystal) technology, where the molecular structure reacts to an electric current. Maximum protection can be provided immediately, with a ‘wow’ effect created by each segment of the sunroof darkening in turn. This smart glass sunroof can even be controlled by a switch or by voice command using Google Assistant.
Packed with the best of Renault technology – Although Symbioz is an entry-level C-segment vehicle, it features the best in technology, whether it is regarding connected equipment, driving aids or powertrains. Symbioz features the OpenR Link multimedia system with Google built-in, based on Android Automotive 12, as standard on all models in the range. With its smart Google functions, OpenR Link is able to make pertinent suggestions for navigation and interior ambience, based on the driver’s habits. OpenR Link has been a standard setter since its launch with Megane E-Tech electric, and is compatible with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay for wireless connectivity. Its central 10.4-inch vertical touchscreen allows drivers and passengers to take full advantage of a connected world of content and services. A second 10.3-inch screen facing the driver displays driving information.
E-Tech full hybrid powertrain
Renault Symbioz features the E-Tech hybrid 145 powertrain. Highly efficient and therefore economical to run, it delivers the comfort and silence of electric driving in town, without the need for charging. Over 150 patents have been filed for E-Tech full-hybrid technology. Tapping into Renault’s expertise in Formula 1, particularly in energy recovery and regeneration, it delivers dynamic and efficient performance. The series-parallel hybrid architecture combines two electric motors, a 36 kW e-motor and an 18 kW HSG (High-voltage Starter Generator) with a 94 bhp 1.6-litre four-cylinder petrol engine mated to an intelligent multi-mode clutchless dog box and a 1.2 kWh battery.
The gearbox has four gears for the petrol engine and two gears for the main electric motor. The E-Tech hybrid 145 powertrain combines operation of the combustion engine and electric motor in up to 14 different ways for optimised fuel efficiency.
Emphasis on electric operation – Symbioz always starts off in electric mode. On the motorway, the powertrain is designed to allow the combustion engine to drive the wheels directly. With this Renault technology, Symbioz optimises fuel consumption on all terrains, with a WLTP cycle calculated at 4.6 litres/100 km. The powertrain has been constantly optimised since launch, particularly in terms of software management. The aim is to improve fuel consumption and driving comfort, especially on the motorway. Symbioz features the new ‘E-Save’ function, which is activated by a button by the steering wheel on the dashboard and maintains a battery charge of at least 40%. This ensures optimum performance when driving uphill, for example.
Predictive hybrid driving
Symbioz also includes predictive hybrid driving, a function that maximises use of electric power over combustion power for lower fuel consumption. Using data provided by the connected mapping function, it takes account of topography (hills, descents, etc.), journey time and traffic. This data is processed in advance by the battery management system, allowing it to maximise the use of electric power. A driving summary is available in the form of a bar chart detailing consumption and the distance travelled in all-electric mode.
