Renault Symbioz 2025 Review

Introduction

Renault used to be a brand famed for affordable family hatchbacks of various shapes and sizes, plus the odd saloon, coupe and convertible. Nowadays, though, it’s all about the SUV.

Some hatchbacks remain in its ranks, such as the Clio and the revived (and all-electric) Renault 5. But even the likes of the new Megane have an SUV-styled stance, while the Captur, Scenic, Austral and Rafale are all actual crossover SUVs, and another one – the Arkana – has only recently been discontinued.

In the mix, too, is the Symbioz – the car we’re focusing on today. It sits between the Megane and the Captur in terms of price. Although it shares its underpinnings with the Captur, it's actually only slightly smaller than the Austral.

The Symbioz is the most recent car to receive the E-Tech treatment, which means it's now available as a full hybrid (HEV) – and that means it comes with an all-new engine featuring an additional 200cc, resulting in improved refinement and fewer gearshifts.

Not only does it offer more performance, but, despite the increase in size, it also comes with better fuel economy and lower emissions.

The Symbioz name comes from the Greek word ‘symbiosis’, which literally translates as “to live together”, along the same lines as we Brits might say it “fits like a glove” into your life.

That’s the theory behind the Symbioz, then, but does it stack up in practice?

Well, Renault has recently taken it back to the drawing board to give it a few tweaks in the hope of improving it.

Has it made a huge difference? We'll let you know.

At A Glance

Renault’s range looks rather attractive nowadays – and quite bulbous, in some cases.

Like many of Renault’s SUVs, the Symbioz has a rounded front end, albeit with indented bits and plenty of horizontal lines, especially in the lower grille.

The main upper grille is much thinner, linking the two sets of headlights together, while the bottom half of the front end is coloured in grey/silver on the top two trim levels. Claw-like day-running lights sit on either side, resembling air intakes.

Things aren’t quite as busy at the sides, but there’s a large indentation on the doors, while the bottom of the bodywork is heavily defined by a large crease above the side skirts.

Around the back, a sharp, carved indentation runs horizontally across the tailgate, joining the triangular taillights on each side, while the lower third bulges out towards the bottom.

The Symbioz is a reasonably attractive car, offering dynamic aesthetics, numerous lines, and a contemporary design.

Key Features

The Renault Symbioz is offered in three trim levels.

The entry-level Techno comes standard with 18-inch alloy wheels, a 10.4-inch openR Link infotainment touchscreen featuring a native Google operating system, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, DAB radio, and an Akamys six-speaker audio system.

You also get a 10.25-inch digital instrument display, automatic headlights and rain-sensing wipers, automatic folding door mirrors, full LED headlights, automatic climate control and 48-colour ambient lighting, plus a synthetic leather steering wheel.

Mid-level Techno Esprit Alpine upgrades to 19-inch alloys and features an electric hands-free tailgate, a floating centre console, a heated steering wheel, and heated front seats.

You also get recycled jacquard madama and titanium black bio-sourced fabric upholstery with Alpine blue topstitching.

Range-topping Iconic Esprit Alpine gets a nine-speaker Harman Kardon audio system, 360-degree surround view monitor, and a solarbay panoramic sunroof.

In terms of power, there’s a choice of two, though it’s clear which one Renault would prefer you to pick.

The mild-hybrid 140 (MHEV) is equipped with a 1.3-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine that produces 140PS, paired with a six-speed manual gearbox. However, this engine is only available with the entry-level Techno trim.

Choose either of the higher trims and you’ll have to have the full-hybrid (HEV) E-Tech 160, which is a 1.8-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with two electric motors, outputting 160PS, an increase of 15PS (over the 1.6-litre predecessor).

Both come with front-wheel drive only. You can also have the E-Tech 160 with the entry-level trim.

Performance & Drive

The full hybrid’s 160PS is enough to get the Symbioz from 0 to 62mph in 9.1 seconds.

That’s not lightning quick, but it should suffice for most – and it’s certainly quicker than the MHEV’s 11.2-second sprint time, though the HEV feels quicker than it is.

The HEV’s automatic transmission feels a little jerky, but the Renault moves off the line reasonably swiftly for a car that's not about the power – the dual electric motors help its torque levels.

It wafts along, automatically turning the engine off when it’s not required - although it’s needed most of the time. When the engine does cut out, it results in a quiet and fairly serene experience; however, when it kicks back in, the transition isn't as smooth as it is in some rivals.

The engine still needs to be worked hard to achieve decent performance, and that means it can sound screechy at times when accelerating hard.

At low speeds, the responsive throttle does the Symbioz justice, making it a doddle to navigate busy town centres, ring roads, and even in heavy traffic.

At higher speeds, though, it's a little more challenging, especially when you need to put your foot down to overtake. However, the larger engine and additional poke compared with the previous version are a welcome addition.

The Symbioz isn't particularly exciting to drive, although its handling isn't bad – body roll is well-contained compared with competitors, and the tyres generate plenty of grip.

The steering is precise, too, but doesn’t weight up sufficiently in the bends, so it’s far too light to give you the confidence to push on, while the feedback through the wheel is very limited.

The HEV has a harsher ride than the MHEV, thanks to its extra weight (it’s 108kg heavier at 1,469kg) – this is also exacerbated by higher trim levels receiving larger alloys. Many rivals feel more planted and can outperform it in terms of ride comfort.

The HEV's regenerative braking system is part of the hybrid system, but it takes some getting used to, feeling a little unpredictable at times until you become accustomed to it.

The HEV is the one to go for if you need to tow something – it can tow 1,000kg braked, whereas the MHEV is restricted to 750kg, though plenty of contenders can beat the HEV’s figure if you need something more.

Running Costs & Emissions

The HEV that we tested returns 65.7mpg, emitting 97g/km of CO2 – an improvement of about 4mpg and 7g/km CO2 on the smaller, less powerful hybrid unit.

The MHEV, on the other hand, manages 47.9mpg, producing 133g/km of CO2.

Neither of those is a bad figure – in fact, the HEV is impressive and enough to beat plenty of non-hybrid rivals by a considerable margin, with fellow hybrid competitors costing significantly more.

It’s still not enough to make the Symbioz a viable company car, though.

Low emissions will make it cheaper than many alternatives, but a plug-in hybrid is the minimum requirement nowadays if you really want to save money on Benefit-in-Kind tax.

The Symbioz is still too new to know how it will perform reliability-wise, but Renault, as a brand, appears to be on the up nowadays.

Interior & Technology

The Symbioz’s interior looks smart and likeable. Sure, it doesn’t have the same sophistication as the premium brands – in fact, some direct rivals offer more sophisticated models – but at least Renault has done a decent job in making it look appealing.

Mind you, although many of the materials feel of good quality, there are plenty of thin plastics about if you look closely enough, which feel very cheap.

Still, there’s plenty of silver trim dotted about the place, especially on the spokes of the steering wheel (which features a robust-looking double-spoke at the bottom), the gear lever and surrounds, and along the doors.

You also get a refreshingly different gradient black-blue panel on the passenger side of the dashboard, located between the right and central air vents. This feature's exclusive to Techno Esprit Alpine and Iconic Esprit Alpine trims, the latter of which we’re testing.

The Techno trim features an entirely black panel instead.

The digital instrument display behind the wheel looks nice, too.

But it’s the 10.4-inch infotainment screen that grabs your attention – partly because it's in a rare portrait orientation, rather than the far more conventional landscape orientation. It's perched on the dashboard like a tablet, and it's a lovely system to use.

Renault is one of a handful of manufacturers to use a Google-derived system, which offers access to dozens of apps, including Google Maps SatNav.

The screen is attractively laid out, with decent-sized icons, a pin-sharp display – and it’s responsive to your inputs.

The one slight annoyance is that the screen has huge black borders, which appear to be there for no reason other than to waste space.

Although Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are present, the native Google system effectively renders Android Auto redundant, as many of the features you'd use smartphone mirroring for are already included in the infotainment system.

The 10.25-inch digital instrument display is equally appealing in terms of its graphics and layout, and it's customisable too, mainly by using the multi-function buttons on the steering wheel.

And, because the Android system is native to the car, you benefit from features such as Google Maps’ SatNav being displayed on the instrument display, a feature that you won't get through smartphone mirroring.

Renault has retained physical buttons for controlling the air conditioning, too, making it easier and more convenient to use when on the move.

Practicality & Boot Space

The Renault Symbioz offers a decent driving position – and getting there is easy thanks to the electric adjustment in the top two trims, which includes our test car. There’s only manual adjustment offered in the entry-level Techno trim, though.

You sit reasonably high up, too, providing good forward visibility, especially since the windscreen is very swept back and the front pillars aren't particularly thick.

It’s a different story at the back, though, where the tapering rear side windows make the rear windscreen pillars much, much thicker.

A shallow rear windscreen and a roof spoiler that slopes downwards heavily compromise over-the-shoulder visibility.

Thankfully, we get a 360-degree camera on our test car, although lower trims have to settle for a rear-view camera. However, all models come with front, rear, and side parking sensors.

The Symbioz isn't as big inside as some of its foes, but there's still plenty of headroom and legroom in the front. The cabin isn't especially wide, though, so expect to be having an elbow-banging contest in the front if someone is sitting next to you.

In the rear, there's a respectable amount of room, but again, due to the lack of width, three adults in the back aren't the most comfortable, and a raised seat cushion in the middle seat further exacerbates this.

Despite the sloping roofline, there's still a sufficient amount of headroom. The legroom, however, depends on where the rear bench is positioned, as it can slide forward and backwards.

Push it far forward, and you'll wish you were a flat 2D image. But push it all the way back, and you'll be able to sprawl out in comfort, albeit at the cost of boot space.

Speaking of the boot, it's 492 litres with the rear bench slid as far back as it can go, increasing to 624 litres if pushed all the way forward. Space expands to 1,582 litres if you do away with the rear seats altogether by folding them down.

There’s a height-adjustable boot floor, too, which can remove the load lip to make it easier to slide heavy or large items in and out.

Interior storage is adequate, with generously sized door bins, a tray beneath the infotainment screen, and a reasonably large glove compartment. However, the centre console cubby isn't exceptionally spacious.

There are four USB-C ports – two located in the front and two in the back.

Safety

The Renault Symbioz was tested by Euro NCAP in 2024, earning a four-star rating.

It scored 73% for adult occupants, 80% for children and 69% for safety assists. The latter category includes automatic emergency braking, electronic stability control, tyre pressure monitoring, adaptive cruise control with a speed limiter, front, rear, and side parking sensors, and a rear-view camera.

The Techno Esprit Alpine features active driver assist, including adaptive cruise control, lane centring assist, and blind spot assist.

The top-of-the-range Iconic Esprit Alpine features a 360-degree surround view monitor.

Renault will likely be disappointed with the four-star score, especially since many of its opponents have five-star ratings.

Options

There are a handful of additional extras you can purchase for the Symbioz.

A space-saver emergency spare wheel is offered, along with dashcams, rubber floor mats, and a protection pack, which also includes illuminated door sills.

The family pack includes a child seat protector, kick mat, and rear seat organiser, while the side-step pack adds a step that makes it easier to get in and out.

If you want to add an aura of coolness to your Symbioz, there’s an underbody lighting pack, while the touring pack includes quick-fix roof-mounted bars and a roof box.

Tow bars, cycle roof racks and a storage pack (which includes tray tables fixed to the back of the front seats) are also offered.

Rival Cars

There are any number of competitors to the Renault Symbioz.

Hyundai’s Tucson, Nissan’s Qashqai and Kia’s Sportage are just three of them.

The Ford Kuga, MG HS and Volkswagen Tiguan also have carrots to dangle for your money – all are available as plug-in hybrids, although there’s no full hybrid option for the MG and VW.

If you’d settle for something smaller, then Hyundai and Kia also offer the Kona and Niro, respectively.

Non-hybrid alternatives, such as the Mazda CX-5, Seat Ateca, and Skoda Karoq, are also worthy contenders.

Verdict & Next Steps

The Renault Symbioz puts up a good fight.

It offers decent levels of practicality, great (and improved) fuel economy and reduced carbon emissions, nice enough looks, a good-looking (though somewhat cheap in places) interior, excellent infotainment, and is reasonably priced compared with its rivals.

The full hybrid is also more powerful and more economical than before. However, it’s not amazing to drive, lacks any kind of fun factor, and some competitors can beat it in terms of spaciousness, reliability and safety.

And, while the interior may look nice, cabin design has come a long way in the last decade or so; some foes can do a better job of that as well.

The Symbioz isn’t a bad car at all to lease for the price, but if you’re able to stretch for a more expensive competitor, it’ll probably be money well spent.

Where to next?

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**Score based on Select’s unique meta score analysis, taking into account the UK’s top leading independent car website reviews of theVauxhall Mokka Electric

**Correct as of 04/09/2025. Based on 9 months initial payment, 5,000 miles annually, over a 36 month lease. Initial payment equivalent to 9 monthly payments, or £1803.24 (Plus admin fee) Ts and Cs apply. Credit is subject to status.