Renault has named the new SUV it plans to launch for international markets. It’s called the Kardian, and it’ll debut on October 25. That’s when the French automaker will also present its new strategy for international markets.
The new B-segment SUV will go on sale first in Latin America, breaking cover in Rio de Janeiro, before becoming available elsewhere. Renault says the new Kardian will embody “the start of the brand’s new product offensive in markets outside of Europe.”
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Details about the new model remain elusive, but it could be Renault’s version of the Dacia Sandero Stepway. Dacia updated the Sandero in 2020 for the 2021 model year with a new generation that included the rugged Stepway variant. The Sandero Stepway is a high-riding version of the hatchback featuring roof rails, integrated skid plates in the bumpers, an increased ride height, plastic fender arches, and additional moldings.
In announcing the Kardian’s October debut, Renault also teased the SUV. The automaker revealed the SUV’s word mark underneath the Renault badge. It also offered a brief glimpse of the taillight, hatch, and roof spoiler, but it isn’t easy to discern details about the SUV’s overall design. It certainly looks similar to the Sandero.
Renault recently refreshed the Arkana, giving the SUV a thorough facelift. It adopted the brand’s new corporate logo but doesn’t appear to share any prominent styling motifs with the new B-segment model. The taillights look completely different, but the two models could share some front-end similarities.
We don’t have any powertrain details for the French automaker’s new offering. We don’t expect any electrification as Dacia doesn’t offer the Sandero any electrified powertrains. We don’t expect the next-generation Dacia to launch until the second half of the decade when the alliance plans to ramp up production of electrified vehicles.
Renault has been part of an alliance with Nissan for nearly 25 years. Mitsubishi joined in 2017. In early 2022, the trio announced a plan to launch no fewer than 35 new electric models by the decade’s end, with 90 percent of them riding on five common platforms. The alliance’s strategy includes plans to mass-produce solid-state batteries by the middle of 2028.
