The all-new Austral premières the third generation of Renault’s 4-wheel drive system: the 4CONTROL Advanced.

Renault is introducing 4-wheel steering technology in the new CMF-CD platform. Thanks to electronic control of the rear wheel steering, it is now possible to modify the rear suspension to offer the best performance in all conditions: maneuverability in the city, agility in the country and mountains roads, stability and safety on the motorway.

—Filippo Mantovani, Head of Vehicle Dynamics – Renault

In addition to the 4-wheel drive chassis, the all-new Austral features a multi-link rear axle for better roadholding, a more comfortable drive, and exceptional stability in all circumstances. On bad roads, movement of the rear wheels benefit from improved steering; the wheels are much better at negotiating any irregular road surfaces. The advantages are immediate: wheel-to-road contact is superior, while the comfort and acoustics are optimal.

When traveling at high speeds or taking corners faster than 50 km/h, the rear wheels turn as much as 1° in the same direction as the front wheels. This is achieved thanks to the addition of a steering actuator mounted on the rear axle, which controls input coming from the power steering, the engine, and the electronic stability program (ESP).

Very agile and easy to maneuver through city streets, the Austral offers exceptional handling for a C-segment SUV. Its curb-to-curb turning circle is as tight as 10.1m, which is better than some city cars. The Austral’s steering actuator located on the rear axle can turn the rear wheels up to 5° in the opposite direction of the front wheels (compared to 3.5° on the previous generation 4-wheel drive)—a technical feat.