The 2026 Renault Filante, a Korean-built hybrid SUV with Chinese roots, might soon be available in Australia. This five-seat SUV, measuring nearly five meters in length, is Renault's largest model globally. However, it won't be sold in Europe, where the Renault Rafale remains the flagship. Built on the Common Modular Architecture (CMA) from Geely, the Filante is an enlarged version of the Grand Koleos, closely related to the Geely Xingyue L SUV. It differs from the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance Common Modular Family (CMF) C/D architecture used in other Renault SUVs like the Austral, Espace, and Rafale, as well as the Nissan X-Trail and Mitsubishi Outlander. The Filante is set to launch in South Korea in March, followed by a roll-out in Middle Eastern and Latin American markets early next year. If it's confirmed for Australian showrooms, it could take at least 12 months to arrive, but Renault hasn't yet confirmed right-hand-drive production for the Filante or its smaller sibling, the Grand Koleos. The Filante boasts large SUV dimensions (4915mm long, 1890mm wide, 1635mm tall, 2820mm wheelbase) without a third row of seating. It offers a luggage capacity of 633 litres with seats up or 2050 litres with the second row folded. Under the hood, it features a 110kW/250Nm 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine matched with two electric motors for a combined system output of 184kW and 'up to' 565Nm. Inside, the Filante closely resembles the Renault Grand Koleos and Geely Monjaro, with a newly-designed four-spoke steering wheel and three 12.3-inch screens across the dashboard. It runs on the Android Automotive operating system, supports over-the-air software updates, and includes an external augmented reality view. Available features include 19- or 20-inch alloy wheels, colour interior ambient lighting, smartphone and tablet holders for rear passengers, four USB-C charging ports, and a wireless smartphone charger. Standard features include an eight-speaker Arkamys audio system, while a 10-speaker Bose audio system with active noise cancellation is optional. The Filante also offers a digital rear-view mirror, a 360-degree camera with a transparent view, and an automatic parking system. In South Korea, it will be available in Techno, Iconic, and Esprit Alpine grades, with the Esprit Alpine featuring a black-painted rear section, black or light grey upholstery with blue, white, and red stitching, and a backlit Alpine logo on the seats. Active safety features include autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, highway driving assist, lane-keep assist, emergency steering, rear occupant detection, and intelligent speed limit assist.
