New Renault hatchbacks and SUVs coming to South Africa in 2025

Renault fans can look forward to a busy year in 2025, as the French automaker plans to introduce at least six different cars in South Africa.

This includes a major update to four individual models, as well as a next-gen crossover and an entirely new SUV.

What’s coming in 2025

The first badge penciled in for the new year is the next-generation Duster, which will arrive in March.

The crossover is built on the brand’s new CMF-B platform, increasing the body’s dimensions slightly while also improving its off-road characteristics.

The ground clearance has been upped from 210 to 217mm, and its approach and departure angles have grown from 30 and 34 degrees to 31 and 36 degrees, respectively.

On that note, the 4×4 models feature a new Terrain Control System with Auto, Snow, Mud/Sand, Off-Road, and Eco drive settings for when you want to venture off the beaten track.

Renault has yet to confirm the South African engine selection, but in Europe, the Duster is sold with three powerplants, including a bi-fuel unit that produces 74kW and 160Nm and can run on both petrol and liquefied petroleum gas.

The two other options are both hybrids, with the first being a 1.2-litre turbo-petrol with 48V tech that generates 96kW and 230Nm, while the second is a 1.6-litre block with two electric motors that puts out a combined 103kW and 148Nm.

The new crossover was initially set to appear on our roads in the second half of 2024 but was pushed back to 2025 with no official comment as to why.

However, Renault previously cancelled the Oroch bakkie owing to the rand’s poor exchange rate, which affects how competitively it can price its cars.

It’s therefore likely that the Duster was postponed until market conditions improved, but this is also an indication that any of Renault’s upcoming models could be delayed at a moment’s notice depending on the economy’s performance.

With that being said, the next entry planned for South Africa is the updated Clio, which will go on sale in the third quarter of 2025.

This will be the hatchback’s mid-year facelift, which may sound unusual given the current version only appeared in 2022, but the car was actually meant to launch in South Africa in 2020 only to be delayed by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Since it’s an update, the expectation is that the Clio will retain its 1.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine with 74kW and 160Nm, though this is still to be confirmed.

What Renault has done is give the city car a substantial visual overhaul with a revised grille, new LED headlights and daytime running lights (DRLs), and 17-inch alloys.

The cabin has also been modernized with a new 10-inch digital driver display and a 9.3-inch portrait infotainment system with onboard navigation and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support.

The rest of the line-up will be rolled out in the final quarter of the year, starting with the updated Captur.

Like the Clio, the crossover has received several changes to its look with new LED headlights and DRLs, a two-tone roof, and alloys up to 19 inches in size.

The interior also has a new 10.4-inch screen, and the artificial leather upholstery is being swapped out for eco-friendly hemp and recycled fabrics.

Engine-wise, the Captur should hold onto its current 1.3-litre turbo mill, which puts out 113kW and 270Nm, but it could also potentially receive a new hybrid powerplant with a 1.6-litre engine with an electric motor producing a combined 107kW.

Another two entries in the works are the facelifted Kiger and Triber, the former of which is the brand’s best-selling nameplate in South Africa.

The global unveiling of both cars will only take place in Q2 next year, but the automaker has confirmed that they will arrive in our market in the final quarter, according to IOL.

The Kiger’s announcement comes as little surprise given that its badge-engineered sibling – the Nissan Magnite – recently received the same treatment, so we can likely expect a minor aesthetic tweak and an improvement to the crossover’s feature list.

The same rework will probably be applied to the Triber, too, which is currently one of the most affordable people carriers on the market.

The last unit earmarked for us is the Arkana, which is an entirely new entry for South Africa and is meant to debut late next year.

The Arkana is a crossover coupe that is exclusively sold as a hybrid with the same 1.6-litre engine and electric motor as the Captur found overseas.

The hybrid system also uses a high-voltage 15kW starter motor and a small 1.2kWh battery recharged by regenerative brakes, which help to reduce fuel consumption by up to 40%.

More information on each incoming Renault model, such as their pricing and localized equipment sheet, will be revealed closer to their respective launch windows.