The Renault Filante storms the premium SUV market, but outside Europe

Étoile Filante was a Renault prototype with which the brand set several world speed records at the Bonneville Salt Flats in 1956. Later, in 2025, the brand with the rhombus revived the Filante name for the electric prototype inspired by the world of aeronautics, and now, in 2026, Filante serves as the official name of a new vehicle from the brand within the International Game Plan 2027 strategy, with which it aims to consolidate its position in markets such as Asia and the Middle East.

It will be manufactured at Renault’s plant in the South Korean city of Busan, using the company’s CMA platform. Positioned in the E segment, the Filante comes with generous dimensions: 4915 mm long, 1890 mm wide and 1635 mm high. Its grille, of an illuminated three-dimensional structure inspired by the Renault logo, stands out, and it features a gradient from the body colour at the top to glossy black in the lower section. This grille allows for a high-set bonnet, together with an LED lighting unit that blends perfectly into the overall design.

From the side, the lines flow smoothly toward the rear of the Renault Filante, passing over areas such as the chrome surfaces that contrast with the mouldings on the lower part of the doors, or the wheel arches, which house wheels that can be 19 or 20 inches. The rear is undoubtedly very beautiful and spectacular, with a roofline extended by the suspended spoiler above the sloping rear window, which connects to a central area housing the rear light unit that appears embedded in the bodywork, finishing with a lower third zone where the rear diffuser sits.

Thanks to a wheelbase of 2820 mm, the Renault Filante offers a comfortable and spacious interior for its occupants, all complemented by an ambience of quality achieved through carefully selected materials, alongside sophistication and technology, highlighted by the dashboard featuring three 12.3-inch screens, complemented by a 25.6-inch augmented reality display. Added to this are other gadgets such as full LED ambient lighting, a fixed panoramic roof, air purification, two audio system options, the next-generation OpenR Panorama system, or the A-DoT Auto intelligent voice assistant, along with many others, not forgetting the more than 30 driver assistance and support functions available.

Mechanically, the Renault Filante is an SUV that uses the latest generation of the E-Tech full hybrid system with 250 CV. This output is achieved through a 150 CV combustion engine and two electric motors of 100 kW (136 CV) and 60 kW (82 CV). The system is also linked to a DHT Pro automatic gearbox and a 1.64 kWh lithium-ion battery operating at 316 V.

Renault plans to launch the Filante in the South Korean market from March 2026, with markets such as South America and the Gulf countries following later. The Filante is not expected to reach the European market.