Small SUV contender is pricey but fun

The Renault Symbioz is a new, small SUV from the French brand.. We drove at its Aussie launch this year, but this is the first time we've lived with it for a week and I almost feel sorry for the thing.. You see, the Symbioz was sparkling clean, fresh from being built in Valladolid, Spain before landing in the middle of a battlefield of Aussie suburbia with a four-year-old who immediately smudged chocolate in the seat and an 11-year old with more appointments and commitments than a prime minister..

The Symbioz that I tested for family friendliness is the entry-grade Techno with the mild hybrid system.. It was a long week.. Here's how it went....

The Renault Symbioz model range is small in Australia consisting of only two grades.. We tested the entry-level Techno mild hybrid, although you can get a full hybrid.. The list price of the Symbioz Techno mild hybrid is $36,990 before on-road costs, which is a lot more expensive than some Chinese rivals like the Jaecoo J5 or a Chery Tiggo 4, and a smidge more than the Honda HR-V, Toyota Corolla Cross or Mazda CX-30..

It is, however, more affordable than the hybrid-only Nissan Qashqai.. The Symbioz Techno is worth the extra money even if the value isn't as good as a Chinese SUV, because the difference is higher quality fit and finish and a more enjoyable car to drive.. Standard features on the Techno include 18-inch alloy wheels, proximity unlocking, push-button start, a 10.4-inch media screen and 10.25-inch digital driver's display, climate control, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, plus Google Automated services..

The seats are a synthetic fabric and that means chocolate wipes straight off, thankfully.. Our test car is fitted with the optional electronic glass roof which turns from transparent to opaque thanks to a dispersed polymer liquid crystal film between the sheets of glass.. The beauty of this is that there's no need for a sunshade that could reduce head room..

Check out my video here to see it work.. Yes, while value isn't one of the Renault Symbioz's strengths it does have a lot of compelling attributes.. Four attributes stand out as the strengths:.

the design, quality feel, practicality and the way it drives.. I truly believe that the Symbioz is the best-looking small SUV for the price right now.. I love the rear design especially with the razor-sharp tail-lights, but the entire vehicle is superbly styled and looks far more expensive than the price tag..

The same goes for the interior and not just the design, but the feel of the fabrics and materials, switches and the steering wheel.. Many SUVs try to aim for a stylish look, but few achieve the feel.. This also goes for the thoughtful layout of this cabin that places everything within reach and where it should be..

The practicality of the Symbioz is also outstanding.. As a mum to two kids that insist on bringing everything everywhere, a small SUV (it's 4.4m long) is generally too small for us.. But the excellent storage, occupant space and boot, which expands from 460L-592L because the rear row is on rails, has me rethinking that rule.  If you're a family in an urban setting but need all the storage and room that kids and adults require, then seriously consider the Symbioz..

The materials are also easy to clean and feel hard wearing, too.. Finally, the way the Symbioz drives is so engaging.. Yes the 1.3-litre four-cylinder petrol engine has a bit of the dreaded turbo lag and yes the seven-speed dual-clutch transmission can be a little clunky..

In a world of fully electric cars with seamless stop and go, this engine and transmission feels a bit antiquated, but the Symbioz is still so enjoyable to pilot in an old-school way.. As much as I love EVs for urban duties like the daycare drop off, grocery shopping and after-school sports dashes, I'd missed how fun these little runs can be in something with great handling and steering and a grunty little engine.. Well, as mentioned the price is a bit steep, but you're getting a nicer car for the money than many rivals..

Also the warranty is only five-years/unlimited kilometres, which is falling behind many mainstream brands.. Servicing is required every 30,000km or 12 months.. You can buy a five-year service package for $2700 which is about $540 a visit and that's expensive compared to a few rivals..

And then there's the fuel consumption.. The mild hybrid isn't as fuel efficient as the full hybrid and because I drove it like a rally queen, I used an average of 10.5L/100km over about 150km of driving.. The official fuel consumption is 6.4L/100km but personally I don't think they were flying this small SUV to school and pre-school to Scouts to Kung Fu to birthday parties and tutoring all with just 15 minutes to get to all of these places.  With more moderate urban driving, a lower figure is certainly achievable..

Finally, the Symbioz has not been rated by ANCAP, but its Continental equivalent, EuroNCAP only gave it four-out-of-five stars for safety.. This was partly because it lacks a front centre airbag and front knee airbags, as well as average occupant protection for the driver.. The Renault Symbioz won me over with its good looks and quality feel, practicality and space, as well as being so enjoyable to drive..

These attributes more than make up for the higher price.. There will be some who just want value for money which is understandable, especially now, but some will see the worth of a lovely design, thoughtful functionally and enjoyable way to get around..