2025 Renault Duster review
That's right: the Renault Duster is finally on sale in Australia, and it's a significant departure from the artistically named (and ageing) SUVs the French brand has sold here in recent years.
Renault, Dacia's parent company, has stamped its mark on the Duster before wheeling it out locally, following the formula it's set for the small Romanian-made SUV in most markets outside of Europe. The Dacia name is only really used in Europe, but the Duster is currently on sale in more than 100 countries.
Separating it from the rest of Renault's Australian lineup is the headline-act manual transmission which, uniquely, is only available with all-wheel drive. Want an automatic? You'll have to settle for front-wheel drive.
The automatic is also paired with a 1.3-litre turbo-petrol four, while the manual downsizes to a 1.2-litre turbo triple that adds a mild-hybrid system. If that wasn't unexpected enough, the manual also takes top spot in the Duster pecking order.
Already, the Duster sounds like one of Renault Australia's most interesting vehicles in years. It also boasts some off-road capability, which means it's aimed squarely at the fan-favourite Suzuki Jimny and the understated Subaru Crosstrek.
Whether or not the Duster proves more popular than them remains to be seen (to July this year the Jimny is Suzuki's best-seller with 4921 sales, while the Crosstrek is Subaru's second most popular model behind the larger Forester with 6762 sales), but it is likely to become Renault Australia's best-selling model, even if that isn't a particularly high bar.
Its current sales leader is the large Master van with 1121 deliveries in 2024, while its best-selling passenger vehicle is the aged Koleos mid-size SUV, which chalked up 694 last year. Pricing was announced on July 1, but even before its official launch the Duster found 56 new homes last month, placing it third behind the Koleos (164) and Master (136).
Renault invited media to the old Holden proving ground at Lang Lang to put the Duster through its paces last week; does it have what it takes to be a Jimny killer?
The unusual four-variant Duster lineup comprises two powertrains and two equipment grades. It starts at $31,990 before on-roads and extends to $37,990 before on-roads at the top of the range. Uniquely, the most expensive variant comes with a manual transmission and all-wheel drive. 2025 Renault Duster Credit: CarExpert
Small SUV rivals, at least those with some off-road credentials, include the Jimny and Crosstrek. The three-door Jimny range is priced between $30,490 and $34,490 before on-roads, and available with both a five-speed manual and a four-speed auto.
The five-door Jimny XL range, meanwhile, is priced at $34,990 and $37,490 before on-roads for the manual and automatic variants respectively. All Jimny vehicles offer four-wheel drive with low-range gearing.
Meantime, Subaru's all-wheel drive, automatic-only Crosstrek ranges from $35,990 to $46,090 before on-roads. There's also the Hyundai Kona, which is available in front-wheel drive, all-wheel drive, and hybrid guises, priced between $32,700 and $48,700 before on-roads.
To see how the Renault Duster stacks up against its rivals, use our comparison tool
Basic, but it won't leave you wanting more. 2025 Renault Duster Credit: CarExpert
The beauty of the Duster is that it nails the basics without going over the top, which is what has kept its prices down. In fact, most of the cabin can be fittingly assessed as 'yeah, that makes sense'.
Standard across the range is a 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system. It may look small by modern standards, and appear to be haphazardly glued to the dashboard, but it's as functional as you could want – not to mention larger and nicer looking than the 7.0-inch unit in a Jimny.
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are both wireless as standard, and the screen reacts promptly to inputs. There's also a plethora of different menus and screens to flick between, encompassing apps, economy ratings, and vehicle settings, to name a few.
At the bottom is a digital climate control readout, but this doesn't mean it's a screen-only setup. Below the air vents – which feature the Duster's signature 'Y' motif that's found elsewhere – is a physical array of switches, which all feel solid. 2025 Renault Duster Credit: CarExpert 2025 Renault Duster Credit: CarExpert
The screen and climate control combo make for an arrangement that's very tidy and easy to use. We also appreciate that none of this changes between the Evolution and more expensive Techno grades.
Other standard gear includes a digital instrument cluster which, among the Duster's rivals, is something only found in the pricier Kona. Granted, the Duster's screen isn't quite as crisp as the Hyundai's, but the theme continues its no-nonsense interior functionality.
Only the most basic information is displayed by default, but there are three different display settings you can scroll through using a button on the right of the steering wheel. The position of the white light bars on either side indicates which display is selected.
Our only minor complaint is that the screen takes up a small portion of the cluster housing. Still, it all fits nicely in front of the squashed-circle steering wheel, which doesn't block any parts of the screen unless you have an abnormal seating position. 2025 Renault Duster Credit: CarExpert 2025 Renault Duster Credit: CarExpert
The wheel itself is leather-wrapped, but its square-ish proportions might take a second to get used to. It still slides nicely through the hands, and it boasts a range of physical buttons finished in dull black plastic – oddly, volume controls have been moved to a separate stalk to the right of the wheel instead of on the wheel itself.
While this is common in a number of Renault vehicles, it will take a second to find for anyone that hasn't experienced the French brand's products before. Besides that, we like the fact that Renault has almost entirely avoided piano black plastic in its material selection here, with brushed metal-look accents used instead.
Although it may house a lot of hard, scratchy plastics, the Duster is pitched as a budget-friendly, durable all-rounder. In that context, its interior design is visually cohesive and nothing feels out of place.
Importantly, the key touch points are all soft. The seats are comfortable and offer a broad range of adjustment, and the seat upholstery is one of the only defining features between the Evolution and Techno grades, with the former fitted with cloth and the latter with a curious, wetsuit-like material. 2025 Renault Duster Credit: CarExpert 2025 Renault Duster Credit: CarExpert
Above: Duster Evolution (left) and Duster Techno
This exposes one of the car's only major omissions, which is seat heating. The neoprene-like trim can get quite cold, and we imagine that could be fairly unpleasant on a chilly morning.
Otherwise, differences across the range boil down to the gear selector, which is either a small switch in automatic vehicles, or a massive shift knob in manuals. The top of this knob is glossy and decorative, which looks nice but could scratch over time.
Nearby are two USB-C outlets, a 12V outlet, two cupholders, and a wireless phone charger, regardless of the variant. There's also a large drive mode selector in 4×4 vehicles, and above the wireless charger is a small storage tray that's ideal for wallets or phones.
The Duster is also fitted with a series of YouClip accessory points, which allow for the fitment of items like phone holders, for example. Locations for these points are the same in both variants, though the Techno adds one to the right of the infotainment display. 2025 Renault Duster Credit: CarExpert 2025 Renault Duster Credit: CarExpert 2025 Renault Duster Credit: CarExpert 2025 Renault Duster Credit: CarExpert
Climbing into the second row reveals a surprising amount of space. Head and toe room are good, while legroom is surprisingly generous unless you're sitting behind tall front-row occupants.
Unsurprisingly, it's a fairly stripped-back area, with the only real amenities being dual USB-C outlets and rear-facing air vents. There is no fold-down armrest, and the bench seat is generally a case of function over form.
But you will find more of those YouClip points on the back of the centre console and front seatbacks, the former of which can hold a goofy-looking single cupholder if you so choose.
Generally, though, it's a case of what you see is what you get, which isn't a bad thing at all. 2025 Renault Duster Credit: CarExpert 2025 Renault Duster Credit: CarExpert
Finally, there is the boot, which is as large as possible given the Duster's diminutive proportions. Even in 4×4 guise, there's considerably more quoted space here than in a Crosstrek, which offers a claimed 291 litres in five-seat mode.
The load floor is almost perfectly square, and you have the benefit of an optional rubber mat to keep your carpets protected. Two additional YouClip points are found on either side of the cargo space, and while the jack's exposed storage location seems awkward, there's a very good reason for it.
In what feels like an impossibility, both 4×2 and 4×4 versions of the Duster come standard with a full-size spare wheel – sort of. While the Evolution gets a 17-inch wheel and the Techno a lower-profile 18-inch rim, the spare is a 16-inch wheel with a high-profile tyre to make up the difference.
It might be smaller than those on the car, but we're all for a spare wheel that isn't a space-saver, and of course a now-common tyre repair kit would be even less appropriate on a model like this. 2025 Renault Duster Credit: CarExpert 2025 Renault Duster Credit: CarExpert
To see how the Renault Duster stacks up against its rivals, use our comparison tool
Two petrol powertrains are available for the Duster. One is a 1.3-litre turbocharged four-cylinder, exclusively available with an automatic transmission and front-wheel drive, and the other is a 1.2-litre turbocharged three-cylinder mild-hybrid with four-wheel drive and a manual gearbox. 2025 Renault Duster Credit: CarExpert
The mild-hybrid system brings automatic idle stop/start, while the all-wheel drive system brings a hill descent control feature plus terrain drive modes.
We didn't get enough time in any one car to record a representative real-world fuel economy figure on Renault's media launch, so we'll have to test how accurate the Duster's reasonably frugal consumption claims are when we get one through the CarExpert garage.
To see how the Renault Duster stacks up against its rivals, use our comparison tool
We were excited – perhaps too much so – to drive the manual Duster, so let's start there. 2025 Renault Duster Credit: CarExpert
The only manual version currently available is the base-spec Evolution (first local deliveries of the Techno aren't due until December) and it has a traditional turn-key, which we're not used to seeing in most new cars these days.
And because the manual is exclusively paired with a mild-hybrid powertrain, the engine doesn't crank over before it starts up and instead fires into life the instant you turn the key, which will take some getting used to. The DCT-equipped Techno is fitted with a more modern push-button starter.
Once it's time to go, you'll realise the clutch pedal action is quite light, but not too light to feel flimsy. In fact, it's almost perfectly weighted for easy and manageable daily driving.
The only downside is that its bite point is pretty vague but, as with any manual, spending a little while driving around will help everything feel natural. Then there's the shifter itself, which is similarly vague but still direct enough to keep you from missing gears. 2025 Renault Duster Credit: CarExpert
Again, we expect this would make the manual Duster an easy commuter, at least as far as manuals go. A notable quirk is the unexpectedly strong 'clutch boost' effect, where a slow release of the clutch as you change gears causes the car to power forward before settling back down once it's fully disengaged.
This leaves you with a false sense of power, and it becomes less pronounced as you warm to the car and start shifting more quickly. The Duster – especially in manual form – doesn't offer much power but it should be enough for most, unlike the underpowered 75kW/130Nm Jimny.
The Duster barely made a fuss about accelerating up to 140km/h – on private roads, of course. And gear shifts can be as snappy as you like, though we did notice the centre armrest getting in the way on occasion.
It's a similar story with the automatic, minus the intrusive armrest, which offers more power than the manual but isn't quite as engaging to drive. There's no issue getting up to speed here either, but we'll be interested to see how well the dual-clutch auto behaves in stop-start traffic when we take one home for a week. 2025 Renault Duster Credit: CarExpert
In normal driving, the automatic is composed and shifts smoothly at the correct points. You can take control yourself using the paddles on the steering wheel, but it's disappointing there's no 4×4 auto mode.
Getting up to speed in the Duster reveals a composed suspension tune. Renault assured us that, as in any significant market, there was some local tuning involved with getting the Duster ready for Australia, and it seems to have hit the spot.
This is still a cheap small SUV and can feel light at higher speeds, but the way it handles large undulations and minor surface imperfections puts it far ahead of a ladder-frame Jimny. Even hitting a huge, car-sized dip at 80km/h didn't buck the Duster in any significant way.
Similarly, it remained planted at 100km/h-plus speeds, staying mostly comfortable aside from slight bounciness over harsher bumps. The steering is also direct and nicely weighted, making it feel substantial yet easy to live with, and there's an acceptable amount of body roll around tighter turns. 2025 Renault Duster Credit: CarExpert
Road noise is on the louder side, particularly in Techno variants with 18-inch wheels. This is to be expected, but it might get tiring suring long stints on the move.
Beeps and bongs are kept to a minimum in the Duster, with the only real warnings coming from the lane-keep assist system. Even then, it isn't intrusive, and there's good outward visibility to make positioning the car easy.
However, the reversing camera is relatively low-quality and it's disappointing there's no adaptive cruise control here. For a car touted as a practical light-duty off-roader, it'd be nice to have a more sophisticated cruise function to make highway stints easier during weekend getaways.
In a similar sense, it seems like a missed opportunity not to import the full-hybrid Duster that's available overseas. Small Renaults may be relatively efficient anyway, but we assume the Duster hybrid would be better for city drivers while also lowering the French brand's overall emissions amid the government's New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES). 2025 Renault Duster Credit: CarExpert
When to comes to off-roading, the Duster excels. It may lack low-range gearing and locking differentials, but the AWD system fitted to manual variants seems to be reasonably clever in deciding how to distribute power.
Any moments of wheel slip are quickly rectified, and you can feel the system working itself out. For the launch, Renault brought a 'concept' Duster kitted out with chunky aftermarket all-terrain tyres, which made it possible to get through a soggy, muddy track without any issues.
It's reasonable to expect Duster owners to want to do the same, so Renault offers a range of off-road-oriented accessories including everything from roof racks to weather-proof floor mats. All-terrain rubber isn't on the list, but that doesn't mean Renault won't encourage you to fit your own.
Bolstering these capabilities are the Duster's incredibly short front and rear overhangs, which create impressive approach and departure angles. That boggy track had countless spots where most other cars would scrape their undercarriages, but there were no such hiccups here. 2025 Renault Duster Credit: CarExpert
Mind you, the Duster's off-road angles aren't nearly as generous as the more utilitarian Jimny, which offers approach and departure angles of 37 and 49 degrees respectively, making it much more of an off-road mountain goat.
Subaru's Crosstrek can't match either model though, with approach and departure angles of 18 and 19.7 degrees respectively. Renault also claims the Duster's exterior plastics – which we're told are made from recycled materials – are immune to scratches.
However, it's worth noting that front-drive Dusters have slightly different front and rear bumpers, which means their off-road angles aren't quite the same as 4×4 versions.
While they should have no issues with mild off-roading if you keep up the momentum, we'd steer clear of serious mud. That said, the Duster 4×2's auto transmission would make the 4×4 versions even more versatile and give them broader appeal.
To see how the Renault Duster stacks up against its rivals, use our comparison tool
There are two Duster equipment grades available, but even the base model comes standard with a range of features. 2025 Renault Duster Credit: CarExpert 2025 Renault Duster Credit: CarExpert 2025 Renault Duster Credit: CarExpert 2025 Renault Duster Credit: CarExpert
2025 Renault Duster Evolution equipment highlights: 17-inch diamond-cut 'Adventure' alloy wheels
Continental Cross Contact 215/65 R17 tyres
Spare tyre (215/70 R16)
Rain-sensing wipers
Automatic LED headlights with halogen high-beam
Rear fog light
Grey door mirrors
Fixed roof rails
Electric parking brake
7.0-inch digital instrument cluster
10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto – wireless, wired
DAB digital radio
Wireless phone charger
2 x front USB-C outlets
2 x rear USB-C outlets
1 x front 12V outlet
1 x boot 12V outlet
6-speaker Arkamys sound system
Cruise control and speed limiter
Dual-zone climate control with rear air vents
Leather-wrapped steering wheel
Height and reach adjustable steering wheel
Power windows with one-touch auto up/down
YouClip accessory points: 1 x rear centre console, 2 x boot, 1 x inside of tailgate
Remote central locking
Duster Techno adds: 18-inch diamond-cut 'Exploration' alloy wheels
Continental Cross Contact 215/60 R18 tyres
Rear privacy glass
Automatic high-beam
Smart key card
Proximity entry with automatic walk-away door locking, approach unlocking
'Premium' cloth upholstery
Keyless start
Split-level boot floor (4×2 only)
Additional YouClip accessory point: Dashboard, right of infotainment screen
Modular roof rails
To see how the Renault Duster stacks up against its rivals, use our comparison tool
The Renault Duster has yet to be tested by ANCAP, though the European-market Dacia Duster received a three-star safety rating from sister authority Euro NCAP based on testing conducted in 2024. It has yet to be confirmed whether ANCAP will also apply a three-star rating for the Renault Duster sold in Australia. 2025 Renault Duster Credit: CarExpert
Standard safety equipment highlights: Autonomous emergency braking
Pedestrian detection
Cyclist detection
Driver attention alert
Lane-keep assist
Traffic sign recognition
Front and front-side airbags
Curtain airbags for both rows
Reversing camera
Rear parking sensors
Duster Techno adds: Blind-spot monitoring
Multi-view camera
Front parking sensors
To see how the Renault Duster stacks up against its rivals, use our comparison tool
The Renault Duster is backed by a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty, while servicing is required every 12 months or 30,000km, whichever comes first. 2025 Renault Duster Credit: CarExpert
Renault is also offering five-year, pay-as-you-go capped-price servicing plans, which are priced at $2475 for 1.2-litre vehicles and $2685 for 1.3-litre vehicles.
For context, the Jimny XL costs $2265 to service over five years, while the Crosstrek costs $2373.19.
To see how the Renault Duster stacks up against its rivals, use our comparison tool
This is the most refreshing new Renault in years, at least in Australia. 2025 Renault Duster Credit: CarExpert
Beneath that chunky look is a car that's certainly basic, but still feels modern. It has all the standard gear you would want – except heated seats – and it won't break the bank.
It also feels much more substantial than a Jimny, with much more power to boot. A manual all-wheel drive small SUV that can go somewhat off-road was always going to be a solid rival for the five-door Jimny and, given Suzuki's current stop-sale on the XL, it seems the Duster has arrived facing an open goal.
However, the Renault brand doesn't have the greatest appeal in Australia these days, as evidenced by its recent sales performance. 2025 Renault Duster Credit: CarExpert
But if it can attract Aussies into showrooms and onto its driver's seat, the Duster has a very real opportunity to become Renault's new sales hero and potentially even a smash-hit Down Under.
It deserves to take the French brand's sales crown from the Master van, and it's already off to a good start by outselling the Arkana and Megane E-Tech last month.
Yes, an automatic AWD variant would open the Duster range up to those who want the extra capability but can't be bothered with a manual or don't know how to drive one – as evidenced by the overwhelming popularity of the Jimny XL auto. And a hybrid wouldn't go amiss either.
But as the first Dacia vehicle to be sold in Australia, the Duster is a mighty fine effort and a much-needed kick into gear – pardon the pun – for Renault's ageing local model lineup. 2025 Renault Duster Credit: CarExpert
CarExpert can save you thousands on a new Renault Duster. Click here to get a great deal.
MORE: Explore the Renault Duster showroom There's a manual!
Competitive pricing
Plenty of gear and a full-size spare No automatic 4x4
No full-hybrid
Can be bouncy on rougher roads
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For the streamlined 2026 model year (MY26) Tucson lineup, which is available and in showrooms now, the number of variants has been reduced from 17 to just nine, and it's accompanied by an average price cut of $1722. The biggest technical change is the axing of the 1.6-litre turbo-petrol engine and seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission (DCT). CarExpert can save you thousands on a new Hyundai. Click here to get a great deal. "As part of our strategy to simplify the Tucson model lineup, we decided to discontinue the 1.6T powertrain, which is in line with the 2026 Kona changes announced last month," said Hyundai Australia in a statement provided to CarExpert. The same powertrain was dropped from the Kona range in Australia last month and now remains available only in the i30 N Line small sedan. Hyundai Australia said the non-hybrid 1.6-litre powertrain had accounted for 17 per cent of total Tucson sales since the facelifted Tucson was released in June 2024 – so around 3500 annually – which was a number it considered too low, despite the engine becoming available in both front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive formats. The same engine remains available in Australia's version of the related Kia Sportage (Kia is also part of Hyundai Motor Group), in which it now comes with a conventional torque convertor automatic. That move came after Hyundai USA replaced the eight-speed DCT in non-hybrid versions of its larger Santa Fe with a conventional automatic, following multiple recalls and stop-sale orders. For the 2026 Tucson, equipment levels remain largely the same. The entry-level variant now comes with a digital key, making it standard across the range, and one-inch smaller 17-inch alloy wheels. There's also a new Ecotronic Grey exterior paint colour option available with all versions for $750, with Ecotronic Grey Matte paint being exclusive to the N-Line Tucson for $1000. The largest price reduction of $2500 has been applied to the cheapest hybrid variant – badged as the Tucson Hybrid – which is now priced at $42,600 before on-road costs. Hybrids have accounted for just over half of all Tucson sales in Australia over the past 12 months, with more than 10,000 sold. Tucson sales are up 9.9 per cent so far this year in Australia to the end of July, with 12,186 deliveries, and while the segment-leading RAV4 is 9.2 per cent down in the same period, it still dominates the mid-size SUV market ahead of the Mazda CX-5 and Mitsubishi Outlander, with with 28,449 sales rear-to-date. MORE: Everything HyundaiMORE: 2026 Hyundai Santa Fe drops troublesome transmission Content originally sourced from:
7NEWS
2 hours ago
- 7NEWS
Polestar 3 breaks a world record for EV range
Swedish brand Polestar has a set a new world record for a production electric SUV on a single battery charge. The record run was carried out in the UK, where three professional drivers covered 935.44km in a Polestar 3 Long Range Single Motor SUV. It knocks off the previous EV SUV record set by a Ford Mustang Mach-E in 2024 – also set in the UK – of 916.74km but still trails the outright Guinness World Record for distance covered on a single charge by an EV. That was set only weeks before the Polestar's run, with a team in Germany covering 1205km on a single charge in a Lucid Air GT sedan. CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. The new SUV result easily beat the Polestar 3's official 706km (WLTP) range, with 20 per cent battery charge remaining when the team reached the official distance. It also recorded energy efficiency of 12.1kWh/100km, bettering the official WLTP figure of 17.6-20.3kWh/100km. The record-setting Polestar also travelled 12.8km after its official distance-to-empty hit zero and was completely standard, including its factory-fitted 20-inch 'Aero' alloy wheels and Michelin Sport 4 EV tyres. Video footage, odometer readings, GPS and battery levels were independently monitored throughout the attempt, which took 22 hours and 57 minutes. 'For a large premium SUV to go way beyond a London to Edinburgh distance is truly impressive and with this the adage that 'EVs can't go far' has been very much consigned to the history books,' said Polestar UK managing director Matt Galvin in a statement. Priced from $116,745 before on-road costs in Australia, the Polestar 3 Long Range Single Motor uses a 220kW/490Nm electric motor powering the rear wheels, with a 111kWh lithium-ion battery. It also boasts a 7.8-second 0-100km/h time and top speed of 180km/h. It's not the first record Polestar has set in 2025, with the brand recording its best-ever H1 (January-June) global sales this year. Sales of the Polestar 3 in Australia have trailed the more affordable Polestar 2 and the newer Polestar 4 so far this year, sitting 53rd on the EV sales charts with 101 sales to the end of June. The Model Y remains the best-selling EV in Australia, although it was beaten for the month of July by the BYD Sealion 7. Overall, Polestar's local sales were up 23.6 per cent in the first half of 2025, a trend the brand carried into July with a 123.3 per cent year-on-year gain. The Polestar 7 – a compact electric SUV – has been confirmed, with production scheduled to start in Slovakia in 2028. Before then, Polestar will introduce the Polestar 5, a sleek, full-size fastback.
7NEWS
2 hours ago
- 7NEWS
Cadillac's sleek, high-performance EV coupe concept has a sandstorm mode
Cadillac's latest concept is designed to be as thrilling on road as it is capable off it. The Cadillac Elevated Velocity concept is a high-riding, high-performance electric crossover that the General Motors luxury brand says previews 'potential future Cadillac design cues'. It'll be on display at The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering in Carmel, California from today (August 15). Cadillac says it builds on the Opulent Velocity revealed in 2024, and like this other concept it previews what V-Series performance models could look like in the future. CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. It also features design elements in existing Cadillac EVs, such as the long bonnet and vertical lighting elements of the Lyriq and Celestiq. The front lighting elements have a 'fluted translucent' look like last year's concept. The Elevated Velocity features a sleek coupe silhouette with a pair of huge gullwing doors. Cover the lower half of the vehicle with your hand, and it could be yet another gorgeous Cadillac coupe concept in the tradition of the Cien and Elmiraj. However, this sleek coupe rides on huge 24-inch wheels. That's because this concept – and to be clear, this is just a concept – is intended to be capable off-road. There's a range of selectable drive modes, including Terra Mode, which adjust settings for components like the air suspension. A Sand Vision feature works like Cadillac's existing Night Vision, helping you see better during a sandstorm. And whether it's Mother Nature or your car kicking up dust, Cadillac has included a feature called Elements Defy that keeps the exterior clean of debris using a dust-phobic vibration. Back on tarmac, there's an e-Velocity mode that's much like the V-Mode found in current V-Series vehicles. The ambient lighting shifts to white tones, and the steering wheel displays speed, time, battery health and temperature. Cadillac hasn't detailed any specific powertrain details for the concept. Like the Opulent Velocity concept, the Elevated Velocity is designed to not only be enjoyable to drive but also to have autonomous driving capabilities. Elevate Mode sees the pedals and steering wheel retract, while the outside temperature, driver's body temperature and cabin temperature are all displayed and the ambient lighting shifts to red. A rich Morello Red interior contrasts with the Vapour Blue exterior. The cabin is finished in Fine Nappa leather, including on the headliner, pillars and even the cargo floor, as well as both Garnet boucle and Cerise fabrics. The former is used on items like the armrests, while the latter encircles the cabin, wrapping from the doors to behind the instrument panel and then behind the rear seats. Brushed metal accents help break up the sea of red, and the Elevated Velocity features a 2+2 seating layout. 'The interior features layers of materials ranging from smooth wrapped surfaces, embossed grains, boucle fabric, tinted acrylic and glass, representing Elevated Velocity's extreme capabilities with inspiration from desert polo pursuits,' reads the press release. Indeed, there's been a lot of inspiration taken from desert polo, with the doors featuring a black crystal 3D printed pattern inspired by the sport. Cadillac has even included a bespoke polo set in a lockable compartment in the rear, with the polo helmet, gloves, kneepads and mallet all crafted in Morello Red. 'Elevated Velocity seeks to demonstrate our interpretation of an uncompromised performance luxury experience, where one can repurpose their valuable time by commuting fully autonomously, then unlock a true hands-on high-performance experience in places not unlike the rich dunes of the Lahbab desert, leaving zero emissions in their wake,' said GM Global Design boss Bryan Nesbitt. Cadillac has been busily expanding its lineup of electric vehicles (EVs), and has revealed its first electric V-Series performance models: the Lyriq-V, revealed late last year, and the Optiq-V, released this year. The former has been locked in for an Australian launch in 2026. Cadillac now offers V-Series models with everything from turbocharged four-cylinder power through to electric powertrains and supercharged V8 engines. However, it has thus far reserved its vaunted Blackwing nameplate for purely combustion-powered models: the twin-turbo V6 CT4-V Blackwing, and the supercharged V8 CT5-V Blackwing. Cadillac's flagship EV is the ultra-exclusive Celestiq. A convertible version, the Sollei, was revealed last year along with the Opulent Velocity concept, and is decidedly more production-ready than the latter. Despite this, it has yet to be confirmed for production.
