After just three years on the market, the Renault 19 went through a mid-life cycle refresh that improved both the car’s look and the drivetrains.
With a new vehicle range on the pipeline, the French carmaker didn’t want to invest too much in the 19 model. On the other hand, Renault couldn’t just leave the range and still hope for higher sales figures. That’s why it introduced a facelifted version that lasted only for a few years on the main markets, while its Turkish factory kept producing the R19 under the name R19 Europa until 2000.

In 1992, the market increased thanks to the new customers from Eastern Europe. Renault tried to lure them, and the 19 sedan was an excellent contender for them. In their culture, the three-box version was the right one. Its new grille featured a redesigned grille, with two openings that flanked the rhomboidal Renault badge placed in the middle.

Inside, the dashboard was still angular-shaped but with softer materials and rounded corners. Its rectangular vents on the center stack and on the dashboard’s sides. The new, two-spoke steering wheel didn’t look that harsh as the one installed on the non-facelifted version.

Under the hood, Renault brought an extensive engine range, both gasoline and turbo-diesel powerplants. The 1.8-liter unit was new, while the 1.7-liter was closing to the end of its manufacturing life.