Test: Renault Arkana

Renault is the first manufacturer to offer a coupé SUV according to the traditional recipe with a somewhat manageable price tag. The Arkana undoubtedly borrows its body shape from the BMW X6 that initiated this whole party (yes, after SsangYong), but it still has one important lead over the premium examples. Because while the X6 offers less space for more money, the Arkana is actually more spacious than the car on which it is based. It shares its technical base with the Captur, while it is no less than 34 centimeters longer. This makes it a car that operates between the B and the C segment

Impressive

The Renault distinguishes itself with a large luggage space. The maximum stacking height under the flat rear window is admittedly somewhat limited, but the floor area of ​​the luggage compartment in particular is quite impressive with the Renault. With 480 litres, the Arkana offers a remarkable amount of space. The access to this cargo hold is spacious due to the large flap, but at the same time that flap is a heavy and clumsy thing. Unfortunately, electrical operation is not possible. Worse, the protruding (literally) lock due to the limited opening height of the valve is almost guaranteed to give you a headache. Rear passengers are clearly less generous. Due to the sloping roofline, you should certainly not be much taller than the 1.84 m of the undersigned. The Renault offers the rear passengers just a decent view of the outside world. The rear view is not great in the Arkana. The flat rear window is largely shielded here by the headrests and the ceiling. In addition, there is no rear wiper, but the particularly flat rear window makes it easy to live with.

Attention seeker

The Arkana is new to us, but was launched elsewhere in 2018 with different technology. On the outside, this can be seen in the rear lights, which with their layout and halogen turn signals are very similar to the copies that the Mégane had before the facelift of 2020. Also at the front, the Arkana is more Mégane than Captur. On the way, the Arkana attracts a lot of attention, although that is probably also due to the bright orange paint. This is also a sporty RS-Line. The Arkana is also sporty on the inside. That means black Alcantara and red stitching. The dashboard of the Arkana is recognizable as Renault, although it is not one to one copied from the Captur. That is also not possible, because in the Arkana the windscreen is closer to you and the dashboard is therefore less deep. The extra side windows in the front door are therefore missing. Unfortunately, the seating position is not significantly different, and therefore on the high side for a car with sporty aspirations. Fortunately, the sporty seats themselves are fine and the finish, use of materials and design are good for each other. The vertical 9.3-inch screen is not standard, but it does look very modern. The menu structure is reasonable, but especially in terms of speed there is still something to gain from Renault. Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are both present. The Renault also has a modern and fully digital instrumentation. The ease of use outside the screen is fine. Physical clusters for the climate control and clearly arranged buttons on the steering wheel contribute to this, although it is a pity that a round volume button in the Renault is missing. Audio control here is via the screen or via a separate control lever behind the steering wheel and that is not overly convenient. Also, the electronic control lever of the automatic transmission does not always respond immediately to input.

Fine grinding workshop

That automatic transmission lever from Renault is linked to a special piece of technology. In fact, there is an automatic four-speed gearbox, which has twice as many possibilities thanks to two electronic gears in one of the electric motors. The transmission has no clutch or torque converter, but straight teeth. The electric motors allow smooth shifting.
The Arkana also accelerates shock-free, but the natural feeling that Renault was looking for is not there. The car is noticeably continuously calculating and sometimes switches the combustion engine on or off at unexpected moments. Also, the speed regularly ‘hangs’, as if the car forgets to upshift. Moreover, acceleration is not always linear. From a standstill, for example, there is first a clear moment of doubt and higher in the rev range, the car instinctively gets a boost. Please note: the Arkana is certainly not a jerk of a car. Usually it all goes smoothly, but the E-Tech powertrain could use some fine-tuning. When it comes to consumption, the Arkana does it neatly with almost 1 in 17. With 143 hp, the Arkana has sufficient power, but it is not really smooth. With the Renault, the sportiness does not go further than the appearance. The seating position is a bit on the high side and the handling is comparable to the neutral character of other Renault SUVs. Neat, but certainly not overly communicative.
You’ve lost over 37 grand for an Arkana in the form we tested. However, standard an RS Line is already very complete and then you pay 32 grand. If you want, you can also check steering wheel heating and a (panorama) sliding roof in the option list.