by Yannis-Marios Papadopoulos
Vive la France!
And the name of it, Arkana. Renault presented in Greece the new coupe SUV with the impressive style that is between the Captur and Kadjar in terms of size and style.
Coupe SUVs are becoming increasingly popular thanks to models like the BMW X6 and Mercedes GLC Coupe, but there aren’t many affordable options.
The Arkana looks to change that, with prices starting at €25,290 and a choice of hybrid petrol engines.
French finesse
Whether you’re a fan of the Coupe SUV design or not, we have to say that the Arkana is pretty impressive on the outside. This is mainly due to the long sloping roofline and the raised rear light cluster that gives it a different look from many other SUVs currently on the market.
The Arkana comes standard with LED headlamps, tinted windows and 17-inch alloy wheels, while optional 18-inch wheels can be fitted to complete the look.
There are six colour options to choose from and Universal White is the default option. If you want to choose other colours, such as Zanzibar Blue or Flame red, you’ll have to reach into your pocket!
From the inside…
Inside, the Arkana shares a lot in common with the latest Renault Captur, which is good as you get a 7-inch touchscreen system with Android Auto and Apple Car Play as standard. The entertainment system is easy to use and the graphics are sharp.
The driving position is good with plenty of space up front and plenty of adjustments available from the seats and steering wheel, and there’s also a digital driver’s display with driving information.
The Arkana has plenty of storage space up front with two cup holders, a small storage space under the adjustable armrest and large storage spaces in the doors, also with storage nets.
Quality is generally good throughout the cabin and is an improvement on Renault’s previous SUVs, although there are some hard plastics in places.
Rear space is also good, with plenty of headroom for the average passenger and decent legroom. As the Arkana is slightly longer than the Renault Kadjar, luggage space is correspondingly larger, reaching 513 litres, with an additional 29 litres of space under the floor.
The floor is flat, which is useful for sliding large items in and out, and if you lower the rear seats the space increases to 1263 litres, which should be enough to carry flat-pack furniture, bikes and everything else in between.
On the road…
The Arkana is launched with a choice of two different powertrains, a 1.3-litre petrol engine with a small mild 12-volt hybrid system assisting the petrol engine or a fully developed 1.6-litre hybrid petrol engine with two small electric motors.
“Buyers will have no complaints
for the Arkana’s road manners,
which is distinguished for its comfort,
the limited gradients in corners,
the very good grip and the short turning circle.”
During our trip to Corinthia, we drove the Arkana with the mild 1.3-litre petrol hybrid system and features a seven-speed automatic gearbox with 140bhp.
Performance is not the Arkana’s strong point, instead Renault has focused on making it efficient and affordable to run. The first 100 kilometres from standstill come in less than 10 seconds. The engine is more refined in town and at lower speeds, but when pushed it proves rather noisy.
Buyers will have no complaints about the Arkana’s handling, which is distinguished by its comfort, limited cornering gradients, very good grip and small turning circle.
The Arkana is stiffer on the road than some other Renault models, especially with the larger 18-inch wheels, however, which means it can be quite stable on roads like the Greek ones.
It comes with a wealth of safety equipment from the standard version, including traffic sign recognition, front and rear parking sensors, forward collision warning, rear view camera, lane-keeping assist and electric parking brake.
In conclusion…
If you’re looking for a compact SUV with sleek styling, efficient hybrid petrol engines and a wealth of standard equipment, the Renault Arkana could be the one to consider.
Overall, however, the Renault Arkana is a “value for money” Coupe SUV crossover that is a pleasure to drive and appeals to buyers looking for something different from the… mundane SUV category.
Loutraki: Cosmopolitan and timeless!
To be put in context
