Renault Arkana Review 2023
The Renault Arkana is a coupe SUV that’s an affordable alternative to the premium SUVs that saturate the mid-sized market. The Arkana is a solid family SUV with sporty styling, a practical interior, and two economic engines.
Rivals to the Renault Arkana include the Nissan Qashqai, Cupra Formentor, Volkswagen T-Roc, and Toyota C-HR.
Our Renault Arkana review covers:
- Coupe styling with sloping rear roof
- High-quality interior with good amount of practicality
- 513-litre boot on mild-hybrid and 480-litres on hybrid
- Two engines are available: A mild hybrid and a hybrid
- Four trim levels available: Evolution, Techno, R.S. Line, and E-tech Engineered
Pros:
- Economical mild-hybrid and full-hybrid engines
- Slick styling
- A good amount of equipment as standard
Cons:
- Sluggish performance
- Headroom limited throughout the cabin
- Firm suspension
Like many mid-sized SUVs, Renault has given the Arkana a slick, sporty coupe-like exterior. Coming with a sloping rear roof and several creases across the car, the Arkana is a pleasant car to look at.
The Arkana has enough interior space to accommodate a family, but it's not as good as some of its rivals, such as the Cupra Formentor. In the front, there's a good amount of legroom and plenty of width, so passengers won't be rubbing shoulders, and the same goes for those in the back. However, headroom is limited, and taller adults will find their heads rubbing against the roof.
For storage, you'll find all your usual cubbies and compartments. There's a centre console with a small cubby under the armrest, big enough door bins, and a generous glovebox.
Boot space comes in at 513 litres in the mild-hybrid version and 480 litres in the hybrid. With the rear seats folded, the boot extends to 1,296 and 1,263 litres. Unfortunately, the boot doesn’t come with many practical features apart from a bit of underfloor storage.
Although the Arkana is a budget car, its interior has a premium edge to it. The cabin is very well built, there’s plenty of soft-touch materials are on the dashboard, and the switches feel secure and reliable. It’s that good, it competes with the likes of the Audi Q4 e-tron Sportback.
On the dashboard, there's a 7.0-inch infotainment system and a 4.2-inch driver display; they both display sharp graphics and are easy to use. The infotainment system comes with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Upgrade to the Techno trim and above, and you'll get a 9.3-inch touchscreen with a built-in sat-nav and a 10-inch digital driver display behind the steering wheel.
Four trims are available for the Arkana: Evolution, Techno, R.S. Line, and E-tech Engineered.
The entry-level Evolution comes with 17-inch wheels, keyless access and start, black and grey fabric upholstery, automatic climate control, a synthetic leather steering wheel, LED front signature lighting, lane keep assist, traffic sign recognition, and rear parking sensors with a rear-view camera.
Techno adds to this with 18-inch wheels, a mixed synthetic leather and fabric upholstery, tinted rear windows, a 9.3-inch infotainment system, a 10-inch digital drivers display, rear-cross traffic alert, three customisable driver modes, front and rear parking sensors, eight ambient lighting colours, and blind-spot warning.
R.S. Line features red lights on the steering wheel and dashboard, a leather gear lever with top stitching, black suede upholstery with red/grey stitching, a perforated leather steering wheel, heated front seats and steering wheel, and hands-free parking.
E-Tech Engineered is the same as R.S. Line but features black and gold interior styling.
Two engines are available for the Arkana, a mild-hybrid TCe 140 and a hybrid E-Tech 145. They both come with an automatic gearbox, seven-speed for the TCe and six-speed for the E-Tech.
The entry-level 1.3-litre petrol turbocharged TCe 140 is a mild hybrid unit that returns decent performance for a mid-sized family SUV. It comes with a power output of 138bhp, a top speed of 127mph, and 0-62mph in 9.8 seconds. It also returns a competitive fuel economy of a combined 48mpg.
The next option is the hybrid 1.6-litre petrol E-Tech 145, our pick of the bunch. Increasing power output to 143bhp, the E-Tech starts in electric vehicle mode, which is handy for low speed cruising. Unfortunately, performance takes a hit, with 0-62mph taking 10.8 seconds and its top speed dropping to 107mph. However, to counter this, the economy massively increases to a combined 60mpg.
If you couldn't already tell from the engines, on-the-road performance in the Arkana won't blow you away. The engines are good all-rounders and are up to scratch both around town and on the motorway, but wont get you on the edge of your seat.
Regardless, the handling is pretty good in the Arkana. It doesn't have much body lean, and the steering is precise and well-weighted, meaning you can trust the car on a fairly slippery road surface. However, this is about as good as it gets, and if you try and take the Arkana for an exciting country-road drive, you won't get much excitement.
For suspension, the Arkana falls short of its rivals, such as the Toyota C-HR. The ride quality is quite firm, meaning you feel it if you drive over a pothole or speed bump. However, the Arkana does control its cabin well over these obstacles, meaning you and your passengers will remain comfortably in your seat.
Prices for the new Renault Arkana start from Price On Request OTR* or to lease from £255.20 per month.
Thinking about leasing the Renault Arkana? Nationwide Vehicle Contracts are one of the UK's largest car leasing brokers and offer a range of leasing deals to suit your every need.
Our deals could be cheaper than an outright purchase thanks to a low initial deposit, fixed monthly payments, and various benefits included in your deal, such as road tax and breakdown cover.
*' On the road' price correct at time of publication and includes one year's road fund license, DVLA first registration fee and number plate fee. Prices are subject to change, always check with your nearest retailer.
