Renault Arkana E-Tech 145 RS Line

The nice thing about trends and discoveries that take shape in the higher car classes is that sooner or later they also find their way to the more accessible segments. The airbag, for example: a large balloon in your face in the event of a collision, very unusual. But after the Mercedes S-class adopted it, other brands and models followed naturally. Navigation, large rims, parking sensors: ditto. When BMW introduced the X6 in 2008, an SUV that looked like someone had tried to tie a whale to the roof, we saw the mood for a little bit. It’s new, it’s weird, it won’t be long before everyone wants this.

Well, it took a relatively long time before SUV coupes became more compact and affordable, but these slender-clunky appearances are now well represented. We do not share Renault’s claim that there are still no cars in the c-segment: the Audi Q3 Sportback, the BMW X2 and the Cupra Formentor really fall into that category. However, they are all ‘primiejum’ and therefore a bit pricey. The Renault Arkana as you see it here, starts in the Netherlands at 32,390 euros (30 mille in Belgium). Compare that with the minimum 44 mille of the Cupra (which is more than 10 centimeters shorter) and you realize: Renault has indeed tapped into something new here.

We’re always up for a bit of commotion and commotion, but let’s be careful to say that the SUV coupe is not our favorite body shape. Taking away from a spacious car its space: we have never seen the use of it. But hey, we already said that about the X6 thirteen years ago and it clearly fell on deaf ears, so we’ll stop there.

The name Renault Arkana has been around for a while

The Renault Arkana, that is. Anyone who paid attention already saw the name a few years ago on a similar model that was intended for the Russian market, among others. For Europe and parts of Asia, Renault is now reusing the name, but the car is completely different. Only the roof panel is interchangeable. ‘Our’ Arkana has no four-wheel drive, has smaller and cleaner drivetrains and is more luxuriously decorated to satisfy us spoiled westerners.

When you see the Renault Arkana in the pictures, it looks like a big boy, but in reality it’s not that bad. It is slightly longer and lower and has a longer wheelbase than a Kadjar, on which it is not based. It stands on the platform of the Clio and Captur and is being built in South Korea. It therefore does not replace an existing model and is really an addition to the range. Renault claims that the space in the back is spacious, but quite frankly you should not expect miracles. We can see their efforts to create headroom – the rear seats are quite low and tilted slightly – but for someone of roughly six feet, it’s all just barely. In the event of a rear-end collision, the headliner is your headrest. The legroom is also so-so, while, for example, the Golfs of this world nowadays are just so thick for each other. So you have to sacrifice something for your trendy appearance.

You won’t see the Renault Arkana very often

Now the Arkana is also not intended as a volume model. In the Netherlands, Renault only offers it as an E-Tech hybrid (without plug) and in three reasonable trim levels. So he is a image builder which may remain a bit exclusive – although they already sold 100 copies before the car even put a wheel on Dutch soil.

The slip-on is already well equipped and the RS Line we have here has everything you want. Nice leather with Alcantara and red stitching, some carbon fiber like slices, big displays, nice aluminum knobs. It is a neat whole, sleekly designed and well thought out. The chic gear lever contrasts sharply with the creaky budget joystick that Renault presented in the Espace only a few years ago. We haven’t always been a fan of the brand’s upright infotainment screen, but it’s pretty okay now and you don’t have to dig too deep into the menus to get things done.

No tachometer

Renault has decided that it is no longer necessary for you to have a rev counter. Even in Sport mode it does not appear – a funny choice, but in fact such a counter is no longer important in this intermediate phase on the way to full electric. You can no longer switch on your own. Instead of your revs, you will now see a power meter that indicates the division between petrol and electric. Not very useful either, but more in line with this green era.

The E-Tech powertrain is known from other Renaults. The 1.6 petrol four-cylinder (without turbo) and two small electric motors together deliver 143 hp. The battery is compact and therefore quickly empty, but also quickly filled again – it dances back and forth between roughly a quarter and three quarters charge. Especially if you select the B-position on the transmission, which regenerates like a madman and almost functions as a single-pedal mode, the Arkana regularly only drives electrically. There’s also an EV button if you want to force it, but it’s actually superfluous. Renault makes the link with their F1 car and although that seems far-fetched, good lessons will undoubtedly be learned in terms of energy recovery. The systems in the Arkana are nicely coordinated and feel like a smoothly working whole. Exactly what you want from a hybrid – economical driving without having to worry about it.

The strange button

There is a mysterious button with a fan on it, but pressing it strangely has no effect on your air conditioner. That’s because it’s not a fan, but a flower: Renault’s designation for the ‘Multi-Sense’ driving modes. These affect the powertrain, steering, instrument panel and ambient lighting. The difference is significant in the steering, especially: light as a feather in My Sense, considerably heavier in Sport. The chassis is not adjustable, but already has a nice balance of its own. When we attack a small dike road with some enthusiasm, the body appears to tilt little, and even on a slightly subsided part with strange cants, things remain well under control. At higher speeds, bumps are nicely rounded, but slowly over short bumps they come through somewhat firmly. It’s an SUV, so that’s okay.

Speaking of which, the high seating that people appreciate about these types of cars was apparently at the top of Renault’s list of priorities. Not only the car itself, but also the front seats are high. Even in the lowest position, your legs are more down than forward and you tower above the dashboard and steering wheel. With us, the top of the door panel is exactly at elbow height. All this contributes to ensuring that you have a good overview in traffic and that you feel completely like the SUV master.

Not so fast

The Renault Arkana E-Tech 145 comes along nicely, but a sprint time from 0 to 100 in 10.8 seconds may no longer be called really smooth in 2021. Especially given the relatively modest curb weight (because small battery) of 1,410 kilos, we had hoped for slightly more forward enthusiasm. However, the drivetrain is very quiet, and there are few annoying noises from the road surface or the wind. In EV mode below 30 km/h, a (mandatory) modest buzzing sound is heard to warn pedestrians. It’s also a nice reminder for yourself – the car is so quiet and vibration-free that you wouldn’t have noticed that you were driving electrically otherwise.

As mentioned, the Arkana is supplied in the Netherlands in three versions: Zen, Intense and RS Line. You always get LED lighting all around, cruise control, heated door mirrors, climate control, a reversing camera and more of that kind of beauty. The Zen adds adaptive cruise control, driving modes, a larger screen, an electric parking brake and 18-inch wheels, among other things. With the RS Line you get some exterior adjustments, an automatic parking system, a wireless phone charger and heating in your steering wheel and in your (electrically adjustable and leather-covered) seats. The price difference between the two extreme versions? Not even 5,000 euros.

Why the Arkana is unique

And that brings us back to the reason why the Renault Arkana is, after all, a unique case. Yes, that Cupra Formentor we talked about earlier may be a plug-in hybrid that’s a lot more powerful and faster, but if you dress it up a bit, it goes past 50 grand. At Audi and BMW, the prices for their compact SUV coupes are quickly even higher. Who has a nice, well-smelling, richly equipped offer for between 30 and 40 grand? Nobody – except Renault.

We will never really appreciate this body shape, but we do appreciate it trickle down effect of original ideas from the upper classes to cars for everyone. The fact that Renault takes the plunge, combined with a cleverly applied powertrain (a more expensive PHEV version will follow if there is a demand for it), is only commendable for the diversity in the middle class. Doing well, les amis – and keep that approach.

The non-hybrid Arkana in Belgium

In the Netherlands, the offer of the Arkana is therefore simple. One powertrain, three trim levels. But in Belgium, where people do not focus on the CO2 number for tax purposes, you can also get the Arkana as a TCe 140. It is then equipped with a 1.3-liter petrol four-cylinder coupled to a seven-speed EDC automatic transmission.

This version is a fraction cheaper than the hybrid, but is slightly faster. It goes from 0 to 100 in 9.8 seconds and reaches a top speed of 205 km/h, with average consumption of 5.7 to 5.9 l/100 km and emissions of 130 to 134 g/km. The Arkana TCe 140 is available in Belgium from 28,600 euros. (To add that Formentor again: a non-hybrid 1.5 TSI is also for sale in Belgium. It costs 33,800 euros.)

And that Russian Arkana? It stands on the platform of the old Dacia Duster and comes with a 150 hp turbo engine and four-wheel drive (7.2 l/100 km, 162 g/km CO2). No, that would mean that the price advantage in the Netherlands would evaporate pretty quickly…