Renault Arkana Review 2024

Creating a niche car type is always a gamble, but the growing coupe SUV sector seems to be gelling with buyers. Premium brands such as BMW, Audi and Mercedes embraced it first, but mainstream models are trickling in. In this review we'll see if Renault's Arkana can crack the successful formula against rivals such as the Toyota C-HR and Mazda CX-30.

The Renault Arkana's hybrid body of a coupe and an SUV is complemented by hybrid engines. You can have a mild-hybrid 1.3-litre turbo petrol engine or the E-Tech, which is a full (self-charging) hybrid. 

The latter is expected to be the biggest seller, but it probably isn't the one we'd choose. It combines a 1.6-litre petrol engine with a 1.2kWh battery and two electric motors (one for setting off under electric power, the other to provide a power boost during acceleration).

It's best suited to town use, where it'll bimble around frugally and does a good job of isolating the driver (and passengers) from the outside world. Pretty much as soon as the engine wakes up it starts to get noisy, however, as the strangely unresponsive gearbox makes it a frustrating performer. 

There's also a mild-hybrid petrol model. We've not tried this yet, but the 1.3 TCe engine is a strong yet smooth performer in other Renault models. There are no plans to offer a diesel engine in the Arkana. 

The Arkana handles tidily enough but it isn't as fun as rivals such as the CX-30 and Cupra Formentor. The ride is unsettled too, crashing into big bumps around town. Really, the way the Arkana hybrid drives is probably the worst thing about it. 

It's a shame, because if you like the looks there's some appealing positives as a family SUV. It's quite a bit roomier than you might expect - it's based on the smaller Captur but is actually longer than the Kadjar - and the interior is largely pleasant, with decent tech and reasonable quality. 

The Arkana is also well equipped for the money, looking respectable value if you avoid the higher-end trims which aren't that necessary. It'll prove cheap to run too thanks to those efficient engines, while Renault offers a very competitive five-year, 100,000 mile warranty.

If you're looking for an enjoyable driving experience, look elsewhere, but if design, space and value matters and you're just pootling around town the Arkana is worth a look. 

Looking for a second opinion? Read heycar's Renault Arkana review.

Many people that buy this type of car aren't all that fussed about it being that sharp in the bends. But a comfortable ride is still important if you're not a keen driver. The Renault Arkana manages to offer neither. 

The steering isn't as light as some rivals, but it's stodgy responses aren't exactly confidence-inspiring. The Arkana actually feels tidy enough in the bends, but push it and body lean is pronounced (particularly on the heavier hybrid) and it runs out of grip. The brakes of the self-charging hybrid model are grabby and difficult to modulate, too, due to the regenerative effect. 

The worst thing about the Arkana's dynamic make-up is the ride, however. On higher-end models with 18-inch wheels it simply isn't good enough, crashing over big potholes and manhole covers around town. Smaller bumps also jiggle passengers around in their seats, while even out of town it's unsettled and lacks composure. 

It's worth seeking out a lower spec model if comfort matters, because they come fitted with smaller 17-inch wheels that take the edge of about-town potholes.

We've yet to try the 1.3-litre TCe turbo petrol model, but experience of it in other Renaults says it should be a smooth and decent performer. It's a shame there's no manual gearbox option, but the six-speed dual-clutch gearbox should be a lot more responsive than that of the full hybrid. 

Renault says that the E-Tech hybrid is mated to a six-speed gearbox. But unlike the petrol models, it's an usual design (called a 'dog box') with no clutches to speak of, just electric actuators. 

It might work in theory but it doesn't in practice. it actually feels like it has about three gears, as around town it seems to hold onto a low gear for no good reason, and at around 30-35mph the engine is revving away even under light throttle. You can avoid this by lifting off and kicking it back into electric mode, but it's not easy to keep it in there unless you're very gentle.

The opposite is the case when you come out of town and need to get, say, from 30mph to 60mph. You put your foot down, wait for it to kick down and nothing happens. The electric motor gives you a bit of acceleration, but the engine is still winding its way up, and because it seems to hold onto one gear from 30 to about 70 it takes time to get into its stride. The change at 70mph is also very sluggish. 

Frankly, it's a really strange way of setting up a hybrid. Many rivals use CVT gearboxes, which aren't exactly engaging and can be noisy but at least give you smooth, quiet running around town and full performance when you need it. At the very least, the Arkana will pull away slightly quicker in electric mode than some rivals. 

The Renault Arkana has been awarded the full five stars by safety body Euro NCAP. That shouldn't come as a surprise, because bar the Zoe it has a strong safety record. 

Every version gets automatic emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection and lane keep assist, but you'll need the S Edition trim to get blind spot monitoring and rear-cross traffic alert. That also brings adaptive cruise control with a speed limiter, auto high beam and traffic sign recognition.

Plump for the R.S. Line model if you're not a confident parker, as it'll do the steering for you with handsfree parking. 

The Renault Arkana is a pretty poor tow car, with both versions capable of a maximum braked towing weight of 760kg. 

Looking at the Renault Arkana's sloping roofline you might think there's compromises to be made in terms of space. Then you discover it's based on the Captur underneath (which itself is based on the Clio) and assume it isn't an ideal family car. But you'd be wrong. 

In terms of dimensions the Arkana is 4,568mm long, 1,821mm wide and 1,571mm tall. That makes it a full 340mm longer than the related Captur, putting it in the class above in terms of size. 

Adults in the fronts will have no complaints over space. There's a higher driving position than in something like a Cupra Formentor, but it's comfortable with plenty of adjustment. Visibility is hampered somewhat by thick pillars at the front and a slim, sloping rear window. 

In the back, legroom is more generous than many coupe-styled rivals, although headroom is still slightly limited for six-plus footers due to that roofline. Still, children and smaller adults will be happy, while there's no big transmission tunnel so the middle seat is usable. 

The mild-hybrid petrol model gets a decent 513-litre boot that's well shaped and much bigger than that of a Toyota C-HR. The E-Tech hybrid loses 33 litres of space (down to 480 litres) because the battery pack sits below the floor, yet it's still among the largest boots in this class. 

The Arkana's cabin is similar to that of the Captur on which it's based, just roomier. That's fine in isolation as it's an attractively designed interior with plenty of kit, but remember the Arkana is a few thousand pounds more expensive than the Captur. 

Its price and size moves it away from the small SUV crowd and towards larger family hatchback-based models. That's a bit of an issue inside, as while the Arkana has a decent amount of soft-touch trim there's some flimsier, scratchier finishes and surfaces that rivals better. It's not cheap feeling, but it certainly doesn't set the standard. 

The entry-level Arkana Iconic comes with a 7.0-inch infotainment touchscreen. It's landscape, like most rivals, but we haven't tried it yet. 

The majority of Arkanas sold will have upgraded system, which has a high resolution 9.3-inch touchscreen in a portrait angle on the centre of the dash. It's fairly responsive and has logical menus, but some parts of it are harder to use on the move than others. Early cars also had issues with it freezing or lagging, but later models we've tried are better. 

Happily, you get physical shortcut buttons for some functions below the screen, as well as super easy rotary knobs for the climate control. 

The digital dial displays options are confusing. Base models simply get analogue dials with a 4.2-inch TFT screen between. Some higher-end versions come with a 7-inch fully digital driver's display, but our S-Edition hybrid test car still had the semi-analogue dials. 

The Renault Arkana starts from £26,395 in Iconic TCe 140 mild hybrid form with a standard automatic gearbox, as of mid-2022. If you want an S Edition model that's £28,695, with top R.S. Line trim commanding a premium at £30,995. 

All trims can also be had in E-Tech hybrid form, with a reasonable £1,300 premium (we wouldn't bother, however). That does push it well over £32,000 in R.S. Line trim, but at least Renault is offering competitive leasing deals to take the sting out of it. 

The Hybrid model is on a par with the Toyota C-HR price wise, although the mid-hybrid petrol model is considerably more than a Mazda CX-30. 

Neither version of the Arkana should be expensive to run. Even the mid-hybrid petrol manages 48.7mpg on the combined WLTP cycle, which is competitive for an SUV of this size. 

The E-Tech Hybrid, meanwhile, is the one to go for if economy matters most, with a claimed 58.9mpg combined. That'll vary depending on what you're doing. Unlike a diesel low-speed driving is actually more efficient than high-speed motorway driving, because the Arkana can run in electric power for a good chunk of the time. 

The Arkana hybrid's 109g/km CO2 emissions aren't amazing, but neither car is that expensive to tax, and insurance groups range from 14-19 so aren't too high, although they're not best-in-class. 

The entry-level Renault Arkana Iconic is pretty well kitted out for the money, with standard kit including a seven-inch media system (with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay), LED headlights and 17-inch alloy wheels. There's also a whole host of driver-assist features, including cruise control (with speed limiter), lane departure warning and lane keep assist.

The mid-range Renault Arkana S Edition adds a bigger 9.3-inch portrait media system with navigation, as well as a seven-inch TFT driver's information display, 18-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels, auto-dipping headlights and adaptive cruise control.

Topping the line-up is the Renault Arkana R.S. Line which looks significantly sportier thanks to a bespoke front bumper, grey and black diamond-cut 18-inch alloy wheels (with red highlights) and glossy black door mirrors. Inside, there's part-leather seats with imitation suede, a leather steering wheel, aluminium pedals and red strips on the seat belts – not to mention a carbon-look trim strip on the door panels and dashboard.