What is this?
The concept of the coupé-SUV does not harm the German premium brands, and that has not escaped Renault. That is why it released the Arkana in Western Europe in the summer of 2021 (Russia had known the model for some time, although our version is not exactly the same technically). And it’s not hard to see where the designers went to get the mustard: the side view of the Arkana resembles a blueprint of the profile of a BMW X4 or Mercedes GLC Coupé.
Inside, the driver’s post is clearly related to that in the Captur – which is not surprising, since ‘our’ Arkana borrowed its technical basis from that model. The 9.3-inch multimedia cluster is also present, as are the digital instruments. It’s a pleasant environment all in all, and the steering wheel and driver’s seat are sufficiently adjustable to quickly find a good driving position.
In the back, the good news is that the sloping roofline doesn’t detract too much from the headroom, so it’s still good for adults or teenagers. In any case, there is enough space for the legs. And the trunk is also spacious: the E-Tech Hybrid has to lose 33 liters on paper compared to the petrol Arkanas (480 versus 513 liters), but that loss is mainly due to the disappearance of the space under the floor and is so not too disturbing in practice.
The space under the boot floor in this Arkana E-Tech Hybrid is occupied by the electrical components of the hybrid system. That combines a naturally aspirated 1.6 with Atkinson cycle and 95 hp with a 49 hp electric motor and a 20 hp starter generator, for a total of 145 hp. The engines are connected to each other and the front axle by a robotic four-speed gearbox with claw couplings, as in motorsport.
What is changing?
The Arkana does not drive as smoothly as a Captur: just like in the road test of the TCe 140, we had to determine that certain road irregularities can sometimes lead to vibrations or dry reactions. But you quickly learn to live with it, and it’s also for a good cause, because the stiffer shock absorption manages to neatly limit body movements. Add to that a well-adjusted steering wheel and a sharp front axle, and this Arkana guarantees a lot of driving pleasure on winding roads.
However, such a dynamic approach may not be the driving style favored by the drivetrain in this E-Tech Hybrid. Regardless of the selected driving mode, it often takes a little too long for the gearbox to find the right gear – and if the car was just cruising in electric mode when you suddenly step on the gas, you get another brutal shock on top of. It is not possible to intervene yourself, because the poker has no manual position and there are no shift paddles.
The performance isn’t overwhelming, but it is adequate, with revivals that are spicier than the mediocre acceleration time (10.8 seconds for the sprint from 0 to 100) would suggest. For the Autobahn aficionados, know that this hybrid Arkana is over at 175 km/h, while the petrol versions all go over 200 km/h.
In any case, this drivetrain works best with a fluid and anticipatory driving style. The steering wheel makes good use of a quieter right foot to put the electric drive to work as much as possible, and that pays off at the pump: on a not too demanding test course, we arrived at a measured test consumption of 5.0 l/100 km .
Conclusion
Also as an E-Tech Hybrid, the Renault Arkana emerges as a pleasantly steering coupé-SUV, which also remains practical. But unless it is a commercial vehicle and the lower CO2 emissions of this hybrid version determine the choice, we would rather lean towards the TCe 140: it is not only less expensive, but also better suits the sportier driving style to which the chassis of this coupe SUV certainly invites.
#Review #Renault #Arkana #ETech #Hybrid #test #AutoWorld