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Renault calls the Arkana its “no-compromise, new era SUV coupé”, and whereas my intuition is to flee from such grandiose claims, the corporate is not less than half proper.
We stay within the age of the higher-riding crossover SUV, and even folks eager on one thing with extra stylistic panache are taking this path – on the apparent expense of cabin house.
Renault itself suggests the Arkana is likely to be cross-shopped in opposition to issues just like the Audi Q3 Sportback, which strikes us as a bit bold however does reveal the corporate’s intent.
It definitely turns heads with its nice stance, characterful entrance and rear gentle signatures, properly sculpted and creased bonnet, and in-vogue fastback-style facet profile
Past the standout design, one of many Arkana’s extra attention-grabbing features is its level of origin.
The badge could also be French, however it’s in-built Busan, South Korea, identical to the larger and extra sensible Koleos. That helps the corporate’s backside line, and in addition assists with sourcing.
Whereas the majority of the Arkana vary launched in August 2021, the flagship R.S. Line emerged here in March 2022. This model faucets into the corporate’s Renault Sport DNA, however principally from a stylistic slightly than performance-enhancing viewpoint.
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How a lot does the Renault Arkana R.S. Line price?
2022 Renault Arkana pricing:
- Arkana Zen: $35,800
- Arkana Intens: $39,800
- Arkana R.S. Line: $43,300
Costs exclude on-road prices
In accordance with the Renault Australia web site, an Arkana R.S. Line prices $48,000 drive-away.
To place this into a bit context, there are smaller choices such because the high-grade Honda HR-V e:HEV L ($47,000 drive-away), Toyota C-HR GR Sport (round $42,200 drive-away), and Mazda CX-30 G25 Astina (round $47,400 drive-away).
One other crossover that’s kind of the identical size because the 4568mm-long Arkana is the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross, out there in top-of-the-range Exceed guise at $42,690 drive-away. A ultimate, left-field alternative is the recently-launched GWM Haval H6 GT at $46,490 drive-away.
What’s the Renault Arkana R.S. Line like on the within?
As long as you’ve got the brand-signature keycard in your pocket, the Arkana each unlocks as you method and locks as you stroll away, and folds/unfolds the facet mirrors – it’s the little issues generally…
The inside appears nice, providing up a perforated leather-based wheel with tasteful stitch-work, alloy pedals, fake carbon-fibre trim inlays on door and sprint, soft-touch leathery materials and suede used throughout the door vehicles and well-bolstered seats, and racy pink piping and stitching.
Behind the wheel sits a digital cluster with analogue-look speedo and tacho, and numerous menus in between them to cycle via overlaying driver-assist options, audio features, and navigation directions. It additionally modifications its look relying on the driving mode chosen.
Renault being Renault, the audio controls are mounted on a hard and fast stalk with buttons on the right-hand facet of the steering column. When you familiarise your self it’s fairly an intuitive system, however it’s good to flip the wheel to see what you’re doing at first.
The 9.3-inch centre touchscreen has a portrait orientation and sits properly at eye stage. The software program may do with sooner processing on startup, however the consumer expertise is kind of easy to work out, counting on homescreen tiles.
Whereas I tended to depend on (the virtually full-screen integration) Apple CarPlay, there’s embedded navigation as properly, which sends directional prompts to the devices.
I assumed the rear-view digital camera could possibly be sharper although, particularly contemplating how exhausting the Arkana is to see out of.
Renault is to be recommended for retaining bodily controls for the air-conditioning system – together with some tasteful knurled metallic rotary controllers – and for different features equivalent to seat heating, park help, and the lane-assist on/off perform.
Forward of the great leather-wrapped shifter is an open storage cubby with a charger pad and USB-A ports, whereas behind it sits a slot for the important thing card, the park brake and Auto Maintain switches and two cupholders with coffee-cup-friendly enamel.
The centre console is smallish however coated by a sliding lid, and the door bins can deal with a 1.5-litre bottle. Don’t count on to stuff a lot in that glovebox.
Facet be aware: we’d like to see the Renault Captur’s floating-style centre console fitted right here within the longer however associated Arkana, however oh properly.
Whereas SUVs are famend for his or her inside house, the Arkana is a sufferer of its sporty roofline.
Granted I’m tall, at 194cm, however the headroom and outward visibility via the facet home windows isn’t flash – particularly with the R.S. Line’s sunroof.
On the upside, there are rear vents and USBs, and knee room is considerably extra acceptable. But this isn’t the SUV to purchase if back-seat use-ability is paramount.
The handbook roof-hinged hatch reveals a boot with 485 litres of space for storing, increasing to 1268L with the again seats folded down. The loading flooring has two ranges, which means there’s underfloor storage in its increased place. Under this can be a space-saver spare wheel.
Renault Arkana dimensions:
- Size: 4568mm
- Width: 2034mm (incl. mirrors)
- Top: 1571mm
- Wheelbase: 2720mm
- Boot house: 485L-1268L
What’s beneath the bonnet?
A Euro 6-compliant 1.3-litre turbo four-cylinder petrol with 115kW of energy and 262Nm of torque, mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch automated and front-wheel drive.
The engine is okay to make use of 91 RON gas, with Renault claiming a combined-cycle financial system determine of 6.0 litres per 100km.
The official zero to 100km/h time 9.1 seconds, which isn’t precisely hot-hatch-quick. That is an R.S. Line slightly than a full-on R.S. in spite of everything.
How does the Renault Arkana R.S. Line drive?
The R.S. Line is basically an look package deal, given the engine is unchanged.
The 1.3-litre affords all of its torque from 2250rpm, so it belies the small displacement by providing some low-down pulling energy.
By way of efficiency it gained’t blow your head off – even in so-called Sports activities mode – however it pulls alongside properly sufficient and you’ve got paddle shifters to take over if you wish to give the 6500rpm redline a nudge.
That mentioned, the Arkana additionally weighs about 130kg greater than a Renault Captur R.S. Line with the identical engine, and as such does the 0-100km/h sprint about half a second slower.
In opposition to the 9.1s manufacturing unit declare, we recorded a real-world time of 9.3 seconds. Extra usefully, our 80-120km/h overtaking check took 6.7 seconds.
The place the drivetrain falls down is the transmission. The twin-clutch unit saves on gas, however it additionally feels lurchy at low speeds in cease/begin driving, and lacks a Volkswagen DSG’s polish and rapid-shifting potential at sooner tempo.
Small, laggy turbo engines are difficult to tune with a DCT, and Renault must make some tweaks come facelift time.
By way of gas consumption, I did almost 500km of blended driving and yielded 7.2L/100km, 1.2L/100km north of the manufacturing unit declare.
The Arkana is fairly easy beneath the pores and skin. It makes use of MacPherson strut suspension on the entrance and a torsion beam axle on the rear, has an electrical energy steering system with quoted 11.2m turning circle, and 280mm brake rotors up entrance with 260mm rotors on the rear.
But, the chassis allows fairly respectable dealing with and the steering whereas gentle is fairly direct.
Granted there’s some physique roll in corners (the traction management lights up in very aggressive cornering consequently), and it feels the additional weight over the Captur, however it’s removed from the least participating crossover on sale.
I didn’t personally thoughts the driving place, however my colleague Paul Maric discovered it robust to get located.
One inarguable level is the outward visibility, which is restricted on account of the racy roofline and small rear and facet home windows.
The wheels are 18 inches in diameter and trip on middling 215/55 Kumho tyres, which could possibly be quieter on coarse-chip roads (71.6dB at 100km/h, in comparison with 61.3dB on easy tarmac).
The trip high quality on its passive dampers is inoffensive, hardly ever brittle or crashy over enlargement joints and potholes. I did a couple of lengthy journeys to the nation and didn’t get out sore or irritable.
What do you get?
Arkana R.S. Line highlights:
- 18-inch two-tone alloy wheels
- 215/55 R18 Kumho tyres
- House-saver spare wheel
- LED headlights and daytime operating lights
- Nightfall sensors, auto high-beam
- LED tail-light bar
- Proximity key with auto unlock
- Stroll-away auto locking characteristic
- Rain-sensing wipers
- Auto-folding facet mirrors
- Privateness glass
- Sunroof
- 9.3-inch vertical touchscreen
- AM/FM/DAB/Bluetooth
- Wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
- 4 x USB ports
- Wi-fi cellphone charger
- Satellite tv for pc-navigation
- 10.25-inch TFT instrument cluster
- Button begin perform
- Electrical parking brake
- Frameless, auto-dimming rear-view mirror
- LED inside lighting
- Heated, ventilated and powered entrance seats
- Black leather-based and suede seat trim
- Heated leather-wrapped steering wheel
- Local weather management with air air purifier
- Paddle shifters
- Alloy sports activities pedals
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![2022 Renault Arkana R.S. Line]()
Renault Captur
Is the Renault Arkana R.S. Line protected?
The Arkana has a five-star ANCAP crash ranking with 2019 date stamp, primarily based on exams of the associated Captur.
It scored 96 per cent for grownup occupant safety, 85 per cent for little one occupants, 75 per cent for weak street customers, and 72 per cent for security help options.
Customary security gear contains:
- Autonomous emergency braking (AEB)
- Pedestrian and Bike owner detection
- Lane-keep help
- Lane departure alert
- Site visitors signal recognition
- Adaptive cruise management with cease&go
- Velocity limiter perform
- Blind-spot monitoring
- Rear cross-traffic alert
- Park help
- Rear digital camera, entrance and rear sensors
- 6 airbags
- 2 ISOFIX child-seat anchors, 3 prime tethers
That’s a superb record of driver-assist options.
How a lot does the Renault Arkana R.S. Line price to run?
Renault actually needs folks to keep in mind that (supposedly) French vehicles don’t have to be a nightmare to take care of.
Its 5 yr ‘Straightforward Life’ possession plan packages a five-year, limitless kilometre guarantee, 24/7 roadside help (as long as you service at a supplier), and 5 capped-price providers.
Servicing intervals are a protracted 12 months or 30,000km, with the primary 5 visits worth at $399, $399, $399, $789, and $399.
CarExpert’s Tackle the Renault Arkana R.S. Line
The principle purpose to purchase the Renault Arkana over its Captur stablemate comes right down to its design – so if you happen to aren’t offered on the appears, think twice.
There are areas that would do with enchancment, however the Renault Arkana R.S. Line nonetheless affords a decent level of distinction from most of its rivals.
A tasteful and well-equipped inside, first rate (if not fast) efficiency, and the actual fact it shouldn’t break the financial institution to take care of are all highlights.
If you happen to’re to know extra about this left-field contender, be sure you watch our detailed video embedded above.
Click on the photographs for the complete gallery
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