The best-selling French car brand will enter the recent coupe-SUV craze with the quirky-looking Arkana.
Renault’s Chief of Design, Laurens Van Den Acker, promised customers that its upcoming Arkana would proportionately blend the “elegance of a saloon and the powerful stance of an SUV.”
The company was already selling the Arkana in Russia since last March, where cars like these are trendy. But with the rising demand for SUVs in Western Europe, Renault didn’t want to waste a potential opportunity.
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The Arkana, which will sit along the Kadjar and Captur in the French firm’s lineup, emphasizes driver experience with the perfect combination of quality design, spaciousness, and signature features, revealing Renault’s commitment to stand out in the European market.
Potential buyers can select from either a 140 HP powered 1.6-liter petrol-electric hybrid engine or a 140/160 HP 1.3-liter petrol engine coupled with a 12V semi-hybrid technology.
Showing its SUV side, the Arkana comes with a 190 mm ground clearance and sturdy-looking front and rear skid plates. It also seems quite spacious, but the coupe roofline seems to cut into the rear headroom. The trunk appears spacious, though, at least on paper. 12V semi-hybrids come with a 513-liter trunk capacity, which is among the best in the category. Unfortunately, the hybrid model’s battery eats into that space significantly, reducing it to 438-liters.
The car doesn’t lack technology, though. Renault utilized its high-tech digital dashboard for the Arkana, measuring 4.2-inch, 7.0-inch, or 9.3-inch, depending on the trim level. Meanwhile, the center touchscreen measures 7.0-inch or 9.3-inch.
The Arkana will also feature an RS-line version, which should play well with the “sporty” coupe aspirations. These models will get RS Line Badging, some design upgrades, and dual chrome exhausts.
The Arkana sure looks promising, but we’ll need to wait for a little while to see how customers will be on board as Renault’s latest model will only be released in September 2021 to get their hands on one, though.
