Renault is adamant that it’s all about the style.
Speaking with Renault Australia at the launch of its updated Arkana, general manager Glen Sealey told Chasing Cars that “we know that the design is the signature attraction… that’s what makes customers buy our cars”.
Launching the Arkana in Australia around the time of the Covid-19 pandemic, Renault admits it has had its challenges. Releasing a new model in one of the top-three biggest new car segments in Australia has also been a hurdle given the sheer volume of the competition.
Year-to-date in 2024, Renault has sold 275 Arkana SUVs, while more popular Japanese and Korean brands offered models that sold in much larger numbers. The Hyundai Kona alone has sold a staggering 10,418 units in the year so far.
But is style enough of a buying factor for Renault to ride on? Well, we experienced the updated Arkana driving through country roads outside the town of Orange, around three and a half hours west of Sydney, to find out.
In this review, I’ll be focusing on the new flagship Esprit Alpine grade, which is priced at $45,000 before on-road costs. A mid-spec Techno is also available at $41,000 before on-road costs.
Renault has confirmed a more affordable Arkana variant will launch later, but is yet to confirm Australian pricing.
For 2024, Renault has made subtle changes to the model, with new badging, redesigned rear light signature, new 19-inch alloy wheel design for the Esprit Alpine and a new Bose sound system for the flagship, too.
It’s worth noting that powertrain, power and torque outputs and technology remain the same as before.
What are the Arkana Esprit Alpine’s features and options for the price?
The 2024 Renault Arkana comes fitted as standard with the following features:
- 18-inch alloy wheels
- Automatic LED headlights
- 9.3-inch central touchscreen
- 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster
- Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
- Satellite navigation
- Six-speaker sound system
- Leatherette steering wheel
- Leather upholstery
- Powered front seats
The top-spec Arkana Esprit Alpine adds:
- Larger 19-inch alloy wheels
- Privacy glass
- Sunroof
- Bose eight-speaker sound system
- Faux suede and leatherette upholstery
- Heated steering wheel
Very few options are available for the Arkana, with metallic paint $750 extra and the choice of a black roof an additional $600.
How does the Arkana Esprit Alpine drive?
Firing up the Arkana’s 1.3-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine and heading off through the back roads outside of Orange, New South Wales, I was surprised by the very quiet nature of the powertrain.
This unit produces 115kW of power and 262Nm of torque. Those outputs might be fine for inner city commuting, but in wide open expanses of country road, this engine feels a little underdone.
While many buyers might not notice this, a lack of throttle response and delay from the seven-speed dual-clutch transmission holds you back from getting off the line, which is a little disconcerting when entering a road from a sidestreet, or getting up to speed on the highway.
And, in some ways, this engine is lacking charm and character and doesn’t sound particularly good as it rows its way through the seven gears.
The dual-clutch transmission is okay to use, but it’s a little hesitant when shifting and, somewhat annoyingly, cannot be put into a fully manual shifting mode. Even when you use the paddles behind the steering wheel, the transmission will revert back to automatic within a few seconds.
There are three drive modes to choose from in the Arkana: My Sense individual mode, Eco and Sport. Eco returns an extremely doughy and unresponsive engine tuning, while Sport adds steering weight that’s a little on the heavy side. I found the best option was the individual My Sense mode with the steering set to its Normal setting and powertrain set to the eager Sport choice.
Taking the Arkana through a decent set of long and winding 80 and 100km/h b-roads, the part of the Renault’s driving experience that impresses most is the handling of the chassis.
It’s a surefooted and stable drive even at 100km/h. There is an accurate sense of turn-in from the front end and the small SUV feels surprisingly capable in the way it anchors itself to the road. I’ve asked Renault about the potential of a petrol RS or full Alpine version – which appears not to be on the cards – simply because of how much I enjoyed the chassis in this coupe-like small SUV.
The Arkana’s suspension setup also did a pretty good job of handling some of the worst country roads I have ever experienced in this job. With potholes here, there and everywhere, the Renault small SUV soaked it up with confidence and conviction. That’s even despite the model using the less-sophisticated torsion beam rear axle.
On our drive route during the launch, I noticed that there was quite a lot of road and tyre noise reverberating through the cabin, especially on coarse-chip bitumen, but in terms of general powertrain and transmission refinement, the Renault does a fairly decent job.
I generally felt that the Arkana would be better suited for city-bound duties and commuting, rather than something you drive from city to city in. We’ll have to test how it goes in busy city driving scenarios in a future Chasing Cars garage review.
All in all, the Renault Arkana offers a surprisingly engaging chassis, but I feel that the driving package would soar to greater heights with a more powerful and better tuned engine and transmission combo to really succeed against some of its key competitors.
What is the Arkana Esprit Alpine’s interior and tech like?
Renault had its flagship, $45K Esprit Alpine variant on show at the Australian launch and, as far as premium interiors go, the French brand has certainly hit the mark in many of the key areas.
For starters, cabin material choice and layout is largely very good, apart from the odd, very scratchy plastic seen on the dash above the glove box, as well as on the door cards. I really like the Alpine-style faux suede and leatherette seats, which feel comfortable yet surprisingly supportive and well bolstered.
It’s also nice to see electrically-adjustable seats for that mid-$40K price point, as well as standard seat heating.
With this time being my first in the Renault Arkana model, I was half expecting a bit too much quirkiness with its interior design, but I think the interior is well executed and nicely done. It actually feels a step above its price bracket.
In terms of standard technologies, much is the same as it was before the ‘24 update. The Arkana uses a 9.3-inch centre touchscreen that runs wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto phone mirroring. However, you can still plug your phone in if you so wish thanks to USB-A ports.
An old school auxiliary port is also standard for additional media support. You can also charge your mobile phone wirelessly through a charger located front and centre, directly below the touchscreen.
For the driver, a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster is standard fitment and, while it’s crisp and quite fast, it’s installed on a bit of a strange angle. Also, when changing drive modes, we noticed that the digital speedometer actually disappears for a second or two, which is a little alarming.
As for other cabin niceties, the Arkana Esprit Alpine features two front cupholders, LED ambient lighting, a sunroof, and an upgraded Bose eight-speaker sound system. Although it’s down to personal preference and individual ears, I thought the sound system was a little tinny and, even with the bass adjusted to its maximum setting, it just didn’t have the power of other systems I have experienced in the past.
In the second row, the Arkana offers seating for three, with air vents and USB-A ports also standard fitment. Seating space is pretty good, with decent enough headroom, toe room and knee room.
Meanwhile, around the back of the Arkana, owners will gain access to 485 litres of boot space that can extend to 1268 litres with the rear seats folded down. There is not too much to report on with the boot, but the fact that it has more space than a 291-litre Subaru Crosstrek, a 436-litre Toyota Corolla Cross or a 445-litre Volkswagen T-Roc.
All in all, I think the Arkana shines quite bright with its interior and is honestly what I felt to be one of the best parts of the vehicle. I like the Esprit Alpine styling and seats, especially. Nicely done, Renault!
Is the Arkana Esprit Alpine a safe car?
In 2019, the Renault Arkana scored a five-star ANCAP safety rating in line with its related Captur sibling. It applies to Arkana examples built from September 2021 onwards.
At the time, the Arkana scored an impressive 96 percent for adult occupant protection, 85 percent for child occupant protection, 75 percent for vulnerable road user protection, and 72 percent for safety assist.
As standard, the Arkana range is fitted with the following safety features:
- Driver, front passenger, chest side and front and rear curtain airbags
- QRescue code
- AEB with cyclist and pedestrian detection
- Forward collision warning
- Lane departure warning
- Lane keep assist
- Lane centering
- Traffic sign recognition
- Adaptive cruise control
- Blind spot warning
- Rear cross traffic alert
- 360-degree camera
- Front, rear and side sensors
- Hill start assist
- Tyre pressure monitoring
As for how this works in the real world, I found the Arkana to be one of the best small SUVs I have experienced for safety assist calibration. Not once did the steering intervene aggressively or cut at the wheel with force. We drove over two hours without intervention, which just simply can’t be said for many other vehicles in this segment.
What are the Arkana Esprit Alpine’s ownership costs?
Every Renault vehicle sold in Australia is covered by a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty.
Five years of capped price servicing with Renault will cost $2385, which seems steep compared to the likes of a Corolla Cross ($1250), but nowhere near as expensive as a Volkswagen T-Roc ($2770).
As for fuel efficiency, the Renault Arkana has an official consumption of 5.9L/100km. However, during our testing, we were seeing between 6.5-7.0L/100km in a mixture of conditions and road types.
The honest verdict on the Arkana Esprit Alpine
Renault’s small coupe-like SUV is a unique offering in the enormous small SUV segment here in Australia. It offers a breath of fresh air in a segment of same-same looking SUVs that all have largely one focus in mind: helping Australians tick a box of upscaling from their first car, or a hatchback, into something bigger and with more substance.
Renault’s Arkana certainly looks good, has a pleasant interior and feels well built. It’s also got a decent chassis and suspension setup.
Unfortunately, Renault can’t just ride on style to keep up with its key competitors, such as the Volkswagen T-Roc.
The Arkana’s 1.3-litre turbo-four could be more harmonious with the seven-speed dual-clutch and could also offer a bit more bite for highway overtakes and such. The powertrain is also lacking a bit of character and flair, which I would have loved to see injected somehow.
And while it’s pretty fuel efficient, the engine needs to be worked pretty hard to get to speed and certainly has some hesitation when taking off from a complete stop.
I go back to the question I posed at the start of this review: can the Arkana keep up with the segment?
It’s certainly a good car, but it’s not a great car. It looks good and handles well, but ultimately, it could do with a bit more oomph and character.
Here’s hoping a hybrid is on the way with more grunt and even better efficiency.
For now, the Arkana offers a quirky alternative to the mainstays, but I think it’ll need more than simply good looks to win over Aussie buyers, now and into the future.
