Renault’s modernized SUV coupe features proven powertrains and new levels of equipment. We tested the top version, which forgot the RS acronym and instead put the reborn Alpine name in the foreground.
Design, interior
The Renault Arkana is basically the first “popular” SUV coupe on the market. Unlike the Russian version, it is not based on the second generation Dacia Duster, but is based on the CMF-B platform, which the French also use for Renault Clio and Captur. Compared to the latter, the Arcana is 341 millimeters longer, while the wheelbase differs by 81 millimeters in favor of the larger French car.
The designers gave it an attractive trim with a fast-dropping roofline, which was popularized especially by the very extrovert BMW X6 in sport utility vehicles. Personally, this fashion is not very close to me, but I have no problems with it in the compact Renault Arkana. The design of the back, the main sore point for larger premium models of this type, was designed in such a way that it does not look too clunky or vulgar. This is also why Renault didn’t change the exterior much during the facelift, not even the front.
At the same time, the smaller Clio adapted to a new design language without the bright “tooth” at the bottom of the main headlights. As a result, the renewal of the exterior of the car was reflected only in small details, in the form of the new logo of the French automaker and other little things.
These stand out especially with the new top-level Esprit Alpine, which is only available with a more powerful 116 kW petrol engine and a seven-speed dual clutch (from 795,000 CZK without purchase bonus for a 30 thousand crown old car) or an interesting full-hybrid with multi-mode automatic transmission, which we have already written about several times in separate tests and articles.
A welcome refreshment
The top line of the Esprit Alpine differs from the second level of the Techno on an aesthetic level mainly due to the gray rear diffuser with a pair of black exhaust pipes, the sporty front bumper with gray bar (the Techno has it in the body color ), specific badges on the front fenders, a darker radiator grille (looks different than the previous version) and standard 19″ Elixir wheels. The bottom line features Silverstone diamond-effect wheels that are one inch smaller. Although these are Of minor changes, the metallic gray metallic fits the French SUV better than before. Subjectively it looks a hair more mature.
Inside, you’ll find dark upholstery with a light blue pattern and dark decorations on the dashboard and door panels. The steering wheel, the multimedia system with 9.3″ vertical display and the control of on-board functions have remained unchanged.
Due to the technical basis, in smaller models only single-zone air conditioning freezes. It’s a bit shameful for a car with a purchase price of around 800,000. However, I have to commend Arcana for keeping the large circular ventilation controls with completely simple logic that even a small child can understand, which can’t be said of other models that only feature touch controls.
The Esprit Alpine generally pleases with its generous basic equipment, which includes, for example, heated front seats and steering wheel, electrically adjustable seats for the driver and front passenger (even cars many times more expensive do not have this, perhaps due to a heavy surcharge), adaptive cruise control with stop&go function or assistant for driving on the motorway and in traffic jams. Personally I would pay extra for the City Plus package of 18,000 (panoramic parking and assistant for transverse, perpendicular and angular parking), a Bose sound system with nine speakers (17,000 CZK) and a nice paint in the price range of 18 to 22 thousand. A skylight for 25,000 CZK seems superfluous to me.
Engine, driving characteristics
We know it
The hybrid Renault Arkana appeared in a test on Auto.cz for the first time, and at the same time for the last time, in the fall of 2021. And nothing has changed since then. Not even modernization brought revolution. Therefore, the basis is still the 69 kilowatt naturally aspirated 16-cylinder engine, supported by an electric traction motor with an output of 36 kW. The pair is complemented by a fifteen kilowatt starter generator.
The system power of 105 kilowatts is more than sufficient for a predominantly urban and extra-urban SUV. Unlike Toyota or Honda hybrids, you get an automatic transmission with multiple gears. The so-called multi-mode box even provides two gears for the electric drive unit and four for the four-cylinder. In this case the electric motor replaces the mechanical synchronization.
Compared to Japanese hybrids, here you will only experience a noisy engine at high revs only sporadically and in a certain mode. A four-speed automatic transmission usually successfully eliminates this drawback. Furthermore, the entire unit prefers to travel on electricity as much as possible, which the unit draws from a battery with a capacity of 1.2 kWh. With it you can do about two kilometers in one breath, but the control unit recharges the battery when it is already almost half empty, so theoretically you will never run out of energy (that is, if you have petrol in the tank). Another option is, of course, recuperation, which you can increase by activating B mode on the new pulse gear selector.
I’ve had trouble with this at times. It didn’t respond to some of my commands. To engage it it was necessary to firmly press the brake pedal and calmly move the lever in the direction from R to D (or vice versa), otherwise I ended up in neutral. Even though it’s a small thing, it causes unnecessary delays while parking.
Renault Arkana 1.6 E-Tech full hybrid 145
Ideal for the city, but what else?
However, life with the Renault hybrid drive is pleasant. After engaging D you practically don’t worry about anything, the electronics switch between the individual units. With electricity you can handle a higher pace or a steeper climb, all you need is gentler work with the throttle and a smooth pace.
The hybrid Renault Arkana is absolutely ideal for the city and its surroundings. Once you get comfortable with combined driving, you’ll be driving on five liters and less. But if you spend most of your time on the highway or prefer a spirited driving style, you’ll push the hybrid to the limits of its power.
Under load, the 16-liter car cannot completely calm down its sound, although the noise in the cabin is still tolerable. The problem at the moment is above all the disappearance of the efficiency of electric traction, which is reflected in consumption. Finally, at the end of the test, the chapel display showed a value of 6.4 liters per 100 kilometers, i.e. a figure comparable to the classic 116 kilowatt 1.3 TCe petrol four-cylinder with better dynamics (from 0-100 km/ h in 9.1 instead of 10.8 s) and a lower price of ten thousand crowns (in the case of the Techno line the difference reaches 40,000 CZK). It should be added that the 1300’s seven-speed dual-clutch EDC automatic transmission lacks fluidity, especially when cold, which manifests itself with jerks when starting or in reverse and with rather long reaction times.
Renault Arkana 1.6 E-Tech full hybrid 145
If in the Renault Austral test with another 1200 three-cylinder hybrid in late December I complained about ride comfort on the well-worn 20s, I was pleasantly surprised by the smaller one-inch discs on the smallest and smallest models. technically less perfect arcana.
While the attractive Renault doesn’t reach the level of luxury cars with airbags, the rattling and shaking I experienced with the aforementioned Austral didn’t occur. The stiffer setup is combined with the ability of the suspension and body to absorb most bumps. Renault Arkana on 19-inch wheels does not know sudden impacts, after which the fillings almost fall out of the teeth. The situation would be even better with smaller rims, however 19″ rims are the standard for the Esprit Alpine line.
Conclusion
Renault Arkana is not really my cup of coffee. For an amount of around 800,000 I would rather choose a larger class station wagon or an SUV with worse equipment, but in the end I am not offended by the French attempt with the popular BMW X6. With the hybrid drive it works pleasantly, even if consumption eventually reaches the level of a petrol 1300 for a similar amount. However, it depends on the use. In the city the electrified 1600 pays off.
The Esprit Alpine line already offers a lot of equipment in the base, the distance from the lower level Techno, however, for the E-Tech full hybrid 145 version reaches 76,000 CZK, but you should take a calculator to make the final decision. By ticking off a few extras, the difference can be reduced to a more tolerable number. So it depends on how you open the configurator.
The cheapest version of the model 629,000 CZK (1.3 TCe Mild Hybrid 140 EDC Evolution) Base with tested engine 729,000 CZK (1.6 E-Tech full hybrid 145 Techno) Tested car without supplements CZK 805,000 (1.6 E-Tech full hybrid 145 Esprit Alpine) Car tested with CZK 851,000 equipment (1.6 E-Tech full hybrid 145 Esprit Alpine)
Professionals
- Attractive design
- Quite comfortable chassis even on 19″ wheels.
- Extensive standard equipment
- A working and decent hybrid…
Downsides
- …but it could be cheaper
- Single zone air conditioning only
- Dynamics compared to the more powerful four-cylinder 1.3 TCe
2024-01-05 11:52:00
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