Renault Arkana E-Tech review: Underneath its sporty look hides a family car

In passing comment on the new Renault Austral, a car which we loved, we opined that there had been a “smart upswing” in everything being done at the French giant in recent times.

That is very much the case and such as the Austral, the Megane E-Tech have shown us that Renault is indeed upping the ante with its core models, although we did note that the Arkana was possibly the least impressive of the new product coming from the Regie.

And what with a new Clio already on the streets (which we will be reviewing in these very pages in the near future) and an all-new Renault 5 EV on its way shortly as well as the exciting-looking new Scenic, things are indeed hotting up at Boulogne-Billancourt.

Looking across the entire range, in fact, Renault appears to have entered a new era not only of design credibility, but also one of improved build quality, better technology and better model reliability and longevity than it has ever previously enjoyed.

Certainly, the arrival of CEO Luca de Meo, formerly having been involved in both the Fiat Group and in several capacities within the VW Group including a spell with SEAT and Cupra, appears to have jazzed things up chez Renault.

The company will have noted de Meo’s achievements in Martorell in particular where he returned SEAT to profitability and began the process whereby the company will fully metamorphose from being SEAT into being Cupra.

Having been appointed to the French company just four years ago this month, 12 months later he unveiled the ‘Renaulation’ plan which aimed to revolutionise the brand and its models. This strategic plan was articulated in three phases – Resurrection, Renovation and Revolution.

Within 12 months Renault had gone from losing some €8 billion a year to recording an operating profit and in that time also, he spurred on something of a design revolution within the company and transformed it from being a stale copyist to an innovative hub.

Unfortunately, the car we test this week – the Arkana – was conceived and designed before his arrival which is why it originally looked like a cheap knock-off of the BMW X4 coupe SUV. While it was not a bad car to drive, it was essentially a re-hash of the better ideas of others. Now, however, the Arkana has had its first revamp and it is this new model we test this week.

Now, while the look of the car has not evolved particularly radically but in the top spec Esprit Alpine version it does get some nice detailing with a back band now linking the headlights, the new Renault logo is in dark chrome, a new ‘aero blade’ front bumper design which comes in satin grey and the grille and window surrounds come in a deep glossy black finish.

The tester also came with new 19” alloys, a rear spoiler and specific badging on the wheel arches, while the interior sees a new leather-esque upholstery and faux-suede finishes throughout, as well as seats with blue horizontal overstitching and an Alpine logo on the back and the seat belts feature two blue stripes.

And, for a touch of added French-ness, there’s red, while and blue stitching on the doors and the steering wheel and there might be a hint of the Bastille in the slate grey dashboard trim.

The interior is spacious and very practical, despite the overly sloping roofline and the boot too is spacious and accommodating. There is also a new infotainment system incorporated in the seven-inch touchscreen which uses Renault’s excellent EasyLink technology.

This then is a well-equipped, comfortable and thoughtful car with lots of design detail and a very pleasing décor – and that, sadly, is the majority of the good news when it comes to the Arkana.

Power is provided by a 1.6 litre engine assisted by two electric motors, consisting of a 36kW main motor and an 18kW high-voltage starter generator, making this a full hybrid. There’s 145 bhp on offer here, but that doesn’t mean it’s quick – as demonstrated by the 10.8 seconds needed to get to 100 km/h from a standstill.

The six-speed automatic, gearbox is unusual and especially so as it dispenses with such things you usually find on a car – like the clutch. The design is aimed at removing friction and energy losses, but the result is a relative rough shifter which tends to hold onto gears for an abnormally long time.

Thus you can find yourself kicking it down for, say, a passing manoeuvre and then find the car hanging on to its chosen cog way to long – to the point where you have to get off the gas mid-move just to get the thing to satisfactorily change up.

It’s quirky and unusual and not always to your liking – certainly not mine, anyway – but you’d have to admire the economy it offers, with a figure of 4.9 l/100 km (or well over 56 mpg in old money).

Even so, this system suggests that it is most comfortable when under full-tilt acceleration on the open road and not the urban environment where it should be at its best. The system will see the car start in full electric mode and spend as much as 80% of its driving on electricity only, if you are tootling around town.

The thing is though that Renault has given this car the appearance of a sporty beast, when in reality it is far from sporty and actually quite slow and ponderous. The Arkana, in fact, is best appreciated when you’re at your most relaxed. Try and extract the max from it and it will merely deliver ponderous and unhurried answers.

In actual fact, to get the most of the car is counter-intuitive because the less you try to hurry it along, the more it delivers. It is something of a paradox.

So, who is it going to appeal to?

Well, snappy looking as it now is – and even if it is one of those dreaded coupe SUVs – the Arkana has a modicum of visual appeal, but is terribly well endowed when it comes to passenger space, comfort and technology.

It handles reasonably well too, corners accurately and doesn’t show too many tendencies to lean in and out of corners, but the ride is a little too firm to be comfortable when tackling Irish B-roads and their inherent dangers of potholes and rutted surfaces. And, as we’ve already pointed out, the powertrain is an acquired taste.

That appears to make it suitable for families who never need to get anywhere in a hurry, like their comfort and have lots of tech to keep them occupied, of whom I’m sure, there are many.

From the evidence we’ve seen, however, the Arkana – newly revamped and all as it is – seems to have missed the boat at Renault and doesn’t really reflect the new-found confidence at the company.