[Auto] Renault Arkana: After a brief wait, the French SUV Coupé arrives in Europe

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The segment of the SUV's has penetrated very deep in the public. They arrived almost without making noise and in a matter of five years they have taken over almost the entire market. There is practically no brand that does not have a copy in its range. Even Ferrari itself has joined this trend by developing the controversial and long-awaited Purosangue. However, the evolution of this category has led to curious cases such as the attractive Renault Arkana.

The first time we introduced you to the Renault Arkana was a couple of years ago. Its debut took place at the Moscow Motor Show and due to its design and level of development it was a matter of time before it would end up reaching more countries. And so it has been, the French firm has just announced that it will reach our continent and country in the first half of next year. Take a seat and read calmly, because this version has nothing to do with the Russian and the Latin.

The Renault Arkana outlines its aesthetics, although without major changes

The image of the Renault Arkana that will arrive on the European continent is very similar to the one we described a couple of years ago. All in all, it still feels fresh and current, as it draws on the latest aesthetic code that the diamond house has coined. Thus, there is no lack of a wide and expressive front marked by optical groups very similar to those of the current Mégane. Both flank a restrained grill that is dominated by the diamond that serves as the brand's logo.

In the side view there are no significant changes either. The basic design lines are shared with his Russian brother. Where there are changes is in the alloy wheels and certain decorative moldings. One of the most significant is at the base of the "B" pillar and refers to the E-TECH hybrid engines. The rest of the changes focus on newly designed alloy wheels and different tones to dress the body.

Finally we will take a look at the rear. This is the most expressive area with the greatest personality in Arkana. In addition, its managers have made slight changes to the interior configuration of its LED headlamps. Now stop the Talisman, although they are not far from those seen in the Russian version. Nor can we ignore the descending line of the roof that gives rise to a perfect integration of the tailgate and the rear window.

 

Interior renewed with more technology and better quality

If the exterior aesthetics of the Renault Arkana undergoes few changes, inside things change a lot. If you do a little memory you should remember the configuration of the version that is already sold in Russia or Latin America. Well, now it has a completely new dashboard that is inspired by the one that mounts the little Clio. Thus, there is no lack of a generous central touch screen in vertical position or an interesting LED light signature.

Nor does it forget to include an attractive configurable digital instrument cluster or the latest safety technology. The quality of materials (at least visually) also seems to be above that in the other versions. It is seen in elements such as the moldings that dress the dashboard, the seats or the door trim. Regarding habitability or load capacity there are no data yet, but it will be similar to that of the Kadjar.

 

Modern and ecological mechanical offer with E-TECH versions

At a technical level, the new Renault Arkana is developed on the same platform as the Nissan Qashqai. Thanks to the modularity of this base, it can include a very modern mechanical offer adapted to customer needs. Thus, for Europe it will be driven by the 1.33 TCe petrol block that doubles its power into two versions: 140 hp and 160 hp respectively. The latter is also equipped with 12-volt micro-hybrid technology.

Finally there will also be an E-TECH Hybrid version with 140 hp. This technology is the same that the Clio, Capture and Megane have released and has led to the registration of more than 150 patents worldwide. However, all that remains is for Renault to announce the equipment possibilities and official rates. Although before, it is sure that it carries out a great official act to present it to the main media and clients of the continent.