Renault Arkana Fastback

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Formula 1 Action In Your SUV

Wanting in on the SUV action, Renault rolls out the Arkana Fastback, an SUV coupe with “fast” in its name, looks fast, feels fast, and grows quickly on you.

The Arkana is a five-seater that offers good space for the occupants and aims to provide a practical, albeit slightly firm, ride.

The styling cues are reminiscent of Renault’s design lingo and there are numerous smart design folds to the outer form that aim to give it a racy look, despite being almost 4.6 metres long. By keeping the roofline low, it manages to create an aerodynamic look. A sunroof helps to keep from feeling claustrophobic in the rear.

That design exuberance is toned down as the interior takes on darker hues and focuses your attention on the instrument panel and display.

The large portrait display does most of the heavy lifting for setting up the car to your personal preference. From air-con to music and ride, it’s all finger-poking good as you pick your way through the levels of information. Not advisable to attempt on the move, so maybe this is done on purpose to deter distracted driving.

But there are quite a few functions that you can set on the 9.3” portrait touchscreen multimedia and navigation system, including, of course, the way the BOSE sound system is set up.

The regular — non-BOSE — variant is equipped with a 7” screen.

Silent Start

Starting this hybrid car leads to the usual silence when the electric motor kicks in. Run for a bit and the petrol engine kicks in with a gargling throaty sound that can be heard above the sound system. It’s not unpleasant, but it certainly does make its presence felt, which can leave you hoping for the electric motor to cut in more frequently.

Despite the desperate sound of the engine operating, it is far from sluggish. The dogbox transmission, often found in race cars, has been purposed for this six-speed automatic transmission to work in tandem with energy recovery braking and battery-charging. This combination smoothens gear shifts.

While the 0-100kmh sprint takes almost 11 seconds, behind the wheel it feels swifter. All the more so in sport mode, when the sound gets more intense, as the Arkana at least puts in a performance to match.

The E-TECh hybrid engine is fuel efficient, delivering 100km on five litres of fuel. The technology has yielded 150 patents leveraged from Renault Formula 1 racing.

While there are several safety features offered — easy park assist, lane departure warning, etc. — the Arkana could  benefit from blind spot warning indicators.

The Easy Link multimedia system offers wireless charging, Bluetooth syncing and wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The wireless charging wasn’t working with the test drive car, and if you have a bigger phone that needs to be plugged in, the front becomes cluttered.

As a city runner, the Arkana will do a fine job of balancing fetching and ferrying for work or domestic duties.

But with a price tag upwards of $175K* competition in the hybrid space from the likes of Toyota Harrier ($173K*), RAV4 ($175K*), Hyundai Tucson ($182K*) and Honda Freed ($142K*) might result in some long and hard number crunching and comparing before a final decision is made.

Engine: 1,598cc
Transmission: 6-speed auto
Maximum output: 105kW
Max torque: 148Nm
0-100kmh: 10.8 seconds
Top speed: 174kmh
Fuel consumption: 5.0L/100km
CO2: 114g/km
Gross weight: 1,961kg
Fuel tank: 50L
Length: 4,568mm
Width: 2,034mm
Height: 1,571mm
VES banding: B

*Confirm price with dealer.