The Renault Arkana could reach Europe in 2021

The French brand with the diamond could expand its SUV range in the Old Continent by bringing the Renault Arkana from Russia, where it was launched earlier this year, 2019. Kassai Koupai, Executive Vice President of Product Planning and Programmes at the Renault group, has already stated that the compact crossover coupé “could be launched in Europe by 2021”.

Unlike the model sold in Russia, the Renault Arkana with European specifications could receive some updates, and even a variant of the RS line that is expected to feature specific design characteristics.

Furthermore, a French publication has claimed that the centre console will be raised further inside to offer much easier access to the infotainment system, while also providing a more natural grip on the gear lever.

The engine line-up could also be revised, as the naturally aspirated 1.6-litre petrol unit producing 114 CV could likely be combined with the five-speed manual gearbox and front-wheel drive offered in the Russian version.

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Renault Arkana will roll into Europe in 2021

Instead, the French brand will probably offer the 1.3-litre TCe engine producing 150 CV, coupled to an X-Tronic CVT gearbox, while other units could also be added to the range in the short-to-medium term.

The equipment level of the current Renault Arkana is quite decent: it features an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, Bose premium audio, ambient lighting, climate control and some safety systems, such as 360-degree cameras and blind-spot monitoring. Four-wheel drive is optional and costs 1,554 euros at the current exchange rate.

Speaking of prices, the entry-level Renault Arkana starts at 14,340 euros in Russia, while the version developed jointly with Daimler requires spending at least 17,378 euros. If it is indeed sold in European markets, it would sit between the new Renault Captur subcompact and the compact Renault Kadjar.

The Renault Arkana will be sold only as a coupé bodystyle, with a design very similar to the BMW X6 or the Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupé. It is not yet known whether it will be offered at the same price as in the Russian market, but it will be developed on the CMF-B platform, the same one on which the new Renault Captur, the Renault Clio V and the new Nissan Juke are built, the latter having recently obtained 5 stars in the Euro NCAP test. Initially based on the B0 platform of the Dacia Duster, the second-generation Captur will ultimately be retained, the same one Samsung used in South Korea for the development of the XM3 planned for 2020.

Why 2021? To ride out the wave of the new WLTP scale, which has once again been postponed until June–July 2020, and to keep working on the New Captur platform, Renault is giving itself two years to adapt its Russian model to the European market. The French automaker’s target is already set internally: the Renault Arkana will go on sale in 2021.

To meet European and French standards, the Renault Arkana will have to go through the “factory” stage to satisfy customers’ expectations and needs, as well as the law. Among the list of items explaining this delay, we have, for example, the RS final line, which is not sold in Russia but is in France, and which must be developed for this model. We also find the centre console, which will be slightly raised for better grip on the gear lever functions and the screen, and which better suits our ergonomic style of use.

Technical specifications of this car

CrossoverRenault Arkana7 versions · from 29,454 €