Renault Arkana Crossover Cars
Renault has just launched the Arkana Crossover in Australia, bringing with it a unique design and some advanced technologies to suit the country's driving conditions.
The Arkana is a four-door crossover SUV that boasts an eye-catching, sleek exterior design. It is offered in three variants – Life, Intens and R.S. Line. The top-end R.S. Line features sporty styling elements like red detailing, black 18-inch alloy wheels and other trim upgrades.
Under the hood of all variants lies a turbocharged 1.3-liter four-cylinder petrol engine which produces 115kW/270Nm when paired with a Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT). A manual gearbox option is not currently available in Australia.
Standard features on all Arkana variants include Apple CarPlay/Android Auto connectivity, sat-nav, an 8.7-inch portrait-style touchscreen infotainment display and wireless phone charging.
Safety technologies fitted as standard on all versions include autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian detection, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert and adaptive cruise control.
One aspect that sets the Arkana apart from its rivals is its ground clearance. It sits quite high off the road (with almost 210 mm of clearance) thanks to Renault’s Intelligent All-Wheel Drive system that adapts to different road surfaces.
For Australian driving conditions where rough terrain is commonplace, this capability comes in handy especially for drivers who take their vehicles off-road frequently. The system provides excellent traction by detecting when a wheel is losing grip and automatically directing power away from that wheel towards another that has better contact with the surface beneath.
Overall, the Renault Arkana has some desirable qualities – distinctive exterior design and well-equipped cabin for technology-minded buyers – making it a potential rival to compact crossovers like Mazda CX-30 and Toyota C-HR. With competitive pricing aimed at budget-conscious Australians looking for good value for money coupled with genuine capability both on- and off-road makes it an attractive proposition to discerning motorists Down Under.
