Despite having only been on sale for a short time, the Renault Arkana coupé-SUV has already received a price hike and revised specifications.
The entry-level ‘Iconic’ trim has been replaced by the very similar ‘Evolution’ trim, while the mid-spec ‘S Edition’ grade has been replaced by ‘Tecno’. ‘R.S Line’ trim continues on unchanged, while a new ‘E-Tech engineered’ trim now sites at the top of the tree – but only if you choose the 1.6-litre hybrid powertrain.
The new Iconic and Tecno models have had some minor specification changes compared to the previous versions, but nothing particularly significant. There are no changes to the R.S Line specification.
The new E-Tech engineered trim is recognisable thanks to different 18-inch alloy wheel design and gold accents on the car’s bumpers and side skirts. Inside, there’s a semi-autonomous parking function and adaptive cruise control over and above the R.S Line specification.
The E-Tech engineered trim is also being added to the Clio hatchback and Captur crossover model lines, replacing the R.S Line trim for hybrid and plug-in hybrid models. These top-spec models come with the same gold exterior accents, revised front and rear bumpers, and black and gold interior colour scheme.
With this minor update for the Arkana comes a price hike. Entry-level models now cost nearly £27k – an increase of more than £1k since last year.
It is fair to say that the Arkana has received a rather mixed bag of reviews after being on sale for around a year now, praised for its looks and efficient hybrid models, but criticised for its bumpy ride comfort at low speeds, and its unimpressive lead-in petrol models. As of July 2022, it holds an Expert Rating of 59%, which puts it well down the order in our ranking of Best Small SUVs based on new car reviews from 30 of the UK’s top motoring sites.
