2021 Renault Arkana revealed, Australia to miss out on hybrid options

The much-anticipated 2021 Renault Arkana won’t arrive in Australian showrooms until the second half of next year, however new powertrain, infotainment, technology and safety details have been released in anticipation of the upcoming UK launch.

Built on the Renault Nissan Alliance's CMF-B modular platform, the SUV coupe measures 4568mm from nose to tail, making it only slightly longer than the new Megane hatchback. It is considerably taller however, standing at 1571mm.

Despite its relatively small size, the car gets a substantial 513-litre boot. The rear seats can also be folded completely flat to increase storage.

Owners will be able to choose from seven body colours, these being opaque white, pearl white, metal black, metallic grey, Zanzibar blue, fire red, and an R.S. line exclusive Valencia orange.

A black roof can also be optioned, as can 17- and 18-inch alloys.

In Europe the Arkana will be offered with a 1.6-litre full-hybrid powertrain, or a 1.3-litre four-cylinder mild-hybrid. However, a spokesperson for Renault Australia told CarAdvice that – at least initially – only the 1.3-litre four-cylinder turbocharged direct injection TCe petrol engine will be offered locally.

This produces 104kW/260Nm, and power is sent to the wheels via an EDC dual-clutch automatic transmission.

Australian dealers are reportedly interested in the E-TECH hybrid system – given hybrids are more in vogue now than ever before – however there are currently no plans to import it.

Dependent on the spec level, the car is equipped with either a 4.2-, 7.0- or 10-inch digital driver display. This is paired with a 7.0-inch horizontal, or 9.3-inch portrait, infotainment touchscreen.

Four driving modes are available to the driver; Eco, Comfort, Sport, and the fully customisable My Sense.

On the connectivity side, the car gets four USB plugs (two at the front, two at the rear), while a wireless smartphone charging system is located within the centre console.

Optional safety features include adaptive cruise control, active emergency braking system (AEBS), blind-spot warning, traffic sign recognition, lane departure warning/lane keep assist, and Renault's Motorway & Traffic Jam Companion.

A 360-degree camera system is also included and, through the use of four independent cameras, gives the driver a top-down view of the vehicle when parking.

Pricing for the Arkana is yet to be confirmed, however the Kadjar – which it is set to replace – currently starts from $29,990 plus on road costs locally.

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