2021 Renault Arkana Launched in Australia

At least they are getting a press release in the West Australian.
Regardless of common opinion, I have always thought that Renault, at least in WA, have been reasonably well advertised considering their market share.
Except for the sloping rear window which would reduce high loads in the rear, this car looks to be maybe pretty close to the old Scenic in size, being between the Captur and the Koleos. I think it looks OK, really, as does the Koleos.

Regarding the model name confusion, I think the Zen and Intens are staying relatively similar in option level to the previous (ie, Koleos) models, it's just that they have dropped the base model and introduced a higher level the RS Line.

Arkana01.jpg
Arkana02.jpg
 
Fordman said:
At least they are getting a press release in the West Australian.
Regardless of common opinion, I have always thought that Renault, at least in WA, have been reasonably well advertised considering their market share.
Except for the sloping rear window which would reduce high loads in the rear, this car looks to be maybe pretty close to the old Scenic in size, being between the Captur and the Koleos. I think it looks OK, really, as does the Koleos.

Regarding the model name confusion, I think the Zen and Intens are staying relatively similar in option level to the previous (ie, Koleos) models, it's just that they have dropped the base model and introduced a higher level the RS Line.

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Thanks for posting this and it is good they have achieved that publicity. I'm going to have another attempt to actually see one unlocked at the local dealer.

It's probably quite a reasonable vehicle. Most modern vehicles are of course - I've driven thousands of Km in a Koleos and it was fine, just too big externally for what we want.
 
Haakon said:
Looks ridiculous... Even looks sloppy and top heavy!
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Haakon, you might as well give up. Most people I've spoken to think that the car looks Très Élégant and whilst you might think they look top heavy, like a double decker bus I can assure you they are not! As me old mate Dave used to say: "All your taste is in your mouth!" ;)
 
Kim Luck said:
Haakon, you might as well give up. Most people I've spoken to think that the car looks Très Élégant and whilst you might think they look top heavy, like a double decker bus I can assure you they are not! As me old mate Dave used to say: "All your taste is in your mouth!" ;)
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Nah, youre all wrong. It looks like a Megane with the wrong wheels on it...
 
Haakon said:
Nah, youre all wrong. It looks like a Megane with the wrong wheels on it...
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Not sure what it looks like but the style doesn't appeal to me either. Not an issue though. It's interior space vs footprint and how well it is organised for strange loads that matters to me. It's bound to be safe and comfortable and more than adequately equipped and too complicated. Must check its towing capacity too. In the modern world of ugly SUVs it doesn't stand out from the mob.
 
JohnW said:
It's interior space vs footprint and how well it is organised for strange loads that matters to me.
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That will be a massive disappointment compared to the Scenic... Packaging on SUVs is a joke. Hell, even the current Scenic in europe thats been restyled to look like as SUV to appeal to mindless fashion victims is a disappointment.

Keep the Scenic...
 
JohnW said:
Not sure what it looks like but the style doesn't appeal to me either. Not an issue though. It's interior space vs footprint and how well it is organised for strange loads that matters to me. It's bound to be safe and comfortable and more than adequately equipped and too complicated. Must check its towing capacity too. In the modern world of ugly SUVs it doesn't stand out from the mob.
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Towing capacity doesn't rate a mention in: https://imotor-cms-uploads.s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/FigY5AXQpNbyg565eoVAbT8H but other overseas sources suggest 1200 kg. I've towed a 16 foot Pop Top van behind a 1255 R12 wagon. Just made it to 110 km/h. The Arkana has 150 odd bhp, a fair bit more than an R12......
 
Haakon said:
That will be a massive disappointment compared to the Scenic... Packaging on SUVs is a joke. Hell, even the current Scenic in europe thats been restyled to look like as SUV to appeal to mindless fashion victims is a disappointment.

Keep the Scenic...
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My thoughts exactly. The current Scenic doesn't have removable seats, isn't available RHD so is not even any use in UK, a reasonable market. This whole SUV business is a marketing ploy and a complete joke for sensible vehicle buyers. Happily we have three Scenics, all below 150,000 km and all manual....
Kim Luck said:
Towing capacity doesn't rate a mention in: https://imotor-cms-uploads.s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/FigY5AXQpNbyg565eoVAbT8H but other overseas sources suggest 1200 kg. I've towed a 16 foot Pop Top van behind a 1255 R12 wagon. Just made it to 110 km/h. The Arkana has 150 odd bhp, a fair bit more than an R12......
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Scenic has 1400 kg capacity but Renault Australia fitted 1000 kg towbars. No-one seems to know why.
 
Haakon said:
That will be a massive disappointment compared to the Scenic... Packaging on SUVs is a joke. Hell, even the current Scenic in europe thats been restyled to look like as SUV to appeal to mindless fashion victims is a disappointment.

Keep the Scenic...
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As I am pretty sure that you have never in your life owned what is incorrectly termed an SUV or possibly ever used one (of the several hundred varieties) I maintain that your hostility to small station wagons with good ground clearance must be due to an unfortunate incident that occurred to you as a child. Perhaps you were frightened by an early Jeep Cherokee, or worse still, an International Scout, an incident which has played on your mind for your entire life. Such psychological scarring is not uncommon amongst motorists, but if you really want help to get over your all consuming phobia, professional help is available. Also, a course in modern design philosophy might benefit! :)
 
Kim Luck said:
As I am pretty sure that you have never in your life owned what is incorrectly termed an SUV or possibly ever used one (of the several hundred varieties) I maintain that your hostility to small station wagons with good ground clearance must be due to an unfortunate incident that occurred to you as a child. Perhaps you were frightened by an early Jeep Cherokee, or worse still, an International Scout, an incident which has played on your mind for your entire life. Such psychological scarring is not uncommon amongst motorists, but if you really want help to get over your all consuming phobia, professional help is available. Also, a course in modern design philosophy might benefit! :)
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Lol. Driven and used plenty of them, all massively compromised for what most people use them for.

I prefer real 4WDs. Learnt to drive in a Series 1 Landy, and have a lot of wheel time in 70 series cab chassis doing proper 4WD work for fire fighting (even did the Murcott 4WD training course at Sandown).

SUVs are just fashion - for families a Scenic style vehicle is far better, and for off road work an actual 4WD is far better. Its a carefully manufactured market from when Ford and GM realised how much profit could be made from cheaply made commercial based "cars" that could be sold on image and a perceived "pound for dollar" value equation.

The thing that irks me the most about them is what it says about how dumb people are... Not that that is news, but still.
 
Aren't all cars mostly sold on image and fashion?
 
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bowie said:
Aren't all calls mostly sold on image and fashion?
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True to an extent... I guess the difference with SUVs is no one admits they bought it because of fashion, they "justify" buying a lard arse pos by how practical and useful it is (isn't...). It's weird.

Kirsty bought the Alfa because she liked it, but it was also a good fit for our uses - back seat space is horrible but no one but the dogs sits back there anyway, and she liked the way it drove (vrooom! I think was the word used lol). I like it because it carts my mountain bike to the trails with ease, and tows the trailer well for when i need to move big stuff (and it goes around corners like a demon...). So while bought on its "image" a bit, is arguably fit for purpose for what we do. SUVs are very rarely fit for purpose by any objective measure compared to eminently more suitable options.

Also, the global emissions associated with this fashion trend and all the extra heft being carted around are not insignificant...
 
Kim Luck said:
As I am pretty sure that you have never in your life owned what is incorrectly termed an SUV or possibly ever used one (of the several hundred varieties) I maintain that your hostility to small station wagons with good ground clearance must be due to an unfortunate incident that occurred to you as a child. Perhaps you were frightened by an early Jeep Cherokee, or worse still, an International Scout, an incident which has played on your mind for your entire life. Such psychological scarring is not uncommon amongst motorists, but if you really want help to get over your all consuming phobia, professional help is available. Also, a course in modern design philosophy might benefit! :)
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You'd certainly be scarred by some of the older 4WDs. Scared too. Early SWB Land-Cruisers were quite special at the speeds that they were capable of! I like ground clearance but do want good interior space. Reminder to self: must go to Suzuki dealer again and check out their Arkana, if anyone will help when I get there.
bowie said:
Aren't all calls mostly sold on image and fashion?
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Mostly I fear. Marketing is all about that. Think of Audi's advancement from the worst rust buckets available at one stage and the propensity for folk to aspire to a Benz despite the shortage of reasons for getting a modern one.
 
Haakon said:
True to an extent... I guess the difference with SUVs is no one admits they bought it because of fashion, they "justify" buying a lard arse pos by how practical and useful it is (isn't...). It's weird.

Kirsty bought the Alfa because she liked it, but it was also a good fit for our uses - back seat space is horrible but no one but the dogs sits back there anyway, and she liked the way it drove (vrooom! I think was the word used lol). I like it because it carts my mountain bike to the trails with ease, and tows the trailer well for when i need to move big stuff (and it goes around corners like a demon...). So while bought on its "image" a bit, is arguably fit for purpose for what we do. SUVs are very rarely fit for purpose by any objective measure compared to eminently more suitable options.

Also, the global emissions associated with this fashion trend and all the extra heft being carted around are not insignificant...
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As I have mentioned before, you have a penchant for self invented nonsense. A Koleos diesel 4X4 is smaller and weighs less than a plain old fashioned 6 Cylinder Falcon. Sales figures don't lie, your so-called SUV's outsell everything except 4X4 crew-cabs. If you want to talk about stupid fashions I think you should at least start on the Urban Legends who all imagine themselves crossing the Simpson Desert or following the Canning Stock Route when they purchase their live axle buckets of very heavy, highly polluting and uneconomical bolts.
 
JohnW said:
.......................................... Reminder to self: must go to Suzuki dealer again and check out their Arkana, if anyone will help when I get there.
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Just a thought, John, perhaps a phone call to the dealership before you arrive might ensure the sales staff are back from the Pub?
 
As a senior motorist/enthusiast/specialist, one thing really stands out for me.
My advice has been sought many times by those looking for a new(er) car.
I have sat down with them and discussed their needs, budgets etc. at great length
to establish the choices they have.
Invariably, they go off and buy something totally inappropriate, and when it sinks in
that it was a big mistake, come bellyaching to me.
I no longer give advice....
 
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