Moscow - With its coupé-like sloping roofline, Renault’s new Arkana seems to have taken a fair amount of inspiration from the BMW X6 and Mercedes GLE Coupe, although it won’t be gunning for that end of the SUV market.
It is still technically a show car, but most of what you see here apart from small details like the side mirrors, will likely make it into showrooms from 2019. The Arkana will be built in Russia and sold in various global markets, but it’s not coming to Europe and at this stage it hasn’t been pencilled in for South African introduction, at least not for 2019.
Renault will be positioning the Arkana in the C-segment heartland of the SUV market, where the Kadjar currently competes, so think of this one as a poor man’s X6 of sorts.
A high waistline, relatively wide arches and 19-inch wheels give it the appropriate stance, while the front and rear ends carry modern Renault design cues such as C-shaped headlights and joined tail lamps.
No engine or other drivetrain details have been mentioned as yet, although Renault does promise “good all-terrain capabilities” and with the Nissan X-Trail’s all-wheel-drive hardware at the company’s disposal, it will no doubt be tougher off the beaten track than its looks suggest.