French panache but few loveable quirks…

FRENCH CARS can be a bit, well, Forrest Gump if you ask me. That is in no way an insult. I mean it as a genuinely analytical observation.

In the classic 1994 film, Forrest, played by Tom Hanks, says “life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re gonna get,” and the same is certainly true of new French models.

The French have always poured passion into their cars and that means they tend to have quirks. The old Renault 4, for example, had different spacing between the road wheels, depending on which side of the car you stood. Then there’s the Citroen 2CV, the world’s most charismatic upturned bathtub, loved and hated in equal measure.

In Germany these oddities would have been seen as horrendous design flaws, but in France they’re applauded as features that give cars unique character. So I was intrigued by what I would find with Renault’s Arkana.

Outside

This is an SUV, a 4x4 in old money, that’s been crossed with a coupe. It’s therefore neither, and sits squarely in a battlefield known as the crossover market. Even under stormy skies it looks good though, sporting a sleek roofline and a striking profile, especially in Zanzibar Blue.

The 18-inch diamond cut alloy wheels, trademark Renault lights at the rear and the Cshaped daytime running lights give it a sense of style.

Inside

The interior is well-thought-out and features some nice materials in places. The centre-piece is a large 9.3 inch portrait touchscreen in the middle of the dash, but your eyes soon wander to details like the chrome effect door handles and the brushed steel styling of the dash inserts.

It has physical controls for all the important functions, including the climate settings, so it’s easy to use. The 7.0 inch digital instrument display behind the steering wheel is stylish, with crisp graphics. The cabin even looks good in the dark, thanks to some effective ambient lighting.

The centre console plastics are a bit cheap and scratchy in places, which lowers the tone slightly, but the overall ambience is pleasant.

The seats are reasonably supportive and are part leather, with contrasting stitching to maintain that quality feel.

Finding a comfy driving position is easy thanks to a wide range of adjustment. This is complimented by bags of steering wheel rake and reach. There’s also plenty of room in the back. You wouldn’t want to fit three six-footers in there for long journeys but Renault has done a cracking job of making sure the sleek, sloping roofline doesn’t impact too much on passenger comfort.

On The Road

The Arkana handles pretty well. It has plenty of grip, a small amount of body roll and precise steering that’s well-weighted. The firm set up means that it can thud over large pot holes more than some rivals but I’d take handling over bouncy cushioning every day.

Our test car was the E-Tech 145 hybrid, which switched from electric to petrol power very smoothly. The performance figures won’t get you excited, 0-62mph in 10.8 seconds and a top end of 108mph, but the combined fuel economy figure of 58.9 mpg is reasonable.

The electric motor is silent at low speeds, so it’s ideal for pottering around town. It’s not quite such a rosy picture on winding roads and the motorway unfortunately, because the engine can sound a bit coarse as it drags the large body up to higher speeds. Wind noise can also be heard around the front pillars. On the up-side, road noise is very well damped. The 6-speed auto box changes gear smoothly.

Renault Arkana

Pros l Eye-catching design l Balanced ride & handling l Economical to run l Competitively priced

Cons l It’s not fast off the mark l Limited rear head room l Lots of plastic on show

Verdict

If you’re looking for outlandish French styling, you’ll be disappointed with the Arkana because it’s almost too normal. It feels like the result of meticulous research, probably generated by a large focus group of parents from Cheville, aged 35 – 50. On the other hand, it is a well-priced coupe SUV that’s cheap to run and practical to live with. Worth a test drive.

Early bird Mike catches Doha Marathon worm

THERE WAS a first place in the men’s open classification for RAF runner Flt Lt Mike Kallenberg in the Doha Marathon in Qatar.

A team of 16 personnel deployed on operations in the Middle East joined a field of more than 8,000 runners to take on the iconic 26.2 miles around the region’s most famous landmarks.

No strangers to early mornings and physical activity, runners started the Doha marathon at 06:30 to avoid the searing midday sun – a welcome relief to those competing over the full distance, but also to those taking on the half-marathon and 10k races too.

Kallenberg ran an incredible time of 2:23:02 over the full marathon course, to finish first in the male open category.

He said: “Working shifts [Air Operations] has made it difficult to form any sort of routine with my training so I’ve been running