The Toyota C-HR is one of the ‘heavyweights’ of our market, and now that it has received a new generation it is a noticeably better product than the previous one. But even so, the Japanese brand has launched it at an excessively high price about the alternatives on the market. The one I’m going to talk to you about is a very clear case: it is better than the Toyota C-HR in everything and yet it is €5,000 cheaper. A slightly larger option with better rear seats, which also offers more trunk space and also has the ECO label from the DGT. It has become one of the smartest purchases for those looking for an SUV.
I am referring to the Renault Arkana and yes, even though the Toyota C-HR now has a more modern and sporty design, it is still not a coupe SUV like the Renault model is. Which, by the way, has also been recently renewed – although with a restyling. The Renault Arkana has a 4.57 meter long body which, of course, leaves the 4.35 meters measured by the Toyota model in the shadows. And this is what explains why it has much more spacious rear seats, but also why it has a 513-liter trunk capacity despite its sporty silhouette. For its part, the C-HR is content with only 388 liters of capacity at best.
It costs €5,000 less, but the Renault Arkana is a much superior SUV to the Toyota C-HR and also has the ECO label from the DGT
In addition to the important differences between its exterior dimensions, its habitability and its trunk, the Renault Arkana now has the important advantage of its price. Thanks to a discount of 3,400 euros that the brand keeps active, it can be purchased for only approximately 25,600 euros, while the Toyota C-HR costs more than 30,000 euros. As you can imagine, in both cases I am referring to the rate corresponding to their cheapest versions. Come on, we are talking about a saving of 5,000 euros, practically, even though the Renault Arkana surpasses the Japanese model in practically everything.
At the mechanical configuration level, they are similar in that both have the ECO label from the DGT, but they indeed achieve it differently. The Toyota C-HR, as is usual for the brand, gets it with a 140 HP plug-in hybrid engine, while the Renault Arkana in its cheapest version of the range uses a 140 HP mild hybrid engine. Both have the same maximum power figure, but the electrification system of their gasoline engines is very different. Now, both stand out for their very low fuel consumption about the more direct alternatives on the market.
On more than one occasion I have told you that if there is something to criticize about Toyota hybrids, and that of course the C-HR has, it is that they use a CVT automatic transmission that is clumsy, slow, noisy, and unsatisfactory in the driving experience. It is an efficient, simple transmission that is inexpensive to maintain, but it is certainly not up to par with a dual-clutch automatic transmission when driving. And for its part, the Renault Arkana has an ‘old-fashioned’ automatic gearbox in this configuration that I’m talking to you about.
At the moment, the Renault Arkana has such a powerful offering that it not only beats the Toyota C-HR with a significant difference but has also become a strong alternative to the Hyundai Tucson or the KIA Sportage, among others. These days I was telling you that the Hyundai Tucson, just before its restyling arrives, has adjusted its prices settling at around 24,000 euros and, of course, it has also become a much more recommended purchase option than the Toyota C- HR.
