Renault’s local boss says hybrid versions of the Arkana and Captur crossovers are a “natural progression”, though there’s no firm date set for their introduction to the Australian market.
Speaking with CarExpert, Renault Australia managing director Glen Sealey said the hybrid versions of the Arkana and Captur would make a lot of sense, but making the business case with head office is the challenge.
“For us, [the Arkana’s] 1.3-litre turbo is a terrifically efficient engine, more efficient than some hybrid drivetrains out there today,” Mr Sealey said.
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Renault Arkana
“A mild-hybrid drivetrain for us is interesting, the full hybrid drivetrain for us is very interesting. But today, give or take 1.0 per cent of that segment [with Arkana], the volume doesn’t justify two or even three drivetrains [in Australia].”
“Some would argue ‘well, you should just bring out only the hybrid drivetrain and get on with it’, but that would then take away a lot of the value equation,” Mr Sealey continued. “We’re quite conscious of that, particularly in the current market.”
In the UK, both the Renault Arkana and Captur are offered with 105kW ‘E-Tech full hybrid’ drivetrains, which combine a 1.6-litre petrol engine with an electric motor and 1.2kWh battery.
These components work together through a “multi-mode clutchless dog box” with four gears for the petrol engine and two for the main electric motor.
Total system power is 107kW, and fuel economy for both models is around 4.7L/100km according to stricter WLTP testing.
Old Renault Captur 
New Renault Captur
The facelifted 2025 Renault Arkana has just landed in Australia and offers a carryover 115kW/262Nm 1.3-litre turbocharged petrol engine homologated to Euro 6 emissions regulations.
Fuel consumption for local models is rated at 5.9L/100km on the combined cycle, with CO2 emissions rated at 133g/km combined.
The pre-facelift Captur in Australia is powered by a version of the same engine which develops 113kW and 270Nm, likewise meeting Euro 6 standards but does without the Arkana’s idle stop-start technology.
The Captur also requires 95 RON premium unleaded fuel, whereas the Arkana can run on 91 RON.
Mr Sealey reconfirmed the facelifted Captur range, which he says is a “quite substantial” upgrade compared to the current model, will arrive in Australia in the new year.
New Renault Captur 
While hybrids don’t appear to be at the very top of Renault Australia’s priority list, the French brand will be launching a number of electric vehicles in the coming 18 months and beyond, Mr Sealey confirmed.
Following the launch of the new Kangoo E-Tech electric van, both the Trafic and Master vans will gain E-Tech Electric variants locally during 2025.
Mr Sealey noted both the electric Renault 5 E-Tech hatchback and Scenic E-Tech SUV are high on the wishlist for Australia, and would slot in on either end of the brand’s passenger vehicle offerings Down Under.
Beyond that, Mr Sealey also flagged the new Symbioz E-Tech Full Hybrid crossover as a potential starter for Australia, which is effectively a stretched Captur that rivals the likes of the Hyundai Kona and Nissan Qashqai.
Renault Symbioz 
“The Symbioz that’s just been launched [overseas] would be a good car for here,” said Mr Sealey.
“We’ve just got to be very cautious that any car we bring in today, has to have a model future that rolls into an NVES calculation.”
The 2025 Renault Symbioz was revealed earlier this year for overseas markets like Europe and the UK. Despite being similarly sized to the Qashqai-based Austral (4413mm v 4515mm), it’s built on an extended version of the Captur’s CMF-B compact architecture.
At launch, the only drivetrain available is an E-Tech Full Hybrid system comprising a 69kW 1.6-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, a 36kW traction motor, 18kW high-voltage starter generator, and a 1.2kWh battery pack.
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