Audi Q5 vs Renault Arkana
What's the difference?

Audi Q5

$82,500 - $100,400

2026 price

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Renault Arkana

$36,990 - $45,990

2026 price

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Land Rover Discovery Sport

Mercedes-Benz EQ-Class

Mercedes-Benz Eqb250

Mercedes-Benz G-Class

Mercedes-Benz G63

Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class

Mercedes-Benz GLA35

Mercedes-Benz GLB-Class

Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class

Mercedes-Benz GLC300

Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class

Mercedes-Benz GLS

Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class

Mini Countryman

Mitsubishi ASX

Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross

Mitsubishi Outlander

Mitsubishi Pajero

Mitsubishi Pajero Sport

Summary

2026 Audi Q5

2026 Renault Arkana

By Emily Agar

Safety Rating

Engine Type

Turbo 4, 2.0L

Turbo 4, 1.3L

Fuel Type

Premium Unleaded Petrol

Unleaded Petrol

Fuel Efficiency

5.7L/100km (combined)

5.9L/100km (combined)

Seating

Likes

Interior glow-up is gorgeous
Comfortable ride with well-tuned suspension
Strong standard tech and safety features

Stylish, distinctive design
Great boot space and practicality
Responsive handling

Dislikes

Still manages to remind you its a base-grade
Rear seat & boot space on smaller side
Steering assist tends to overcorrect

Mild-hybrid gains feel limited
Snug rear seat space
Slow off the mark

2026 Audi Q5 Summary

Audi’s latest Q5 Sportback brings mild-hybrid power, updated underpinnings, more technology and a genuinely impressive interior glow-up.

It’s clearly aimed at buyers drawn to a more athletic take on the mid-size SUV, where style plays a bigger role than outright practicality. We're testing the base petrol spec to see how it sits alongside the BMW X4 xDrive20i, Genesis GV70 2.5T and Mercedes-Benz GLC300 Coupe.

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2026 Renault Arkana Summary

This time around my family of three has been reviewing the updated Renault Arkana Esprit Alpine mild-hybrid, and you might be wondering… why?

In a market that is positively bursting at the seams with established and new competition, including full-hybrid rivals like the Honda HR-V RS and Hyundai Kona Premium, the Arkana has its work cut out for it.

It’s also a slightly unusual proposition, pairing the raised ride height of an SUV with the swooping roofline of a coupe, while sticking with a mild-hybrid powertrain as more and more rivals make the jump to full-hybrid.

So, does this small French SUV coupe still have enough going for it to stand out from the crowd?

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Deep dive comparison

2026 Audi Q5 2026 Renault Arkana

Verdict

The updated Audi Q5 Sportback TFSI is a strong example of a luxury base-grade SUV, ticking most of the boxes in styling, comfort and features. It may not always outperform its rivals on paper, but it delivers where it counts, offering a refined, practical and engaging package that will satisfy.

Verdict

The Renault Arkana Esprit Alpine mild-hybrid combines some serious design flair with a reasonable amount of practicality for a smaller family, but it’s hard to ignore the lack of improvement in efficiency following the addition of the mild-hybrid system. That said, it still succeeds on some fronts. It just does it quietly.

Audi Q5 vs Renault Arkana What's the difference?

Summary

Deep dive comparison

Verdict

Verdict

Audi Q5 vs Renault Arkana
What's the difference?