Renault Arkana vs Jaguar I-Pace
What's the difference?

Renault Arkana

$36,990 - $45,990

2026 price

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Jaguar I-Pace

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2023 price

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Chery Tiggo 8 PRO MAX

Land Rover Discovery Sport

Mercedes-Benz EQ-Class

Mercedes-Benz G-Class

Mercedes-Benz G63

Mercedes-Benz GLB-Class

Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class

Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class

Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class

Mitsubishi ASX

Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross

Mitsubishi Outlander

Mitsubishi Pajero

Mitsubishi Pajero Sport

Summary

2026 Renault Arkana

2023 Jaguar I-Pace

By Emily Agar

By Byron Mathioudakis

Safety Rating

Engine Type

Turbo 4, 1.3L

Electric motor type

Permanent Magnet

Fuel Type

Unleaded Petrol

Vehicle type

Battery Electric

Fuel Efficiency

5.9L/100km (combined)

Electric range

446 km

Energy consumption

23.0 kWh/100km

Battery capacity

90.00 kWh

Seating

Likes

Stylish, distinctive design
Great boot space and practicality
Responsive handling

Bold and distinctive design
Suitably upmarket cabin presentation
Dynamic balance, comfort and performance

Dislikes

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

Poor rear vision
Equipment levels are sparse for the price
Expensive options

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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2023 Jaguar I-Pace Summary

What sets the most iconic Jaguars apart?

Here’s a theory. Consider history’s greatest: the 1948 XK, its 1961 E-Type replacement and the first XJ of 1968. We’re talking about a grand tourer, sports car and luxury sedan respectively that broke ground in each of their segments.

Despite being a sales disappointment, let’s add the 2018 I-Pace to this elite group.

Like the others, it was a pioneer, this time in the luxury electric vehicle (EV) SUV field, beating most competitors and seemingly influencing newer ones ever since, from the excellent Kia EV6 to the coming Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV.

Now, five years and a comprehensive update later, we revisit the 2023 I-Pace to see if it’s still a standout.

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Deep dive comparison

2026 Renault Arkana 2023 Jaguar I-Pace

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.

Verdict

In the 1960s Jaguar used to promote its range as providing “grace, space and pace”. Nowadays, the I-Pace may as well also be known as the I-Grace and I-Space, because all three terms still ring true.

Jaguars were never cheap but the greatest hits felt like exceptional value because they were special. The same applies here. Five years might seem like an eternity, but age has not yet wearied the British luxury EV SUV nearly as much as you might imagine. Especially when optioned up as per our test vehicle.

Bereft of any post-modern brand baggage, the I-Pace remains a modern great. If only more buyers would catch on to that.

Renault Arkana vs Jaguar I-Pace What's the difference?

Summary

Deep dive comparison

Verdict

Verdict

Renault Arkana vs Jaguar I-Pace
What's the difference?