Renault Arkana E-TECH Hybrid running costs & insurance
The Arkana has a lengthy warranty, reasonable insurance ratings and manageable company-car tax rates, although a plug-in hybrid will be even cheaper to run
| Insurance group | Warranty | Service interval | Annual company-car tax (20%/40%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14-15 | 5yrs/100,000 miles | 2yrs/18,000 miles | From £1,429/£2,858 |
Running costs for the hybrid Arkana aren’t as low as they would be if it was available as a plug-in hybrid like its sister car the Captur. Compared to the company-car Benefit-in-Kind (BiK) tax rate of 11% for the plug-in hybrid Captur, the full-hybrid Arkana attracts BiK payments at 26%. However, it sits in a reasonable insurance group compared to its rivals and also comes with a lengthy warranty.
Renault Arkana E-TECH Hybrid insurance group
The full-hybrid version of the Arkana sits in insurance groups 14 or 15, depending on which trim level you go for. Comparably, the Kia Niro sits in slightly lower groups (11-13), as does the full-hybrid Captur (13-14). However, the Arkana does undercut its direct rival the Toyota C-HR (groups 15-24).
Warranty
All Renault cars sold in the UK come with a five-year/100,000-mile warranty, while the Arkana’s battery is covered by an eight-year/100,000-mile warranty. It's not quite as comprehensive as the cover offered by Kia or Hyundai, but still more than enough to encompass an average three-year lease or finance deal.
Servicing
Renault offers a servicing plan called EasyLife, covering the car for three years/30,000 miles for £500, or four years/40,000 miles for £760. You can pay this in monthly instalments of £10 or £14 respectively. Renault has yet to confirm the servicing intervals for the Arkana, however, they're likely to be the same as the Captur hybrid. Renault recommends owners bring Capturs in for an 'A' service every 12 months or 18,000 miles, whichever comes first, followed by a more expensive 'B' service every 24 months or 18,000 miles.
Road tax
Like all hybrids in the UK right now, road tax (VED) for the Arkana E-TECH is £155, representing a £10 discount on the standard annual rate for petrol and diesel-engined passenger cars. Plus, because no version of the Arkana gets anywhere near a list price of £40,000, there's no need to worry about the £355 road-tax premium paid by drivers of more expensive models, hybrid or otherwise.
