Renault Arkana vs Volkswagen Tiguan

Renault Arkana

Renault’s coupé-style compact SUV.

Volkswagen Tiguan

Volkswagen’s compact family SUV.

First car

Second car

Pick this one if…

Renault Arkana

Pick the Arkana for a striking coupé-SUV with a roomy boot and an efficient hybrid.

Best engine: The 1.3 TCe (petrol) or E-Tech hybrid.

Read the full guide

Pick this one if…

Volkswagen Tiguan

Pick the Tiguan for a roomy, practical family SUV with strong towing and a wide engine range.

Best engine: The 1.5 TSI/eTSI (150 hp) or 2.0 TDI (150 hp).

Read the full guide

Performance

1.3 TCe 140 · Petrol vs 1.5 eTSI 150 · Petrol

	Renault Arkana	Volkswagen Tiguan
Power	140 hp	150 hp Winner
Torque	260 Nm Winner	250 Nm
0–100 km/h	9,8 s	9,1 s Winner
Top speed	200 km/h	210 km/h Winner
Power-to-weight	105,3 hp/t Winner	101,4 hp/t
CO₂ emissions (WLTP)	132 g/km	128 g/km Winner
Consumption (WLTP)	5,8 L/100km	5,6 L/100km Winner

Dimensions & space

	Renault Arkana	Volkswagen Tiguan
Boot	480 L	652 L Winner
Boot (seats folded)	1.500 L	1.650 L Winner
Wheelbase	2,72 m Winner	2,68 m
Length	4,57 m	4,54 m
Width	1,82 m	1,84 m
Height	1,58 m	1,64 m
Seats	5	5

Powertrain & tech

	Renault Arkana	Volkswagen Tiguan
Platform	CMF-B	MQB / MQB Evo (transverse)
Drive	Front-wheel drive	Front-wheel drive · All-wheel drive
Engine family	1.3 TCe mild hybrid · E-Tech Hybrid 145	EA211/EA211 Evo petrol · EA888 petrol · EA288/EA288 Evo diesel · eHybrid PHEV
Fuel	Petrol · Hybrid	Petrol · Diesel · Plug-in hybrid
Transmission	6-speed manual · EDC7 · E-Tech automatic	6-speed manual · 7-speed DSG
Euro standard	Euro 6d	Euro 6 (early) · Euro 6d/6e (later)
LEZ access	Euro 6d allowed in the LEZ	Euro 6 petrol/diesel allowed in the LEZ (Brussels/Antwerp/Ghent)

Reliability & watch-outs

Known issues

Renault Arkana

Infotainment: freezes and lag
Electrical gremlins (12V battery)
E-Tech hybrid: 12V battery drain

Volkswagen Tiguan

DSG fluid service and shift quality
1.5 TSI cold-start hesitation (early)
AdBlue/DPF on 2.0 TDI (short trips)

Pros

Renault Arkana

Striking coupé design
Roomy boot (480–513 L)
Efficient E-Tech hybrid available

Volkswagen Tiguan

Roomy cabin and high seating position
Wide, efficient engine range
Strong towing (up to 2,500 kg on 4MOTION diesels)

Cons

Renault Arkana

Sloping roof limits rear headroom
No diesel offered

Volkswagen Tiguan

Bigger and heavier than a T-Roc/Golf
Higher consumption on powerful 2.0 TSI/R versions

Driving experience

Renault Arkana

A comfortable long-distance cruiser rather than a dynamic driver's car. Steering is light and accurate enough for daily use, and body control is reasonable, but the ride is firmer than many rivals — especially on larger wheels — and can feel unsettled over sharp bumps. The 1.3 TCe feels responsive once moving, while the E-Tech hybrid prioritises efficiency and can feel less linear under hard acceleration because of its multi-mode transmission. The EDC dual-clutch is smooth at higher speeds but can show low-speed hesitation or judder.

Volkswagen Tiguan

Comfortable, quiet and more car-like than the old Tiguan. The CT1 rides with better body control and noise isolation than the AD1, steers accurately, and feels lighter on its feet despite similar dimensions. Front-drive versions are easy; 4Motion adds traction in poor conditions. The 1.5 eTSI is smooth and efficient with its 48-volt assistance, the 2.0 TDI is the long-distance pick, and the eHybrid covers short trips on electric power. The DSG is smooth; there is no manual. It is a more polished, more digital version of the same formula — comfortable and competent, if still not exciting.