Renault Korea's XM3 nearing 200,000 exports to Europe

XM3 E-TECH Hybrid / Courtesy of Renault Korea Motors

By Lee Kyung-min

The popularity of coupe-type small sports utility vehicles (SUV) XM3, or Renault Arkana, manufactured by Renault Korea Motors is increasing, as evidenced by the June sales of the vehicle model jumping to 4,956, up 29.3 percent from the year before, according to the firm, Monday. A total of 97,652 units of Renault Arkana were sold over the past year, leading the Korean automaker's export growth.

Anchoring the robust sales is its soaring popularity in Europe where over 80,000 Arkanas were sold last year, nearly double from 41,800 a year earlier.

Renault Korea exceeded 100,000 sales in June of last year less than two years after it first exported the Arkana in 2021. The SUV topped 100,000 additional sales the following year.

The firm said the SUV is gaining popularity for its stylish design, fuel economy and steering performance sturdy enough to travel rough roads in Europe.

The CMF-B platform used in Renault and Nissan is famous for its ability to maintain stability at high speeds.

The platform-commanded suspension holds to any road, making for stable, fast and safe driving.

The SUV model has plenty of cargo room of 516 liters and back seat leg room, providing a comfortable space.

XM3 E-TECH Hybrid, another popular SUV model, has a fuel efficiency of 17.5 kilometers per liter in Korea.

It provides one-pedal driving and a 100 percent electric mode, both of which have been well received. One-pedal driving lets drivers use only the accelerator pedal to help control the deceleration of the vehicle or bring it to a complete stop under certain conditions.

The vehicle's engine and the electric motor run together, making it possible to drive dynamically with high-efficiency fast acceleration functions.

In 2021, XM3 won Car of the Year and Hybrid of the Year in Spain and Sweden.

In 2022, it won Best Hybrid and Best Compact SUV awards in the U.K. and France.