Renault India have opened booking for their latest offering – the compact and capable Kwid, and we have the first drive impressions right here.
Story: Jim Gorde
Photography: Sanjay Raikar
The new Kwid is Renault India’s big bet on the Indian market as they see it as a game changer, with superior dimensions and features to the present crop of small cars on sale, making it a great value proposition. The Kwid brings robust build quality, thoughtful interior elements and many class firsts into a high-volume segment, with the hopes to grab a large slice of the pie thus far dominated by Maruti Suzuki and Hyundai.
The Kwid is powered by an 800-cc three-cylinder petrol engine, which is an all-anew, all-aluminium engine making 54 PS and 72 Nm. Paired to a five-speed manual transmission unit driving the front wheels, the motor, optimised for bottom- and mid-range performance, promises high fuel efficiency. In fact, Renault claim a figure of 25.17 km/l, making it the most fuel-efficient petrol-engined car on sale in India. That claim is believable for another reason too. The car’s weight.
Renault have gone to great lengths to ensure that the Kwid is light and agile. Part of the weight-loss comes from reducing the weight of bolts and screws; most cars have around 20 kg of these, the Kwid makes do with just eight. The other ways they’ve done that is with the clever use of plastic instead of metal, for the intake manifold and oil sump, for instance. The result? The Kwid only weighs 630 kg!
There’s great scope for personalisation too, something not seen in any car nearly as affordable as the Kwid promises to be. The trim levels – Std, RxE, RxL and RxT with an option pack, as well as the 60 accessories available individually or in six varied packs – Basic, Essential, Smart Chrome, Intense Chrome, Luxury and Outdoor – together with 25 lifestyle decals ensure that few Renault Kwids will be alike.
We’ve driven the Kwid and came away very impressed with its handling dynamics, solid feel, and, of course, the space; not to mention the features on offer, like the digital dash and MediaNAV system – taken straight from the Duster no less. The Kwid is a fantastic all-rounder. It has the space, for passengers and cargo alike, with a best-in-class 300 litres of boot space. Fold down the rear seats and that rises to 1,115 litres!
There’s more. While Renault refer to is as a mini car and a hatchback, we’d like to think about it as a sub-compact crossover. The design is aggressive and it looks very modern and purposeful. It has been inspired by SUV styling and it shows. The butch styling, especially that macho grille and chunky rear hatch, together with minimal overhangs and a high ground clearance all reaffirm just that.
