The Kwid is the most affordable Renault to go on sale globally and comes with an extremely appealing design language, spacious interiors and a good feature list.
With the production spec model creating the right buzz earlier this year, Renault India has now officially launched the Kwid entry-level hatchback in the country with prices starting at Rs. 2.57 lakhs (ex-showroom, Delhi). The French automaker’s most affordable offering globally, the brawny looking Kwid takes shape from a concept model of the same name and shares its design attributes with the Duster in the automaker’s family. This has also helped the entry-level hatch to stand out amidst competition in the highly competitive segment. Here is everything you need to know about the new Kwid.
Design – As butch as it gets, Renault ticks all the right boxes when it comes to design as the Kwid looks SUV-like and has loads of appeal from every angle. The upright front looks smart with the black bumper cladding and front grille while the headlights feature nice internal elements. The accentuated wheel arches lend a mean demeanour and the black cladding all around ensures the butch look is intensified. At the rear, the bug-like tail lights and heavily clad bumper add to the appeal. The Kwid gets three spoke wheel covers (no alloys) and rides on 155/80/R13 tubeless tyres while the ground clearance is a segment leading 180 mm, as good as some compact SUVs. To spruce up the exteriors further, the automaker is offering a host of accessories as well.
Interiors – The Renault Kwid gets a clutter-free cabin done up in dual-tone grey and black shades and does not look built to a price. The car gets a three-spoke steering wheel and a large centre console done up in a piano black finish on top trims. With the wheelbase measuring 2422 mm, the Kwid has an extremely roomy cabin and gets fabric upholstered seats done up in spoty red, grey and black and offers plenty of headroom and legroom. Renault has also provided cubby storage spaces including two gloveboxes and multiple bottle holders. The boot capacity on the hatchback stands at 300-litres (more than the Hyundai Eon and Maruti Alto) which can be expanded to 1100-litres with the rear seats folded.
In terms of features, Renault has introduced a segment first 7-inch touchscreen Media-NAV infotainment system (only on the top variant) on the Kwid with two speakers, a roof mic, USB, AUX and Bluetooth connectivity. The base variants get a single DIN stereo with radio, MP3, FM/AM while the USB, AUX and other connectivity options can be added via a media pack on the mid-level RXE and RXL trims. The most surprising feature is the all-digital instrument cluster, also a segment first and showcases a host of information including a gearshift indicator, trip meter and DTE.
Engine – Powering the Renault Kwid is a newly developed 799cc three-cylinder, 12-valve, petrol engine that is tuned to produce 54 PS of power at 5678 RPM and 72 Nm of torque at 4386 RPM, paired to a 5-speed manual transmission. The car gets McPherson struts at the front and a twist beam coil spring suspension at the rear, while stopping power comes from front discs and rear drum brakes.
Safety – The Renault Kwid misses out on most essentials in the safety department and offers only a driver side airbag as optional on the top-end RXT variant, while front and rear seatbelts are standard on all trims.
Fuel Efficiency – The Kwid returns an ARAI certified mileage of 25.17 km/l, making it India’s most fuel efficient petrol vehicle.
Renault will now have a tough job at hand in making its newest product a success against established rivals like the Maruti Alto 800 and Hyundai Eon but the Kwid is claimed to have 19% lower maintenance costs than its closest rival. Apart from getting the basics right, the company managed a competitive pricing on the brawny hatchback, courtesy of the 98% localisation levels at the Chennai based facility. In addition, Renault has launched a new smartphone app equivalent of a virtual showroom that allows you to look at the features, compare the car with other vehicles and also place your booking for the new hatchback at the swipe of your finger.
Read The Renault Kwid Review
2015 Renault Kwid Prices (ex-showroom, Delhi) –
* Kwid STD – Rs. 2,56,968/-
* Kwid RXE – Rs. 2,88,960/-
* Kwid RXE (O) – Rs. 2,94,960/-
* Kwid RXL – Rs. 3,11,664/-
* Kwid RXT – Rs. 3,44,131/-
* Kwid RXT (O) – Rs. 3,53,131/-
