While the bookings for the much-awaited Renault Kwid has begun, the company is yet to reveal the exact date as to when the car that has a bold SUV-esque styling will go on sale in India. So far the company has only revealed that the car will be available to buy in India during the festive period at a price between Rs 3 lakh and Rs 4 lakh.
Before the car hits showrooms in India, probably, next month, we bring you what all make this hatchback stand out in the otherwise competitive small car segment.
1. Unique selling proposition: This Kwid in the sub-Rs 4 lakh segment isn't a hatchback, it's a compact car aping to be an SUV. That ticks one box on the unique selling proposition list. According to Gerard Detourbet, the father of the Logan, the Duster, the Lodgy and now the Kwid, the global hatchback segment (irrespective of price bracket or size) is seeing a sharp decline and it is being replaced by SUVs.
The Alto, for instance, is no longer the highest selling car in India, it's the Dzire and though that car isn't an SUV, you'd know by now just how popular SUVs are getting to be in India. So full marks to Renault for toeing an absolutely new line.
2. Looks: This is quite simply a large hatchback sitting on tall suspension, very similar to the the pseudo crossovers of the Hyundai, Volkswagen and Toyota ilk. There are several attention grabbing elements, headlamps are big bold units and are coupled to the indicators which are housed in the same casing. The large Renault lozenge sits in the centre of the bonnet and has the two-piece chain link grille as its background. The bonnet has a power bulge to it. The sides also look sculpted with muscular haunches and protective plastic cladding on the wheel arches giving it an aggressive personality.
The rear profile is the only one that appears very hatchback like. Sculpted and muscular, it too is a refreshing design in an otherwise dull segment.
3. Interior: The dash is dominated by the chrome bezeled centre console which has the same touchscreen unit used in the Duster and Lodgy. The touchscreen provides the user to control media functions, telephony through Bluetooth and navigation.
It’s surrounded on the top and bottom by the air-con vents and dials respectively. Space inside a sub compact is usually at a premium but slimmer seats and a more upright H-point provide enough room.
4. Engine: Renault has built an all-new engine for the Kwid from ground up. This 799cc motor from the BR family of Renault engines makes 54PS@5,678rpm and 74Nm@4,386rpm. Renault hasn’t disclosed acceleration performance figures but fuel efficiency is claimed to be a class leading 25.17kmpl.
Also, the noise insulation is tightly controlled so you don’t really hear the engine clatter inside the cabin as a disturbance once on the move.
5. Ride and handling: The company insists that the crash structure is strong enough to avert most incidents. And thanks to its modular structure, as the norms get more stringent, the Kwid can be improved to meet those requirements. The electric powered steering is surprisingly quite accurate and nicely weighed. Brakes too feel adequate without any fade creeping in though discs all around, instead of just the ones at the front with drums at the rear, would have been a more secure way to go.
Renault has done an impressive job with the Kwid no doubt. This hatchback has great potential to provide good value to its owner. It has several areas of strength like its exterior styling, a strong power train, good ride quality, confident and secure dynamics, decent feature set and a host of options that are unmatched in the segment.
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