2021 Renault Kiger compact SUV review

Renault didn’t want to go for a common boxy SUV glimpse with the Kiger, which is obvious by its raked rear windscreen, tapering roofline and unique spoiler component, all of which lends it a SUV-coupe-like profile. The standout function at the back are the 3D, C-formed LED tail-lamps with gloss black elements. The boot lid too has a good deal of cuts and creases and it also has a chunky rear bumper, human body cladding and a faux skid plate. What completes the SUV glimpse is the 205mm of ground clearance, the roof rails which can consider masses up to 50 kg and the smart sixteen-inch diamond-slash alloys. 

The Renault Kiger can be experienced in six exterior colors, with a twin-tone paint scheme obtainable throughout the complete variant line-up. This unique color on our examination car or truck, Caspian Blue, looked decidedly brilliant underneath the Goan sunshine. 

What’s it like on the inside?

Stage inside the Kiger and you are greeted with a neat dashboard, 1 that is similar in structure to that of the Triber’s. An all-new 8-inch touchscreen, that’s slick more than enough in its procedure, can take centre phase on the dash. What truly is a boon is the wireless integration for Apple CarPlay and Android Car. In its major trims, the Kiger is also equipped with a higher-res, 7-inch digital instrument cluster that displays truly awesome graphics depending on the push mode you are in, which we’ll get to in a bit. 

You will not uncover any smooth contact supplies on the dash but plastic high quality is a lot more than satisfactory for the Kiger’s price tag. Renault has also done a great task to spruce up the cabin with chrome detailing about the equipment lever, piano black elements on the centre console and the climate manage knobs with built-in readouts (shared with the Magnite) glimpse quality too. Having said that, there’s no escaping that fees have been slash in get to price tag the Kiger so competitively. For case in point, elements like the inside rear- perspective mirror, sunshine shades and roof lining truly feel really fundamental.  

Up entrance, it is quick to uncover a comfy driving position and you get a great perspective out of the cabin. The seats themselves are supportive, perfectly-bolstered and have a awesome pattern on them. Just one of the highlights on the Kiger, while, is the place on give for rear seat travellers. Headroom and legroom at the rear are the two terrific and the flat floor also helps make everyday living less complicated for the middle passenger. The fold-down armrest is also perfectly positioned, and if nearly anything, it’s that the rear windows are a bit tiny. 

There is certainly a good deal of headroom and kneeroom on give at the rear.

The Kiger is 1 of the most useful SUVs in the section, with plenty of storage place inside the cabin. This is thanks to useful and huge storage spaces like the twin gloveboxes and the cental storage place involving the elbow box and the equipment lever.)  The Kiger also impresses with a course-primary 405 litre boot. The blend of a higher loading lip and low boot floor do make loading major baggage challenging. Having said that, Renault will give an accessory shelf that helps make the boot floor degree with the opening. There is also the added flexibility of sixty:forty break up rear seats.  

On the devices entrance, the array-topping Kiger RXZ has an Arkamys 3D seem method, keyless entry-go, automatic climate manage with PM 2.5 filter, ambient lighting, cooled glove box and electrical power folding mirrors, while the all-crucial sunroof is missing and there are a handful of blank switches on the steering wheel, presumably for a cruise manage that could be added on a future update. A wireless charger and an exterior air purifier can be experienced as section of an accessory pack. Basic safety attributes include things like four airbags, Abdominal muscles with EBD, ISOFIX little one-seat mounts, a rear-perspective digital camera and parking sensors.

What’s it like to push?

Powering the Kiger are two, 3-cylinder one.-litre petrol engines. There is a obviously aspirated unit that places out 72hp and 96Nm of torque and can be experienced with possibly a 5-speed handbook or an AMT gearbox. This motor also does obligation in the Renault Triber. The other motor possibility is the new HR10 turbo-petrol motor that created it’s debut on the Nissan Magnite and will uncover its way into a number of Renault-Nissan Alliance products and solutions in the future. The unit creates 100hp and 160Nm of torque with a 5-speed handbook gearbox and 152Nm when paired to a CVT automatic. Renault expects the automatic variants to make up thirty % of profits. Just like in the Magnite, there’s no diesel possibility with the Kiger, nor will there at any time be as the CMF-A+ platform only cannot accommodate 1. We obtained to sample the Kiger turbo-petrol handbook on our push in Goa. 

Thumb the starter button in the centre console and the motor comes to everyday living, settling into a silent idle. When the motor is comparatively peaceful, you do truly feel some of the 3-pot motor’s vibrations in the cabin, specifically on the steering wheel and equipment lever. 

Having said that, when you set off, the motor feels smoother and builds speed with self confidence even when its off-improve. The improve comes in at about one,700rpm, but it does so devoid of any popular surge or spike, as is widespread with turbocharged engines. Efficiency stays solid until previous 5,000rpm, soon after which it tapers off, while you can wind the motor to six,500rpm. Revving tough helps make the motor seem very loud and there’s no missing that 3-cylinder thrum possibly. The turbo-petrol Kiger responds keenly to speedy faucets on the accelerator, which helps make for quick overtaking or swiftly filling gaps in website traffic. It has respectable low-array grunt too, but like other tiny capability turbo-petrol motor-driven cars you will have to have to be mindful to be in the suitable equipment on climbs. On the subject, the Kiger’s 5-speed handbook gearbox has extended throws and can take a bit of energy to slot into the gates but, it is exact more than enough. The clutch pedal having said that, is mild and quick to modulate. 

Rotary dial, to toggle via the push modes.

A main talking place on the Kiger is the inclusion of 3 driving modes – Usual, Eco and Sporting activities. These modes are controlled through a rotary dial on the centre console and they alter the Kiger’s throttle reaction and steering. These modes do make a visible distinction to the Kiger’s overall performance, with the car or truck sensation most responsive in Sporting activities mode. The digital dashboard also displays awesome graphics when in Sporting activities, these kinds of as electrical power and torque utilization and even a G-meter. Usual mode put the emphasis on the speed exhibit although Eco highlights the rpm band for most productive driving.

Goa’s winding and twisty roads also gave us a opportunity to examination out the Kiger’s dealing with abilities. The Kiger has great human body manage and there’s a great volume of grip on give too, creating it very able in the bends. The Renault turns with self confidence and the Sport mode that provides visible body weight to the steering only aids the practical experience. The steering is also mild at low speeds but it demands 1 too many twirls lock-to-lock, which is some thing you will take note when parking. That being claimed, the Kiger is an quick car or truck to place and feels at property in tight city confines. In terms of braking, there’s a lack of an original bite soon after which the Kiger decelerates in linear and progressive fashion. 

Also extraordinary is the Kiger’s ride high quality. There is an fundamental firmness to the ride but it’s not to the place of being jarring, and on truly lousy patches, it truly feels very tightly screwed alongside one another, just about like a mini-Duster. The big surprise is how the Kiger feels at cruising speeds. Entire body actions are perfectly contained and it feels a lot more surefooted than its one tonne body weight would counsel. It drives like a even larger and heavier car or truck and that’s a big compliment to the Renault. Wherever the Kiger feels very normal is in refinement amounts. There is a good deal of street, tyre and wind noise in the cabin at higher speeds and you can even listen to the suspension tough at do the job.  

Should really I get 1? 

Priced from Rs 5.forty five lakh (ex-showroom, pan-India), the Kiger formally turns into the most reasonably priced compact SUV, just about undercutting its Nissan sibling, the Magnite. When Nissan may possibly have experienced the very first mover advantage in just the Alliance with the Magnite by having a handful of months for a longer time, Renault appeared to have created the Kiger a a lot more rounded deal. 

What you get for your dollars is a comfy compact SUV that’s terrific to glimpse at, great to push and decently equipped with attributes as perfectly. Confident, the Kiger does overlook out on some attributes that are now widespread in its course, like a sunroof, cruise manage and related car or truck technology and Renault has also visibly saved fees in sites, but element in its price tag, Rs 8.fifty five lakh for the major-spec RXZ turbo-petrol handbook that we drove, and you can truly see the benefit in this proposition. 

The Kiger comes throughout as a terrific benefit-for-dollars deal.

Not only does it undercut the complete compact SUV section and just about build a sub-section, the Renault Kiger in this major-spec form is a lot more reasonably priced than even some quality hatchbacks like the new Hyundai i20. If the demand from customers for the Magnite is nearly anything to go by, which garnered 32,000 bookings in just a month from its start, and thinking about the benefit-for-dollars it features consumers, the Renault Kiger could just turn out to be the future big point in the compact SUV section. 

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