The sub-4m SUV from Renault takes a potshot at the 9 existing contenders in its segment!
When you think that it’s enough now and it cannot be done better, you get a better option. This is true at least for the highly populated sub-compact SUV segment in India. The latest to join the league is the French car Renault Kiger. Although sharing platforms between them, Renault has been more impactful and sensible with its cars than its partner Nissan. Whether it’s the Duster, Kwid or the Triber, Renault has caught the attention of the aspirational buyers of the country.
The newest entrant Renault Kiger is a five-seater sub-4 meter SUV. Undercutting its rivals quite comprehensively, the Kiger comes with two engine choices and three transmission options. It is available in four variants – RXE, RXL, RXT and RXZ. Renault cars have always got customization options to beef up their looks. The Kiger too gets five accessory packages – smart + pack, smart pack, SUV pack, attractive pack and essential pack. Moreover, there are 6 colour options with a dual-tone option with every shade. These include radiant red, caspian blue, moonlight silver, planet grey, ice cool white and mahogany brown. The most interesting bit about the dual-tone colours is you can get them right from the base RXE variant.
Let’s delve into more details of the Kiger to let you decide whether it is the right option for you.
Price
The most significant aspect which puts the Kiger on every SUV buyer’s list is its aggressive price. It is tagged in the price bracket of Rs 5.45 – 9.75 lakh (ex-showroom New Delhi). Here is the variant-wise price list of the Kiger.
| Variants | Price (ex-showroom New Delhi) |
| RXE | Rs 5.45 lakh |
| RXE Dual Tone | Rs 5.65 lakh |
| RXL | Rs 6.32 lakh |
| RXL Dual Tone | Rs 6.52 lakh |
| RXT | Rs 6.80 lakh |
| RXL AMT | Rs 6.82 lakh |
| RXT Dual Tone | Rs 7.00 lakh |
| RXL AMT Dual Tone | Rs 7.02 lakh |
| RXT AMT | Rs 7.30 lakh |
| RXL Turbo | Rs 7.42 lakh |
| RXT AMT Dual Tone | Rs 7.50 lakh |
| RXL Turbo Dual Tone | Rs 7.62 lakh |
| RXZ | Rs 7.69 lakh |
| RXZ Dual Tone | Rs 7.89 lakh |
| RXT Turbo | Rs 7.90 lakh |
| RXT Turbo Dual Tone | Rs 8.10 lakh |
| RXZ AMT | Rs 8.19 lakh |
| RXZ AMT Dual Tone | Rs 8.39 lakh |
| RXT CVT | Rs 8.60 lakh |
| RXZ Turbo | Rs 8.79 lakh |
| RXT CVT Turbo Dual Tone | Rs 8.80 lakh |
| RXZ Turbo Dual Tone | Rs 8.99 lakh |
| RXZ CVT Turbo | Rs 9.55 lakh |
| RXZ CVT Turbo Dual Tone | Rs 9.75 lakh |
CHECK RENAULT KIGER OFFERS AND DEALS HERE
Engine and Specifications
Based on the CMF-A+ platform of Magnite and Triber, the Renault Kiger is available with two engine options – 1.0-litre petrol and 1.0-litre turbo petrol. There is no diesel on offer. Here are the output figures of these engines.
| Engine | 1.0-litre | 1.0-litre turbo |
| Power | 72 PS | 100 PS |
| Torque | 96Nm | 160Nm | 152Nm (CVT) |
| Transmission | 5-speed MT/AMT | 5-speed MT | CVT |
| Fuel tank capacity | 40-litres | 40-litres |
The 1.0-litre petrol engine is the same which does duty in the Triber while the turbo is available with the Nissan Magnite. It gets three driving modes – Normal, Eco and Sports controlled by a rotary dial on the centre console. Switching to any mode adjusts the steering and suspension (you can feel the shift!).
On the downside, the noise and vibration of the 3-cylinder engine filters inside the cabin. You could feel them in the steering and gearbox.
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Exterior
The front apron of the Kiger appears like the Kwid and there is no harm in it, right? It’s the new family face of Renault cars. Large chrome dipped front grille coupled with sharp split headlamps with LED DRLs impart a smart city car look to the Kiger. Following the trend, the fog lamps are placed above the headlamp cluster.
Black plastic is tastefully used across the body of the Kiger. It gets a raked rear windscreen with a slight kink on the C-pillar. Towards the rear, the roofline drops like a coupe. The practical roof rails (can carry a load of up to 50kg), smart rear spoiler and 16-inch diamond-cut alloys enhance its sporty character.
The rear is the best angle to look at the Renault Kiger. There are plenty of cuts and creases at the rear along with bulging C-shaped LED tail lamps. The use of gloss elements breaks the monotony at the back.
Dimensions
| Length | 3,991 mm |
| Width | 1,750 mm (without mirrors) |
| Height | 1,600 mm (with roof bars) |
| Wheelbase | 2,500 mm |
| Bootspace | 405-litres |
| Ground Clearance | 205 mm |
Interior
The exterior raises expectations, however, when you step inside the Kiger it isn’t the best of the cabins especially when it comes to premium touches. Some lighter touches would have spruced up the interior which uses dull grey and black combo. However, its price again ensures you get what you pay for. It gets easy accessibility with a familiar set-up as seen in the Triber. Mostly, Renault has gone with the hard plastics – prone to scratches. The rear windscreen is quite small. In fact, the reversing camera becomes a must for all Kiger buyers due to its limited visibility. There are plenty of storage spaces for your knick-knacks.
It’s the space where Kiger beats its most rivals. The capacious cabin can easily seat three average passengers abreast with a good amount of knee room, legroom, shoulder room and headroom. The flat floor adds convenience for the middle passenger. However, the dark colours may give you a feel of tighter space but in reality, it isn’t.
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Comfort and Convenience
The Renault Kiger gets a plethora of features which include steering mounted controls, multi-drive modes, 7-inch instrument cluster with amazing graphics, 3D Arkamys sound system with 4 speakers and 4 tweeters, auto AC, PM 2.5 air filter, auto up down – driver power window with anti-pinch, electrically adjustable and foldable ORVMs, cooled lower glove box, rear defogger, 60:40 split rear seat, front armrest with storage box, rear centre armrest with cupholders, rear wiper and washer, upper glove box, push-button start/stop, intermittent front wipers, rear AC vents, day and night IRVM, flat-folding rear seat, wireless charging and 12V charging socket (front and rear).
It also gets a floating 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity.
Safety
In terms of safety, Renault has fairly loaded its Kiger SUV despite its aggressive pricing. It gets up to four airbags, rear parking sensors, rear view camera, ABS with EBD, speed sensing door lock and ISOFIX. It misses out on features such as vehicle stability control, tyre pressure monitoring system, hill assist and fog lamps – all offered with Nissan Magnite.
Verdict
In the sub-4 meter SUV space, the Renault Kiger locks horns with Ford EcoSport, Tata Nexon, Hyundai Venue, Maruti Vitara Brezza, Nissan Magnite, Toyota Urban Cruiser, Mahindra XUV 300 and Kia Sonet.
The diesel SUV buyers need to look elsewhere as the Kiger is a petrol-only vehicle. The best thing about the Kiger’s engine is you can have it with all three transmissions – manual, AMT and CVT.
If you’re someone looking for a spirited drive, the Kiger’s turbo motor in combination with a manual gearbox should suffix your needs. For those who want to enjoy the ease of pure automatic, the Kiger CVT, with either engine, is a good option. For those on a budget yet want an automatic, the Kiger AMT is a suitable option.
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