The Renault Kwid, when launched a few years back with its SUV-inspired design made many people sceptical, but this gamble paid off as the Kwid is the most selling vehicle in Renault’s stable in India. The Kwid grabbed most of the popularity in the Indian market because of the features it offers at such a price. Now in 2018, the Kwid gets a makeover where it gets refreshing interiors, more equipment and some slight tweaks on the outside.
Exteriors – The Kwid gets a revised grille upfront. The headlights, tail lights, bumper and other body panels carry the same styling. Our test car came with alloy wheels too. The blue colour on this car is very funky and the silver skid plates and orange accents enhance the overall appearance of the vehicle.
Interiors – There are no updates to the interior layout. It is majorly black in colour and gets some orange accents on the seat covers, dashboard and gear lever that give it a cool look. The digital display on the instrument cluster is a very unique feature on this car. The seats are average and the rear knee space in the car is very limited when the driver seat is pushed all the way back.
The touchscreen infotainment system is carried over from the previous car but now gets a reverse parking camera. Along with that, the rear seat also gets a centre armrest. The vehicle gets a boot capacity of 300-litres which is quite large in comparison with other hatchbacks in the market. It also gets a 12V charging socket pre-installed at the rear.
Performance – There are no changes under the hood of the vehicle. The 799cc petrol engine produces 53 HP of power and 72 Nm of torque. The 3-cylinder unit provides decent performance in the city but is slightly underpowered on the highways. The 5-speed gearbox offers fast shifts and the clutch is also very light. The car manages to deliver a fuel efficiency of 17-21 km/l. However, this 799cc engine is not available with an AMT gearbox.
The other engine which is on offer with the Kwid is a 999cc mill which is also a 3-cylinder unit. This unit churns out 67 HP of power and 91 Nm of torque. This engine is peppier in comparison to the smaller 799cc engine. You can notice the change in performance while driving within the city. Whereas on the highways it can reach a 100 km/hr mark but beyond that, it will be at its limit. The 999cc engine is very fuel efficient too, giving out 16-20 km/l. This engine on Kwid is offered with both 5-speed manual and AMT transmissions.
Driving Dynamics – The ride quality on the Kwid is very good and doesn’t disappoint the passengers inside. The suspension does a good job of absorbing our city potholes. The 13-inch tyres are just on the mark but they still lack grip. The brakes are decent enough but an additional ABS would have made the vehicle extremely better on the braking front. The steering doesn’t provide any feel or feedback thus reducing the excitement of driving. The sound of the engine at idle is not audible in the cabin but with the revs climbing, it gets noisy.
Safety – On the safety front, the Renault Kwid gets a driver side airbag but misses out on ABS and a passenger side airbag. The car lacks very much in the safety department as it scored 0 stars in the NCAP crash tests.
Verdict – If you are looking for a low budget first car then the Renault Kwid is the car you should go for, that too the 1.0 engine option. But if you increase your budget by around Rs. 1-1.5 lakhs, then there are many other options available in the market which are better than the Kwid.
