Renault Kiger: The Renault Kiger is the French automaker’s latest move in India’s hotly contested sub-4-meter SUV space, and the one that comes with a distinctly European flavor, and a shockingly high value proposition in a category typically dominated by homegrown and Asian brands.
Since its launch, the Kiger has established itself as the fresh alternative with its distinctive styling, class-leading features and accessible pricing – the same formula that’s fighting the good fight against the overwhelming competition in this segment.
Design Philosophy: Distinction Across the Atlantic
The Kiger doesn’t waste time letting you know it’s a European in its aesthetics focused on visual theatre rather than traditional SUV tough-outlines.
The leading edge of the bonnet has slim LED daytime running lights above the main headlamp clusters that produce a unique light signature and characteristic V-Motion grille that identify it as a contemporary Nissan.
Sculpted Hood Sculpted hood and sharp character lines are not only eye-catching, but they’re also the reason the Outlander has good aerodynamics.
The sloping roofline in profile may give a coupe-like profile rarely witnessed in this segment, but it’s offset by high ground clearance and aggressively/visually prominent wheel arches that belie its crucial crossover credentials.
The rear features C-shaped LED tail lamps which is reminiscent of the brand’s global design language and are linked by a black strip, giving the impression that the car has a wider rear.
Cabin: Practical and Thoughtful
Climb in, and the first thing you notice is the clever use of space in a compact car.
The dashboard design is dominated by an 8-inch floating touchscreen that serves as the central interface for infotainment commands.
Climate system holds cleaner, more intuitive temperature controls (a more practical, if less minimalist, approach).
Storage is well catered for with numerous pockets around the cabin, the centre console providing close to 30 litres across a variety of slots.
Front-seat support is good for everyday driving and two average-size adults will fit in the rear bench with OK headroom, despite the tapering roofline.
Material goodness, while not luxurious, is better than expected at this price.
Hard plastics reign, but smart texturing and strategic use of piano black and metallic bits bring a more expensive feel to the proceedings than the asking price would indicate.
Performance Credentials
The Kiger has two petrol engines to choose from – a naturally-aspirated 1.0-litre unit that churns out 72 PS of power, and a more potent 1.0-litre turbo unit that puts out 100 PS of power, as well as 160 Nm of torque.
Available gearbox options are a 5-speed manual, an AMT and a CVT – the latter limited to the turbocharged engine.
The turbo-petrol version lifts the driving experiences with punchy mid-range grunt that’s invaluable for city overtaking.
The CVT, if not sports-car snappy, moves fine and is reasonably fuel efficient.
The trio of drive modes — Eco, Normal and Sport — significantly switch up throttle response and steering weight, so that even those who prefer efficient cruising or an involving drive can set things up as the situation demands.
Technology Integration
The Kiger technology features outweigh those that are found in a higher segment car.
An 8-inch touchscreen interfaces with multiple smartphones wirelessly, and a 7-inch digital instrument displays can be personalized to show various information.
Your ears are in for a treat when experiencing the superb sound quality of the Arkamys audio system, which offers performance that is definitely over and above the segment norm, and a PM2. 5 air filter indicates a concern for Indian air quality.
The safety pack brings four airbags, ABS with EBD, electronic stability control and a rear parking camera with guidelines – a good if not a best in class equipment list for the segment.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
European styling separates the segment from conservative looking sedans
Sector best boot capacity (405 litres) without compromising on room for passengers
Engaging performance available in the turbocharged engine choice
Intelligent storage solutions in the cabin
It has an impressive ground clearance of 205mm which makes the bike a relatively better all-roader
Multi-Drive Modes system for added versatility during drives
Competitive pricing is hammering many of its rivals
Cons:
Interior fit and finish tend quality off with a slight wheeze
NVH not as well isolated at highway speeds compared to some rivals
AMT gear shift typical ”head-nodding” at the crawl speeds up to 70 l/min
Lower trims feel noticeably less well equipped than higher trims
No dedicated AC vents for rear seat
Not as widespread of a service network as domestic competitors
Long term reliability has been developed on the INdian market.
Renault Kiger: Market Impact
Available at a starting price of ₹6-10.5 lakhs (ex-showroom), the Kiger brings European design flair and smart packaging at a value for money price that has led competitors to rethink their products.
Its commercialisation proves that an unique design and smart feature prioritisation can differentiate a market segment though mid-range is very crowded nowadays.
If you’re in the market for something that stands out more visually with practical versatility to boot and with more urban friendly dimensions, the Kiger becomes a more appealing proposition in a segment that is skewered more towards buyers driven by the head than the heart –
with a Turin with French overtones version of the genre introduced into what has otherwise been a field of much of the same.