The new Renault KWID

It was a gloomy day in Durban as we arrived for a new car launch, but the gathering in the sky wasn’t the only storm brewing – Renault has built an entry-level hatch that’s sure to be the wild wind causing havoc in this segment.

The KWID is the French automaker’s courageous attempt at tackling the low-price, high volume base of the market and it directly competes with the likes of the Datsun Go, the Suzuki Celerio, and the Kia Picanto.

Exterior Styling

It has a rugged look that is different and refreshing - solid and stout with a crossover stance. I even made the mistake of tweeting ‘#crossover’ before the launch started, only to discover it is only a normal compact hatch.

The KWID is eye-catching from any angle with its distinct large chunky honeycomb grille, black-clad skirting and the modern detailed head- and tail lights. All these elements draw you in.

What really sets it apart is the 180mm ground clearance, but while its tyre size (13": 155/80 R13) may look okay on paper and in pictures, it does look really tiny on the car, in steel. Considering the overall lightness of the car and its engine, the small wheels make sense. Also, on the note of lightness, the petite KWID weighs in at just under 700 kg’s!

In this price range it is to be expected that some finishes may not be very upmarket, such as at the plastic wheel covers, manually adjustable side mirrors and a single windscreen wiper. When you open and close the doors and boot you feel the lightness of those too.

Interior & Features

Inside the KWID it is quite spacious, well, for front passengers anyway. The seats are comfortable and hold you in nicely. In terms of practicality, there are lots of storage holders all around. The KWID features upper and lower glove compartments,  with open storage for the front passenger. There’s no complaining of not having enough places to stow your loose items.

On the driver's end of the car, a clear, large and sharp digital display sits at the centre of the instrument cluster so there's no chance of telling a cop "No sir, I didn't realize how fast I was going".

The hard plastics do look a bit frail and cheap, but what you won’t expect in an entry-level car, is the standard 7” (18cm) touchscreen media display and MediaNav: navigation/multi-media system in the Dynamique-model (R 129 900). It’s also compatible with Apple devices.

The Expression-model gets a single DIN radio with Bluetooth and Audio streaming. Both variants get a USB and AUX port, two front speakers and a 12V power socket.
Other comfort features (in both models) include air-conditioning, a trip computer, rear parcel tray, gear shift indicator and a leather wrap insert on the steering wheel.

The bits that display Renault’s cost-cutting intentions include the winders for the rear windows, and non-inertia rear seatbelts – and of course, the absence of ABS and a passenger airbag. At least the Dynamique-variant gets front fog lights, and both models have an immobilizer and high-level brake light. But while they may have cut down on features Renault certainly put practicality at the top of their list: The boot can hold 300 litres, which is quite large for a car this size.

The only thing I found odd about the KWID was the electric-power window switches, (for front windows only), being placed in the centre console – but the weird placement of switches and dials  is nothing new for Renault.

First Drive

Once you get moving, you do acknowledge that it is actually just a 3-cylinder engine as you can hear it whining loud and clear. Pulling off requires generous doses of the throttle and its mid-range is not  strong either -  if you want to get a quick move on again from really low speeds, you will find yourself gearing down a cog. When you do put your foot down for the extra power there is a sense of hesitation before it gets moving.

Seemingly, the key is to use the accelerator with a gentle foot so progress can be made much easier. It doesn’t respond to urgent requirements of power and that only makes the engine a little hesitant. We had to keep reminding ourselves that it is only a 3-cylinder engine car with 50 kW, and also be weary of the fact that it does not have ABS.

The steering is quite light and I could feel us being  pushed around by the wind for a bit - nothing too serious, but the driver’s full attention and control is very much required. It felt relatively composed at just over 100km/h and has a claimed fuel consumption figure of 4.7l/100km, which puts it above the rest in its segment. When we get to spend a week with the KWID, we’ll have a more realistic figure.

While I’d be a little hesitant in recommending it as a long distance car, it definitely makes for the perfect city commuter. The South African market will be receiving the highest specification Indian-built KWID.

So what do we think?

After the day’s activities, I stood in front of the new Renault KWID thinking that its Crossover looks aren’t the only thing that would make it work here. It has so much to offer for a compact entry-level hatch. It is highly practical, has class leading fuel efficiency, a generously-sized boot, and makes sense for city living on a small budget. The lack of ABS and a passenger airbag could be a deterrent, though, not that it has stopped people from buying the Datsun GO!

Pricing and Warranty

As is the case across Renault’s entire product range, the new KWID Dynamique and Expression derivatives come standard with a 5-year/150 000 km mechanical warranty and a 6-year anti-corrosion warranty. Services take place at 15 000 km intervals. Optional service plans are available.
Renault will be also be offering a year of free insurance with all new KWIDs.

NEW Renault KWID Expression  1.0-litre SCe	R 119 900
NEW Renault KWID Dynamique  1.0-litre SCe	R 129 900