Is the 2020 Kwid good for new drivers?
The latest-generation Renault Kwid is aimed squarely at younger, first-time (often female) drivers, who would rather place their lives in the hands of a small car with a questionable safety rating than risk making use of public transport. So, how safe and suitable is the new Kwid for this type of consumer?
If you're the parent of a student or you're a first-time car buyer, fresh from driving school, the Kwid may seem like the logical choice. It's been upgraded recently, has lots to offer in terms of specifications and it has a year's worth of free insurance is thrown in. Should you take the plunge and buy a Kwid?
Added safety kit, but is it enough?
In April 2019, Renault quietly added anti-lock brakes. With the launch of the previous Kwid, local motoring media was up in arms because the Kwid was sold without this much-needed feature. ABS has prevented many accident fatalities, and we feel it's an absolute must-have. It prevents the wheels from locking up and helps them maintain grip with the road underneath, should you get into trouble.
In Europe, no car is issued without ABS and stability/traction control. (If you want electronic stability control built into your small hatch as standard, you'd be better off saving your money and buying a used Renault Sandero, which is a highly suitable first-time buyer's car.)
With regard to airbags, we feel that all cars should be issued with two, so we are happy to report that dual bags are now de rigeur in the Kwid, as is a seatbelt reminder for the driver. However, the basic body structure of the Indian-built (locally available) Kwid has remained largely unchanged and it wasn't great to begin with, as crash test safety ratings suggested — only one star was awarded. We have yet to find out how the new Kwid will score.
Related: More details about the facelifted Renault Kwid can be found in our launch report.
Our local Kwid has lots more to offer than before...
Since Renault wants to attract young drivers, tech is important. If you can afford the Dynamique or Climber variants, a central touch screen is standard and so is a new digital instrument cluster. A touchscreen, in my opinion, is the last thing a new and inexperienced driver needs. Tests have shown that drivers lean over the steering wheel to adjust settings on-screen while they drive, which often results in the vehicle veering out of its lane into traffic approaching from behind or in front. Even older, experienced drivers have this issue, but the difference is that the seasoned driver is often behind the wheel of a safer, larger car, that can withstand a bit of rear-ending.
However, it counts in the new Kwid's favour that the infotainment system has Apple Carplay and Android Auto. This makes fiddling with the touchscreen while you drive completely unnecessary, because Siri or Alexa can do your bidding for you. The touchscreen also displays the view of the reversing camera. (All models have rear-parking sensors.)
For improved visibility to other road users, all new Kwids also have LED daytime running lamps and LED taillights. Fog lamps are standard in the Dynamique and Climber models. These variants also receive foldable exterior mirrors and sat-nav as standard.
Related: Top 12 articles of new cars under R200k
What does the Kwid feel like to drive?
As much as we like the new Kwid's sexy split headlamp arrangement, manoeuvrability, shiny new tech, and frugal fuel consumption (realistically, the average is about 5-6 litres per 100 km) the Kwid is let down by its lack of driving dynamics. Despite its new and improved rear axle, it still feels relatively unstable, there's too much lean in the corners, it struggles to get going if you're not in the right power band (and stalls quite easily), and there's plenty of vibration that permeates the cabin. However, your average freshly-licensed driver probably won't be displeased about anything but the engine's unenthusiastic demeanour.
Safer alternatives in this segment?
There are a few: A new Suzuki Celerio 1.0 GA will set you back R142 900 — that's cheaper than the cheapest Kwid (and it may not have as much equipment as the new Kwid, but it is a bit safer. The better-specced Suzuki Celerio GL costs R159 900.) Then, there's the Suzuki Swift GA 1.2 GA which costs exactly the same as the Kwid Climber, at R164 900. The Suzuki Dzire GA (a baby sedan) will cost you just R1000 more than the flagship Kwid.
Verdict?
The Kwid is not that bad, it's just that there are cars, similarly priced, that are better (and safer) for drivers who still need to earn their real-life driving stripes. We recommend that you spend your money more wisely by perhaps buying a lightly used car such as a Toyota Aygo, Renault Sandero, or Volkswagen Up, cars that all have electronic stability control which also performed well in crash tests.
Related: Search for used Toyota Aygos, Renault Sanderos and Volkswagen Up models here!
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