Firstly, the new Renault Kiger is built on the same Renault-Nissan Alliance’s CMF-A+ platform that is also the foundation of the Triber and the Magnite.
The design and look of the new Renault Kiger boil down to personal preference, yet it is stunning in so many ways and qualifies to be called the best[1]looking compact crossover in the market today. Like a high-riding Kwid, the new Kiger’s front-end is dominated by two chrome wings that extend into the LED daytime running lights.
The three separate headlight beams are positioned lower on the bumper, which looks really cool. The exterior is further fitted with stunning C-shaped LED tail lights and roof rail bars with 50kg load max.
There are three new trim levels in the range: Life, Zen and Intens.
The interior is impressive. Everything is where it should be and the interior offers acceptable quality levels. The 7” multiskin reconfigurable TFT cluster looks similar to the one fitted in the Nissan Magnite. There is an 8” floating touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, Bluetooth and a USB port.
Space inside the new Renault Kiger is adequate with enough cupholders and storage spaces. The 405-litre boot space is enough to gulp your luggage. If this is not enough, folding down the 60/40 second row of seats expands it to a good 879 litres.
The base models are powered by a naturally aspirated 1.0-litre engine that also works in the Triber, The engine produces 52kW/96Nm. There is also a 1.0-litre turbocharged petrol variant with 74kW/160Nm on tap.
At the launch, we sampled both engine offerings. Firstly, it was the turbocharged variant in manual and Intens trim and it showed the need to get up and go in all five gears. The engine delivers adequate shove-to-keep[1]up with the traffic while also cruising nicely on the open road. Our test unit was bolstered with three driving modes; Sport, Normal and Eco. For a short stint, we tried the Sport mode and as expected, it sharpens the throttle input, but not so much. Our preference proved Normal mode, which offers a great balance between the three modes.
There is a fair amount of wind noise entering the cabin at certain speeds, with the engine also getting incredibly noisy under hard acceleration. The 1.0-litre turbocharged paired with a CVT gets our vote, thanks to its almost perfectly matched gearbox and powertrain that delivered impressive performance.
The base model with a naturally aspirated 1.0-litre unit and five-speed manual does not impress in terms of refinement. The engine needs to build up revs and oomph to get up to speed – something that has a negative effect on fuel economy.
In the safety stable, the new Renault Kiger is fitted with a reinforced body structure, ABS+EBD, ESP, Isofix, four airbags, seatbelts with pre-tensioners and load limiters, rear parking sensors, impact-sensing door locks and pedestrian protection.
The new Renault Kiger is a viable option in the compact crossover segment, however, a good one comes at a price. The base models disappoint in how they go about their business, so the more you spend, the better the car you get.
They are, however, perfect as runaround vehicles to the local mall. The high-end Kiger products are the ones to go for if you are in the market for a stylish crossover SUV, but the segment is infested with better options.
Pricing starts at R199 900 (incl. VAT).
Photos: QuickPic
