- Olga Kokorina
- Translated by Olga Apetenok
- Ru Fr
Small but efficient
The Renault Kiger is a subcompact SUV (less than 4 m long body) manufactured by Renault (France). The five-seater vehicle has been produced since January 2021 and is intended primarily for the Indian market, where it will fill the niche between the Kwid hatchback and the Duster SUV. Then the SUV will go to other countries of the world. Let’s hope that it will be presented in Israel.
The first generation
The new Renault Kiger SUV debuted in November 2020 as a show car and has already gone into full-scale production. The production version repeats the prototype by 80%, with the design of the model being predictably simplified in details. The vehicle exterior is distinguished by the absence of bright accents, a simplified roof and rear bumper, the new shape of the side mirrors, door moldings and other details. Just as expected, the SUV has a very decent ground clearance of 205 mm (5 mm less than that of the concept car).
Meanwhile, the wheelbase of the Kiger is only 78 mm longer than that of the Kwid, and is 2,500 mm. The vehicle is 3,991 mm long, 1,750 mm wide and 1,600 mm high, with a ground clearance of 205 mm. The unladen weight is 1,012 kg. ‘True to the promise of the show-car, the Kiger looks like a crossover coupe, but its long wheelbase enables great space’, said Laurens van den Acker, Head of Design. The promotional materials promise ‘best-in-class rear passenger knee room’ and ‘largest interior storage space’. This segment is very highly competitive: the rivals are the related Nissan Magnite (the same CMF-A platform), as well as the Kia Sonet, Ford Ecosport, etc.
Exterior
The Renault Kiger is also expected to have a stunning exterior, and one can agree with this: the small SUV looks very sporty, featuring LED head optics, DRLs and taillights, stylish roof rails and a spoiler. The small car is tall and muscular. The two-tone paintwork enhances it visually, while the diamond-cut wheels make the SUV look extra shiny.
Interior and equipment
The five-seater interior is also good and well-equipped. The list of equipment comprises a Multisense system with Sport, Normal and Eco modes, a seven-inch digital dashboard, a multimedia system with an eight-inch touchscreen with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay support and 3D Sound by Arkamys acoustics (six speakers), a multifunction steering wheel, keyless entry, and push-button start. The number of airbags reaches four, since a pair of side airbags can be added to the two front airbags for an extra charge. The trunk of this small vehicle holds from 405 to 879 liters of cargo.
Engines
The 2020/2021 Renault Kiger will have two engines, both with a volume of one liter. The naturally-aspirated one develops 72 hp and 96 Nm and is combined with a five-speed manual transmission or an Easy-R transmission. The turbocharged engine produces 100 hp and 160 Nm, coupled with a CVT instead of a semi-automatic transmission. In both cases, the vehicle is front-wheel drive only.
