The Kwid is Renault’s take on the budget hatchback, and quite a unique one at that. It’s because of the way it looks – like an SUV. Sure, the Hyundai Eon was the car to first prove that budget cars didn’t need to look boring, but the Renault Kwid, with its chunky, crossover-like stance, takes that idea to the next level. Renault rightly says SUVs are the flavour of the moment worldwide, and since this is a global model, an SUV look assures its appeal in most markets. The company doesn’t outright call it an SUV or a crossover though, and though its reason for this is that the design ‘speaks for itself’, we suspect it’s really because people have certain expectations of an SUV – like size, space and toughness – that a budget car just can’t be expected to deliver.
The look is just right, with thick cladding, a rugged grille, nicely detailed headlamps, neat looking tail-lamps, chunky fog lamp enclosures and a square shape overall. The 180mm of ground clearance give it the requisite stance, and though the 155/80 tyres and 13-inch wheels seem weedy on paper, they don’t look too bad on the car. It really does look like a shrunken version of its bigger stablemate, the Duster.
Still, this is ultimately a budget car, so look hard and you’ll see the signs. The exposed tow hook at the front, the three-nut wheels and their plastic covers, the single wiper, and the manual-adjust exterior mirrors are some, but there’s also a lightness to the build you feel in the way the doors and boot shut. In fact, at just 660kg, the Kwid is impressively light for its size, and about 50-60kg lighter than rivals like the Alto and Eon. Renault, however, insists that this is not at the cost of safety, and the Kwid’s body structure is designed to meet both current and future Indian crash test regulations.
Inside too, the design is really impressive. The dashboard looks contemporary, as does the chunky three-spoke steering wheel. There’s a nice, glossy black, chrome-lined central console that looks good too, and the instrument cluster uses a large, sporty digital speedo; there’s no tachometer though. On the storage front, you get a pair of big door bins at the front to hold bottles, two glove boxes and a large recess between them. There are cupholders and a cubbyhole between the seats, but they feel a tad too shallow for all practical purposes. The AC vents also have chrome accents and can, rather neatly, be clicked shut, but they do feel a touch flimsy and we wonder how they will last over time. And like with the exterior, you will start to see a few cost-cutting signs if you look hard enough, but they’re not really a bother in a car like this. Things like exposed screws, centre-mounted window switches at the front, no power windows at the rear, and no inertia reel seatbelts at the back either – you have to adjust them manually every time you buckle up. And though much has been said about the top-spec RxT being available with a touchscreen, you still only get two speakers at the front.
On that note, it’s interesting to see the way Renault has chosen the equipment here. It’s a budget car, so you don’t expect a lot, so things like the touchscreen, digital instrument cluster, Bluetooth, fog lamps, optional airbag and navigation are very welcome, we can’t help but wonder if those costs could have been allocated to other areas. To things like steering adjustment, seat height adjustment, internal wing mirror adjustment, a day-night mirror, ABS or to remedy any other of the other cost-cutting measures we mentioned earlier.
Still, it’s got the basics right, and a very big one is space. There’s no doubt that it’s the most spacious car in the segment, what with its class-leading dimensions that include a 2,422mm wheelbase. The front seats are just superb, especially with regards to the lateral support they offer, and the view out is of a long flat bonnet, just like in an SUV. Rear passengers are also well catered to on space, with a good amount of head, knee and shoulder room for two, and three in a pinch. The seat back angle is well judged too, and our only grouse is that since the bench is placed so low, you don’t get great thigh support; the squab is long enough though. The 300-litre boot is big enough for cars two segments above, though at 28 litres, the petrol tank could have been bigger.
The Kwid uses an all-new, all-aluminium, three-cylinder petrol engine. Its capacity is 799cc, power is 53.26bhp and torque is 7.34kgm, but the statistic you really want to know is 25.12kpl – an ARAI rated fuel economy figure that makes it the most efficient petrol car in the country. That figure remains to be tested in the real world, so for now, let’s see what it’s like to drive.
Fire it up and you will get a fair bit of vibration and clatter that lingers at idle, but soon fades away as you start to rev it. Snick the positive-feeling gear lever into first and try to set off, however, and you’ll notice it feels very jerky and hesitant. Many will feel the need to feed in some throttle and slip the clutch, in fact. There is some hesitancy off the line, but get past this and progress becomes a lot smoother, and you’ll soon notice the engine has a good amount of pep. The max torque may be produced at 4,386rpm, but you get 80 percent of it from as low as 1,200rpm. However, it’s best to use the accelerator gently and smoothly with this engine, as it doesn’t respond well to hasty inputs. Punch down hard and it will stutter and fumble, and the resultant acceleration is not smooth at all. In fact, power delivery overall can be a bit inconsistent, with noticeable ‘gaps’ in progress. Speaking of which, there’s also a big gap between second and third gears. Refinement is not great either, but rather than a three-cylinder clatter as you might expect, the bigger noise is an ever-present mechanical whine in the cabin. Push on and power suddenly drops off and gives way to noise after a certain point, but we can’t tell you at what rpm, as there’s no tachometer. Still, we feel the performance is more than adequate by the 800cc segment standards.
Ride quality is really impressive though, in true Renault fashion. Despite its tall ride height, the suspension has been really well calibrated to offer minimum body roll and movement over bumps; it feels really nicely held together for a budget car, in fact. Even at the rear seat, passengers aren’t tossed around too much over rough roads. Thanks to the superb setup, the car goes through corners very tidily as well. However, it’s spoiled by the steering which is woefully lifeless and doesn’t return to centre freely. It’s light, which will be a boon in the city, but it’s also very slow, requiring many turns, lock to lock, so three-point turns aren’t as easy as you might think. That’s a shame, as a good steering setup would have complemented the suspension to make for a really fun car to drive.
Design is often half the battle won here in the Indian market, and so Renault is off to a good start with the Kwid. Remember, though, that it is going up against the best-selling car in the country, and that’s a daunting task for any carmaker. To seriously take on the likes of the Alto and Eon, Renault will have to deliver much more than just a pretty face. The Kwid has armed itself well though, with many trump cards like space, fuel economy, equipment and ride comfort up its sleeve. It also gives you a really premium feel both on the outside and in. What’s more, Renault claims it will offer the lowest overall ownership cost in its class, which is a very tall call when you’re up against Maruti. However, with 98 per cent localisation of parts, the price should be really competitive. It has its flaws, mainly with the engine, which falls short on refinement and power delivery, but when you weigh in its strengths, the compromise seems worth it; this is a budget car after all. What it certainly does is stand out from the crowd, and while it remains to be seen whether it will make a dent in its competitors’ sales, we’re certain its fresh approach to the class will make them sit up and take notice.
