Renault Kiger will likely go on sale towards the end of this year and it will have several commonalities with the upcoming Nissan Magnite
Renault’s India division has resumed testing of its upcoming compact SUV on domestic roads as evident from these spy pictures. The fully camouflaged test mule does not give away a whole lot of details but some of the design elements can be deciphered. Codenamed HBC, the production version will likely carry the ‘Kiger’ name and it could be launched later this year following the debut of Nissan’s Magnite.
Underneath the heavy camo, the Renault Kiger gets a sharp front fascia with clamshell bonnet structure, split headlamp cluster with projector units in the middle and LED Daytime Running Lights on top as it flanks the prominent grille section with Renault badge. The front bumper will have central air inlets and likely horizontal housing for the fog lamps.
In short, the styling elements will mimic that of the facelifted Kwid and Triber as the Kiger will have plenty in common with them including the CMF-A+ architecture to keep the costs competitive. If the Triber is any indication, the five-seater SUV will be positioned aggressively likely in the price range between Rs. 5.4 lakh and Rs. 9 lakh (ex-showroom).
We do expect the Nissan Magnite to be a slightly more premium take on the Kiger. The prototype also shows the presence of tall pillars, inclined rear glass, sculpted boot, LED tail lamps and roof rails, sporty beltline, and so on. The top-end variants will use 15- or 16-inch alloy wheels and the interior will borrow many bits and pieces from the Renault Triber.
The touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, multi-functional steering wheel with mounted controls, voice recognition, an all-digital instrument cluster, climate control, engine push button start/stop and a host of safety features including four airbags could be part of the package, besides a range of official accessories.
The Kiger will likely be powered by a 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol engine in its turbo and non-turbo guise to allow for a wide range. The turbo version could develop around 95 horsepower while the naturally-aspirated gasoline mill may kick out around 75 hp. It will be paired with a five-speed manual and a five-speed AMT while a CVT could be offered at a later stage.