Renault Kiger will go on sale next month in India and it will be offered in two engine options; based on the same platform as the Nissan Magnite
Renault India has today announced the official commencement of the production of its Kiger compact SUV ahead of its market launch sometime next month. The sub-four-metre SUV’s mass rollout has begun at its production facility in Chennai, where the Nissan Magnite is also produced, and dispatches to its vast network of more than 500 dealerships are also underway across the country.
Towards the end of last month, the French manufacturer unveiled the Kiger exclusively for India and it has plenty in common with the Nissan Magnite. Underpinned by the CMF-A+ platform, the Kiger carries high local content and Renault target selling more than 5,000 units of the compact SUV every month and it will play a significant role in the brand meeting profitability.
Due to high localisation, the Renault Kiger will be aggressively positioned against competitors such as Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza, Kia Sonet, Hyundai Venue, Tata Nexon, Ford EcoSport, Mahindra XUV300 and Honda WR-V. It will more likely have its starting price lower than the Nissan Magnite at around Rs. 5 lakh – the Japanese SUV had an introductory starting price of Rs. 4.99 lakh and it now costs Rs. 5.49 lakh (ex-showroom).
The Kiger will be available in six colour options (mono- and dual-tone shades) and it is powered by a 1.0-litre three-cylinder naturally-aspirated petrol and a 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbo petrol unit. The former produces a maximum power output of 72 PS and 96 Nm while the latter kicks out 100 PS and 160 Nm. The NA gasoline mill is connected to either a five-speed manual or a five-speed AMT.
The more powerful turbo unit can be had with a five-speed manual transmission as standard and a CVT automatic unit as an option. It will have an expansive range than the Nissan Magnite as it does not offer a five-speed AMT in the naturally-aspirated petrol. The exterior of the Renault Kiger is based on the Kiger Show Car Concept revealed late last year.
It has a more matured styling than the Nissan Magnite with flowing body lines and the rear end is a certain highlight. Some of the features that will be offered in the five-seater are an eight-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, multi driving modes, multi-functional steering wheel, automatic climate control, connective features and so on.