Here, we have an on-paper comparison of the recently-unveiled Renault Kiger and the entry-level Renault Kwid
Renault Kiger was recently unveiled to the public in its production-ready avatar. With the Kiger, the French carmaker will be entering the Indian market soon, with launch expected around March this year. The sub-4-metre SUV segment is already the most highly-competitive market space in India, and Renault’s entry will surely heat things up further.
Since the vehicle’s reveal, netizens have been busy comparing the Kiger with its hatchback sibling, Renault Kwid (yes, we are referring to all the Kwid Pro Max jokes). So, we decided to do a proper on-paper comparison between Renault’s entry-level hatchback and its newest compact SUV.
Renault Kiger Vs Kwid – Exterior
The exterior design of the Kiger draws inspiration from the Kwid, and to be honest, that’s not a bad thing at all. The Kwid is quite a handsome vehicle, despite being just an entry-level car. It gets vertically-split headlamps and a large grille at the front. It also gets black plastic cladding on the bumper and wheel arches, which complete its crossover-inspired design.
The Kiger’s design is an evolution of the Kwid; it gets sleeker LED DRLs (with LED turn indicators), a sharper front grille, and sporty-looking bumpers. The main headlamp unit consists of three LED projectors on each side, and the C-shaped taillight is an LED unit as well. Overall, it looks sportier and more rugged than the Kwid.
| Dimensions | Renault Kiger | Renault Kwid |
| Length | 3,991 mm | 3,731 mm |
| Width | 1,750 mm | 1,579 mm |
| Height | 1,600 mm | 1,474 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2,500 mm | 2,422 mm |
| Ground Clearance | 205 mm | 184 mm |
The Kiger is significantly larger than the Kwid, which isn’t a surprise. The Kiger is longer by 260 mm, wider by 171 mm, taller by 126 mm, and has a 78 mm longer wheelbase. At 184 mm, the ground clearance of the Kwid is impressive, but the Kiger trumps it by 21 mm.
Renault Kiger Vs Kwid – Interior
The Kiger gets a premium interior design, with a dark grey colour theme. Despite not being as large as some of its competitors, it has impressive interior space. There’s a lot of premium equipment on offer here, like a fully-digital TFT instrument cluster (7-inch), an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system (with Apple Carplay and Android Auto), and automatic climate control.
The Kiger also gets two glove boxes, a wireless smartphone charger, air purifier, ambient cabin lighting, push-button start/stop, power-operated ORVMs, and drive mode selector. Safety features consist of ABS with EBD, up to 4 airbags, rear parking sensors, 360-degree camera, hill start assist, traction control, vehicle dynamic control, and TPMS.
Renault Kwid has a much simpler interior design, and considering the price, it’s quite good. Space is a little cramped at the rear though. Also, the equipment list is quite small, in order to keep the price in check. Still, it gets keyless entry, an LED digital instrument cluster, and an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system. The car also gets ABS, EBD, up to 2 airbags, rear parking sensors, reverse parking camera, and central locking with alarm.
Renault Kiger Vs Kwid – Specifications
Renault Kiger shares its powertrain options with the Nissan Magnite (along with the platform). There are two engines on offer here, both 1.0-litre, 3-cylinder units. One is a naturally aspirated motor, with 72 PS and 96 Nm on tap, while the other is a turbocharged mill, which develops 100 PS and 152 Nm. A 5-speed transmission comes standard, and buyers get optional AMT on the NA petrol and optional CVT on the turbo-petrol.
| Renault Kiger Specifications | ||
| Engine | 1.0L, inline-3, naturally aspirated, petrol | 1.0L, inline-3, turbocharged, petrol |
| Max Power | 72 PS | 100 PS |
| Max Torque | 96 Nm | 152 Nm |
| Transmission | 5-speed MT/5-speed AMT | 5-speed MT/CVT |
Renault Kwid also gets two engine options. The first one is a 799cc motor, which can generate 54 PS and 72 Nm, while the second one is a 999cc mill, good for 68 PS and 91 Nm. As standard, the car gets a 5-speed manual gearbox, with a 5-speed AMT being optional with the larger, 1.0-litre engine.
| Renault Kwid Specifications | ||
| Engine | 0.8L, inline-3, naturally aspirated, petrol | 1.0L, inline-3, naturally aspirated, petrol |
| Max Power | 54 PS | 68 PS |
| Max Torque | 72 Nm | 91 Nm |
| Transmission | 5-speed MT | 5-speed MT/5-speed AMT |
Renault Kiger Vs Kwid – Price
Renault Kiger is expected to be priced between Rs. 5 lakh and Rs. 9.5 lakh, when it launches. With such competitive pricing, we expect the Kiger to gain a lot of popularity among buyers, just like the Nissan Magnite. As for the Kwid, it is priced from Rs. 3.12 lakh to 5.31 lakh, which makes it one of the most affordable cars in the Indian market. For existing Kwid owners, the Kiger will be a great upgrade; it offers better equipment, has more space, and won’t be too hard on the pocket.
All price mentioned are ex-showroom, New Delhi