Renault recorded 6,422 units last month as against 3,440 units during the same period in 2019 with YoY growth of 75 per cent
It is no secret that Renault is one of the highly successful European manufacturers in the country in a short span of time and its presence in the affordable segment has made it a major player. The popularity of the brand grew with the Duster but arrival of Kwid hatchback in September 2015 did help in gaining much needed volumes for sustainability.
The small SUV-like hatchback packs loaded features to give it a decisive edge over its traditional rivals but its momentum did not continue for long as the French manufacturer suffered sales drop for a longer period as it did not have any hit product other than the Kwid. Last year though, Renault did turn the tables around with the aggressively positioned Triber modular vehicle.
Besides the launch of the Triber, the facelifted Kwid could not have come at a better time as Renault ended the year on a high courtesy of both the models. In July 2020, the company recorded 6,422 unit sales as against 3,440 units during the corresponding period last year with a massive Year-on-Year volume increase of 75 per cent.
It enjoyed the highest growth out of all the carmakers present in the country last month and compared to the previous month of June 2020, a MoM volume increase of 38 per cent was recorded. Renault ended up as the sixth largest automaker in India in July 2020 as it finished behind Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai, Tata, Mahindra and Kia.
The market share of Renault stood at 3.2 per cent last month as opposed to just 1.8 per cent in July 2019. To sustain the momentum, the brand is planning to launch a name compact SUV that will go by the name ‘Kiger’. The five-seater is based on the same CMF-A+ platform as the Triber and it will have plenty in common with the Nissan Magnite bound for early 2021.
The Renault Kiger is expected to be introduced during the festive season (around October) and courtesy of its heavily localised platform, its starting price could go as low as Rs. 5.75 lakh (ex-showroom). It will be powered by a 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol engine developing around 95 horsepower, and it will be paired with either a manual or a CVT.
The non-turbo version of the same powertrain could also be offered with a manual and an AMT transmission option.