Renault Kiger will go on sale in early 2021 and it will be powered by a 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine
Renault India has the Triber and the Kwid as its top-selling models in the domestic market. The arrival of the Triber entry-level modular vehicle could not have come at a better time for the French manufacturer as it helped the brand in ending last calendar year with good volume growth. With the market steadily recovering, Renault has also been posting appreciable numbers.
In September 2020, Renault posted 8,805 units as against 8,345 units during the same period in 2019 with 5.5 per cent sales increase. The Triber and Kwid combined to contribute 8,672 units of the grand total last month as the only other model in the portfolio currently being Duster. Thus, having a brand new model is more significant to Renault now than it had ever been before.
There is no secret that Renault and Nissan are working on their respective compact SUVs based on the modified CMF-A+ platform found in Triber. Codenamed HBC, it is expected to carry the ‘Kiger’ production name. Due to supply chain issues, the launch of the Kiger has been postponed to early 2021 and during the same time Nissan’s Magnite could also debut and it was already showcased in its concept form already.
A few weeks ago, we showed you the rear of the production-spec Kiger. In the new spy shot, the front end of the sub-four-metre SUV has come to light despite the prototype wearing camouflage. The Boomerang-shaped LED Daytime Running Lights sit at the top as Renault has opted to go with the split headlamp cluster in a deep rectangular-shaped housing.
We could also note the sporty lower air intake, black plastic cladding, raked windshield, sloping roofline and the rear gives a wide appearance with sculpted bootlid and pronounced LED tail lamp cluster with C-shaped signature and a muscular bumper. The top-end variants will run on 16-inch alloy wheels.
Expect the Kiger to be priced from Rs. 5.50 lakh (ex-showroom) as Renault banks of pricing its products aggressively courtesy of the heavily localised platform. The high-spec trims will offer a touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, multi-functional steering wheel, automatic climate control and other bits shared with the Triber.
As for the performance, the 1.0-litre three-cylinder HR10 turbocharged petrol engine producing around 95 horsepower will likely be the only option and it will be paired with a five-speed manual as well as a CVT automatic transmission.