Renault is not a veteran player like Maruti Suzuki in the Indian market; it entered the country in 2011 but did not receive warm response from the masses. But it was 2012 when Renault tasted triumph when they launched Duster in Indian market which becomes an overnight success. Now company is gearing up to repeat the same with new entry level hatchback ‘Kwid’. The French car maker has released a new TVC featuring Kwid along with other Renault models and Bollywood heartthrob Ranbir Kapoor.
The Kwid will be based on company’s new CMF (common module family)-A platform and it will carry 97 percent localization level. At a price of Rs. 3-4 lakhs (ex-showroom) it will rival against Hyundai EON, Maruti Alto K10 and Tata GenX Nano in India.
Design:
With Crossover design cues, The Kwid sports the company’s global design language. The front carries the typical family look along with two crease bonnet which adds to it the baby duster look. Front get a twin slate honeycomb mesh grille with company’s logo at centre, sleek two tone headlamps with smoked effect and assert front bumper with integrated fog lamps makes it premium.
On the side, it gets black side cladding which isn’t plastic but vinyl to give it a rugged feel. At rear, the design is simple with sharp tail lamps, clean boot but muscular bonnet and black cladding for an SUV appeal. Overall, Kwid single handedly beats ageing Eon and segment leader Alto K10 in terms of styling.
Interior:
Moving Inside, Renault Kwid gets a dull grey color theme for the dashboard, seats and steering wheel along with piano black finish central console. In terms of equipments, it features a 7-inch MediaNAV touchscreen infotainment system (first in segment) with bluetooth telephony and radio, digital speedometer, front driver bag, driver side power windows and a three spoke steering wheel. The company claims that Kwid will offer best in class Knee room and headroom space as it measures 3680mm in length. It sits over 180mm ground clearance which is also best in segment and the new hatchback is expected to offer best in class cargo space of 300 liters.
Engine:
The engine powering Kwid will be a new 800cc three cylinder petrol engine which has been jointly developed by Nissan-Renault. It will deliver around 57PS of max power and will come coupled to a 5-speed manual and a 5-speed AMT gearbox. The Kwid is claimed to return class leading fuel efficiency and Renault is also considering powerful 1.0L variant of the hatchback at a later stage.
With unique styling, competitive price tag, many first in class features and an AMT transmission, we expect Kwid might return the sales figures that company is striving for.
