Living With the Renault Kiger

Renault had to plug the gap left by the first-gen Duster’s waning demand. The carmaker had to have a second chance in the Indian market, especially after the Ford EcoSport started the sub-four-metre SUV segment, Hyundai and Kia entered with feature-rich offerings, and Tata doubled down on safety. So far, Renault only had the budget Kwid hatchback, niche Triber MPV, and an ageing first-gen Duster, all of which were up against sub-four SUVs – a segment which now fought the price battle. Then came in the Kiger. Built on top of the CMF-A+ platform, it allowed Renault to keep costs in check, localise heavily, and engineer sub-four-metre cars. With the Kiger, Renault seeks to make SUV-styled cars without having the consumer pay SUV money.

With this one being my first-ever review, I decided to test the Renault Kiger through and through. What would be better than a comprehensive test by making it a part of daily life?

If you are fixated upon a car’s long-term liveability, our “Living With” is the best place for these insights. This time around, I assess how liveable the Renault Kiger is. I have extensively driven it solo, with groups, across the city and the highway, and even in varying traffic conditions.

Getting inside the Kiger, you are welcomed by a plethora of buttons. If I have to particularly point out something I like the most, it has to be a button for the wireless charger. Having the choice of charging or not charging my phone while it’s placed on the pad, is a nice touch. This also makes the charging pad double up as a phone storage space, and there’s a similarly sized compartment above it, too. Not only can I keep one, but two phones in the centre console.

Secondly, there are knobs for AC controls, and these feel premium to the touch, unlike other plastics that don’t. Ventilation for the front row, controlled by buttons, is also a life-saver in today’s sweltering summers. The AC itself is decently powerful, and it keeps the cabin adequately cool. This is also aided by rear AC vents.

The cabin is adequately spacious. I’m 5’11”, and under-thigh support is generally not great for this height. Shorter occupants would not find it an issue.

Just like the fact that two smartphones can be accommodated, the dashboard also gets two gloveboxes. An armrest with a deep pocket? Check. Storage options are plenty in the Kiger – all easily accessible, and it is just not something that is presented in numbers – you will find yourself utilising most of these features on a day-to-day basis.

We got the Kiger’s range-topping version – Emotion Turbo CVT. This fully loaded iteration comes with a wireless charger, front-seat ventilation, multi-view camera, cruise control, ambient light, proximity unlock, auto-folding ORVMs, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, rain-sensing wipers, 60:40 split-folding rear seats, and an ARKAMYS sound system.

It has all requisite features, but the audio system sounds quite flat to my liking. Trebles felt mushy, and instrument separation was not too prominent. There’s a button for cruise control, but it looked out of place, and a third-party installation. Lastly, the multi-view camera, which is essentially a 360° camera without a top view, could have had a slightly better resolution. The camera system is workable, but a slight improvement could have made things easier.

However, the Kiger misses a few features as compared to the competition – while this segment offers a sunroof, the Kiger entirely skimps out on it. Additionally, its interior does not feel as premium as its rivals, and it feels like the compact SUV has been built to a price. Lastly, the facelift has not been crash-tested. A four-star rating from its pre-facelift is all we know of. A five-star safety rating is also found in this segment. This could make a difference in the event of a crash.

The eight-inch infotainment doesn’t have much to do when it is not connected, thanks to the buttons doing the weight lifting. But it is a functional, easy-to-navigate system. A first-timer will not feel overwhelmed by it, and the car’s entire control system is easy to figure out. The infotainment system also supports wireless connectivity, and I tested it with Android Auto. The screen is responsive, there’s no latency, and the system works as intended.

Plenty of information is displayed on the digital instrument cluster, and there’s TPMS, too.

With a 1,070kg kerb weight, the Renault Kiger turbo CVT returned decent numbers, both in the city and on the highway. MID-indicated numbers weren’t far from actual figures. Renault has not furnished a claimed mileage number for the Kiger.

When you step inside the cabin, set a comfortable seating position, and start driving, you will notice that the Kiger is easy to get used to, and its compact dimensions make manoeuvrability easy, even in tight parking spots or heavy stop-and-go traffic. The steering is light, controls are accessible, and visibility is generally not a problem. With a right-at-home feel in terms of the overall judgement, the Kiger is easy to parallel-park. However, with almost three turns, lock-to-lock, the Kiger is not the most agile offering out there. Add to that, the steering does not weigh up at high speeds.

This version of the Kiger is powered by a 1.0-litre, three-cylinder turbo-petrol engine that churns out 99bhp/152Nm, and this setup is paired with a CVT. It is a step-based CVT, mimicking gear shifts. The sub-four-metre SUV is sufficiently responsive. Acceleration from a complete standstill is strong. What impressed me the most, though, is its rolling acceleration. The CVT masks turbo lag quite well, and the Kiger feels spirited on the move. Navigating through traffic, making quick overtakes, catching up to a reasonable speed – all comes in a breeze. Additionally, there are three driving modes – Eco, Normal, and Sport. Eco mode is pacified in its response, and Sport mode is way too aggressive. Normal mode is where you will sit.

The ride quality is generally good. The Kiger absorbs small undulations with ease, and none of it hits your lower back. Larger ones are noticeably felt. While driving, I heard some rattling sounds from the cabin’s plastics, especially the driver’s window area. This is prominent at speeds of around 60kmph. Cabin insulation is good, in general.

While I’ve spoken at length about the Kiger’s practicality front, it can comfortably seat four occupants. With three occupants at the rear, it becomes a tight space with limited shoulder room. What does not work in the Kiger’s favour, is the fact that it has limited room for mobility, although the legroom is sufficient. Let me explain. The front seats are designed in a way that you cannot slide your legs under the seat. This ergonomic compromise hinders comfort during long trips.

The 405-litre boot has a high loading lip, but it can accommodate quite a substantial amount of luggage, something families will find convenient. That said, wired charging options are quite limited, and there’s only one USB-A port in the front row, and a socket at the rear. The 1.0-litre turbo-petrol motor works in the Kiger’s favour, and it does not stress under full load. Performance is sustained, and I never felt the need to switch the drive mode to Sport. Add to that, the compact SUV’s agile manners only make it fun to drive.

Some quirky bits include a switch for the ambient light. It only illuminates in a white colour, but it’s there for those of you who want it.

Occupants in the second row can easily store a laptop in the seatback pockets, although it won’t entirely swallow a device that large. If there’s four on a road trip, there’s an armrest that houses cup holders, and a pocket for storing a phone.

The Renault Kiger gets three years/one lakh kilometres of standard warranty. This can be extended to seven years/unlimited kilometres via the Renault Secure Extended Warranty program.

If you are in the market, looking for a car with an SUV-like stance, smooth automatic gearbox, and a decently spacious cabin, the Renault Kiger could be one of the best offerings out there. It doesn’t compete on the features front, doesn’t have a loud design language, and it definitely doesn’t break your bank. What it does, though, is the fact that it has all essentials that a buyer needs. Say if you are someone upgrading from a hatchback, and you want the SUV stance and dynamics without the SUV money, and more importantly, a car that feels right at home, and how well it blends into your daily life, this is an offering that can’t be left amiss.

What’s not good, is the ergonomic compromise for the rear occupants. Plastics could have been better, and the multi-view camera could have used better optics.

For the Emotion Turbo CVT, which is priced at Rs. 12.30 lakh (ex-showroom), the Kiger stands as one of the most VFM cars in the segment.

Photography by Kaustubh Gandhi