Get to know the popular Renault Kwid a little bit better and find out the secret to its sales success.

Is the Renault Kwid a good car? 

The Renault Kwid is one of the most affordable ways of getting into a new car. Much criticism has been levelled at its lack of sufficient safety systems, especially in the initial 2016 release. Much of this has been addressed but one has to accept that a vehicle at this price point will have a few shortcomings and concessions.

Who is the Renault Kwid a good car for?

It's perfect for the first-time car owner who may previously have been reliant on public transport. The affordability factor and low running costs will appeal to those who have a smaller budget.

Is the Renault Kwid a good first car?

The Kwid is compact and easy to drive. The lower power output of the engine is also less intimidating for drivers with less experience. It's a suitable first car for young and old alike.

Is the Renault Kwid a good family car?

Small families may be able to live with the Kwid but if your children are in their teens or you frequently have larger items of luggage, the Kwid may be too small for your intended purposes.

Is there a Hybrid Renault Kwid?

The Renault Kwid is only available with the 1.0-litre 3-cylinder engine and is not available as a hybrid model.

What’s it like to drive? 

In and around the city, the Kwid is an agreeable runabout only feeling the pinch when highway speeds and gradients come into play. This is counteracted by the fuel efficiency of the 1.0-litre engine.

What is the Renault Kwid like inside? 

While the Kwid offers generous headroom and adequate legroom for front passengers, the shoulder room and rear legroom suffer as a result of the vehicle's compact dimensions. Trimmings are of the cost-conscious plastic variety and very few luxury trimmings are found in the interior.

Style

The Kwid is marketed as a crossover and while it appears to have SUV-like proportions, it's up close that one soon realises that the Kwid is no larger than the average sub-compact hatchback. The slightly raised ride height does lend credence to the crossover classification and with wheels positioned in each corner, reminds one of the vehicles such as the MINI Countryman.

Tech features

8-inch infotainment system*

Android Auto & Apple CarPlay*

Reverse Camera*

Electric windows

Air Conditioning

*Not available on LIFE models.

 Price and specs

Which is the cheapest Renault Kwid?

The cheapest Renault Kwid price is the entry trim - the 1.0 LIFE starting from as little as R188,999.

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It used to be that you couldn't turn around without seeing small, compact hatchbacks. They were basically the default car on the South African road, but the segment has largely been supplanted by the compact SUV. Hyundai Venues and Suzuki S-Pressos rule the roost now in place of the old hot hatches.

Fortunately, the compact SUV hasn't erased the little hot hatch because there are still plenty of them around and a really great example of one is Renault's fifth-generation Clio.

While perhaps not as legendary as the VW Golf and the newer Polo, the Renault Clio for sale is highly regarded within motoring circles. It is one of only two cars to have been voted European Car of the Year twice, in 1991 and 2006. The other? Obviously VW's Golf. And Jeremy Clarkson at one point even said the V6 variant of the Clio had a place in his Perfect 10 Car garage.

So does this fifth-generation Clio honour the Clio reputation? For the most part, yes. This current Clio is a lekker time on the road, tempering sensible road manners with just enough naughtiness to be fun. Even without changing its drive mode to 'Sport', the Clio makes easy work of overtaking taxis and zipping between lanes. It's carefree and confident; the kind of car where you'll be happy to just drive it, even though you don't really have a destination.

Its eager beaver attitude to acceleration is a bit surprising when you discover it has a tiny little turbocharged 1.0L engine driving the wheels. It produces an impressive 74kW, but even so, it hardly seems possible that such a small engine should be this much fun. Paired with a smooth manual transmission, the overall driving experience is up there with the best.

Oh, and I should also mention, that the little 1.0L engine is quite light on juice and even though I was pretty aggressive with it, the fuel consumption was less than 7L per 100 km but by the time I returned to the manufacturer.

From a driver's perspective, the interior is pretty well set up. Quality, if not luxury, materials are used throughout and all the buttons and dials are well-positioned. Renault's signature multimedia control stalk, located on the lower right side of the steering wheel, could be a bit higher up though.

Aside from that niggle, everything else is quite comfortable. The centre column screen is bright, clear, responsive and supports Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. USB ports are below that, and there's even wireless charging for phones that support that.

That being said, comments from my passengers were not as complimentary as I expected. The main complaint was that the car wasn't particularly spacious and they were cramped. To be fair, the Clio isn't a big car, but competing hatches haven't gotten the same criticism. Suzuki's lovely Swift and VW's ubiquitous Polo, to name two, compete in the same segment and spacious never came up.

As a driver, though, there's not much to complain about. I found the Clio to be an excellent, enjoyable runabout and an even easier recommendation.

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Fifth-Generation Renault Clio Hatchback Fully Revealed

After initially revealing only its revamped interior (read more about that here), the fifth-generation Renault Clio has now been fully unveiled, complete with a new “RS Line” trim level.

Running on the new CMF-B platform, the fifth version of the small hatchback takes clear styling inspiration from the latest Mégane, gaining bonnet creases, a larger grille and a more aggressively designed front bumper.

Interestingly, the new Clio is some 14 mm shorter than its forebear, although the French firm claims it is “more spacious inside”. The body has been lowered by up to 30 mm, while wheels measure up to 17 inches (depending on the variant).

The new hatchback gains air deflectors on the front wheel arches, which Renault says “limit friction and boost aerodynamics”. The LED headlamps feature the brand’s latest C-shaped lighting signature, while longer and thinner brake lights have been fitted at the top of the rear window. Several new body colours (including Valencia Orange and Celadon Blue) will be offered.

Renault promises the boot design has been “optimised to make its shape as cubic as possible”. The (optional) premium Bose audio system has been fully integrated and therefore does not encroach on luggage space, which has been increased some 26 litres to a claimed 391 litres.

And the Clio RS Line mentioned above? Well, this trim level will effectively replace the GT-Line specification in the outgoing range, drawing inspiration from the automaker’s high-performance RS division.

The Clio RS Line gains the so-called “F1 blade” upfront, along with a honeycomb-effect grille, special 17-inch wheels and a “more athletic” rear end. Inside, you’ll find sports seats (with reinforced support), carbon-style inserts, a perforated leather steering wheel (with the double RS diamond), alloy pedals and red trim matching the topstitching on the seats and steering wheel.

While Renault has yet to release details about powertrain options, it’s all but certain the new engines (developed by the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance) recently introduced in the Micra will do duty in this latest Clio.

Renault Kwid launched with price starting at Rs 2.57 lakh #xtremenewz #RenaultKwid #Renault #Auto

Renault Kwid launched with price starting at Rs 2.57 lakh

New Delhi: French auto major Renault on Thursday launched entry level car ‘Kwid’ in India with introductory price starting at Rs 2.57 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi).

The hatchback, which would come in four variants and two options, is priced between Rs 2.57 lakh and Rs 3.53 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi).

“We are not launching a car but a new era.…