The Kiger is Renault’s entrant into the lucrative compact-SUV segment populated by the likes of the Nissan Magnite, Kia Sonet, Hyundai Venue, Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza and the Ford EcoSport. To get the Kiger ahead of the competition, Renault has given it a vast list of features, safety equipment and it also looks distinctly Renault. The Kiger will be available with two engine options, both of which get the option of an automatic and will come in a total of four variants — RXE, RXL, RXT and RXZ. Prices start at Rs 5.45 lakh for the base variant and go up to Rs 9.55 lakh for the top-spec variant.
Perhaps one of the few things differentiating the Renault Kiger from the Magnite are the looks. The Kiger features a thin strip of LED DRLs at front, under which sits the main headlamp unit which features three distinct LED elements. It also gets a familiar Renault grille and a bold Renault badge at the front — you won’t be mistaking this for the Magnite. Around the side, the Kiger has thick plastic cladding, prominent bulges and roof rails to make it seem a bit more butch than a regular hatchback. At the rear, the Kiger features a fairly narrow glass area and C-shaped tail lamps, as well as a Renault badge sitting proud in the middle and Kiger lettering just below it. The black plastic cladding also carries over around back, but the faux silver skid plate adds a touch of bling to it. In our eyes, the Kiger certainly looks good, especially in red. You can check out our first impressions video of the Kiger here.
In terms of equipment, Renault has made almost no compromises. It gets an 8-inch central infotainment display with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a 7-inch digital instrument cluster, wireless charging, an Arkamys sound system, an air purifier and a whole lot more. This feature list is similar to the Magnite’s, although the Kiger also three adds driving modes — Sport, Eco and Normal — although we’ll only know how these affect the Kiger’s characteristics when we get behind the ’wheel. The Kiger also gets slightly more storage compared to the Magnite — 405-litres of boot space and 29.1-litres of cabin storage, which Renault claims is best-in-class.
In terms of safety, there are two airbags at the front and two side airbags, as well as ABS and EBD. While the Kiger hasn’t been through the NCAP crash tests, the Magnite’s four-star adult occupant safety rating should be a good indication of its performance.
The Renault Kiger gets the option of two 1-litre petrol engines. The first is a 999cc nat-asp engine producing 71bhp and 96Nm which can be paired to either a five-speed manual transmission or a five-speed AMT. The other, more exciting engine option is a 999cc turbo-petrol motor producing 98bhp and 152Nm of torque, this can be paired to either a five-speed manual ’box or a CVT automatic. When paired to the latter, the engine produces 160Nm of torque and the same amount of power.
At Rs 5.45 lakh, the Kiger is the most affordable compact-SUV currently on sale in India and prices go up to Rs 9.55 lakh for the top-spec CVT-equipped RXZ variant. Bookings are open now for a token amount of Rs 11,000 and Renault has said that the Kiger has started to arrive in showrooms too, so deliveries should begin shortly.
Its main rival is obviously the Magnite. While the two share a lot in common, there are a few differences between them. Perhaps the key differentiating factor could be the sales and service network. Renault has quite a few more touch points across the country and that should equal a more stress-free ownership experience. The other factor is that Renault offers an automatic option with either engine choice, while the Magnite only offers the CVT with the turbo-petrol engine. Thanks to its aggressive pricing, the Kiger is shaping up to be a hot-seller and we cannot wait to drive it — stay tuned to our social media handles to get updates as soon as we do!