Words: Abhay Verma | Photography: Saidatta Naik
Launched early in 2021, the Kiger has always been an important product for Renault in India. And that’s because it sits in the uber-important, compact SUV segment. With nearly a dozen of them on sale, across a rather wide price band, compact SUVs and crossovers are to the Indian market today what hatchbacks were a decade ago. And while the Kiger has done well for Renault, its design was getting a little long in the tooth. And right in time for the festive season – and just as the GST structure for cars is set to be revised – Renault has given the Kiger a midlife update. This is the first major update for the Kiger since its launch, but changes are only cosmetic and while new features have been added, the chassis, suspension and powertrain options are the same. We got to spend a couple of hours with the updated Kiger at a rain-soaked test track at ICAT, Manesar, near Gurugram in the Delhi-NCR.
The front end looks a lot fresher now, thanks to a raft of updates, besides which Renault is also offering the Kiger in this bright shade of yellow. The Kiger looks a lot more appealing from the front thanks to the revised and sleeker-looking grille, which also integrates the new Renault logo, though the design of the headlamps and DRLs is the same as before. The front bumper is new though and goes well with the updated grille, and thus adds to the front end’s sense of novelty. There are no changes to the sides, except for the new wheel design and a new badge on the TURBO version that we drove. I am not complaining though, as the Kiger has always looked good from the sides and also boasts an impressive ground clearance of 205mm. The rear end looks similar to the outgoing version’s, as the tail lamp design is the same but with a more ‘blacked-out’ treatment. The rear bumper also sports a new design and integrates a faux skid plate now. Overall, the Kiger, which has always been good-looking, looks fresh, and even more appealing now.
The cabin remains unchanged too, except for a few cosmetic updates like a new, two-tone finish on the dashboard, and new seat covers with the new Renault logo. The older Kiger’s red stitching has also been replaced by a nice-looking shade of yellow, visible on the steering wheel particularly. The wheel itself is the same, flat-bottomed unit as before but gets a horn pad with the new Renault logo though, adding a sense of freshness. Like before, a big highlight inside the Kiger’s cabin is space management, and Renault claims the Kiger boasts class-leading shoulder room at the front and class-leading kneeroom at the rear. You also get the same 8.0-inch touchscreen as before, though the screen’s resolution is decent at best. Features like wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and a wireless charging pad have been carried over too, and you also get 360-degree view now, though again, the resolution could have been better. The updated Kiger also uses LEDs for exterior lighting from end to end, including the fog lamps that sit at the edges of the front bumper. On the safety front, you get traction control, besides which six airbags are now standard across the range.
Engine options remain the same too, which means you can have the Kiger with either a 1.0-litre, three-cylinder naturally aspirated petrol engine that puts out 72PS and 96Nm, or a turbocharged, 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol engine that offers a more impressive 100PS and 160Nm. While the naturally-aspirated engine can be had with either a five-speed manual gearbox or an AMT, the turbocharged petrol can be had with a five-speed manual gearbox or a CVT. We only drove the latter, where the engine offers the same 100PS, but along with 8Nm less. Like before, the turbocharged petrol engine offers quick acceleration and also feels quick to rev, though it does have the typical three-cylinder thrum at idle, and it also tends to sound stressed when given the stick. That said, this is an engine we’ve always liked for its peppiness and it feels impressive. The CVT also impresses when driving unhurriedly, but I know from experience it’s the five-speed manual gearbox that offers a more engaging feel if you like driving. The engine impressed with its throttle responses around the autocross circuit we drove the Kiger around, especially with its strong grunt at low speeds.
There are no changes to the chassis and suspension either, which means the Kiger offers the same, confident feel as before on the handling front. My laps around the autocross track helped me confirm the same, as the Kiger felt light, agile and quick to change direction. And with no change to the suspension, we’re also expecting the Kiger to offer the same firm, yet comfortable ride quality as before. In a nutshell, the latest set of updates help the Kiger look and feel fresh, while boasting the same impressive mechanicals and the same powertrains as before. Prices for the updated Kiger begin from ₹6.29 lakh ex-showroom for the base petrol version powered by the naturally aspirated engine, while the turbocharged version retails from ₹9.99 lakh ex-showroom onwards. And these are excellent prices for what the Kiger has to offer as a compact urban SUV, especially with fresher design, and newly added features.
