Soo amazing car!!. Review on Renault Kwid

When you see the Kwid for the first time, you are left wondering whether it really is an A-segment contender. Thanks to the SUV design cues, raised stance and significantly larger dimensions, the Kwid looks more like a hatchback-turned-crossover like the Etios Cross or i20 Active. At 3, 679 mm, it’s actually longer than the Alto 800 ( 3, 395 mm) , Eon ( 3, 495 mm) and even the Celerio ( 3, 600 mm) !

The Kwid is wider than its immediate rivals too at 1, 579 mm and overall, the Renault looks much larger in appearance. The SUV stance with the raised ground clearance and beefed up wheel arches make it feel like a tall vehicle which it actually isn’t! Fact is, it’s only 3 mm taller than the Alto 800 and 22 mm shorter than the Eon

Renault will be selling the Kwid in 4 variants, with the top spec RXT getting an optional driver airbag. ABS is not available on any variant. This is in line with what Maruti offers on the Alto 800. The 2 lower variants STD and RXE don’t get power steering or 2 ORVMs. The STD even loses out on an air-conditioner and a glovebox! The RXL and RXT are the only sensible variants one can consider. Further, the RXT has a USP in this segment - a 7” touchscreen infotainment system with satellite navigation, Bluetooth, USB and AUX-IN.

The head-unit is identical to the one available in the Duster and Lodgy. Alto 800 is 284 mm shorter than the Kwid. These cars compete in a segment where fuel efficiency is critical. While the Alto 800 has an ARAI rating of 22.74 km/l, the Kwid scored 25.17 km/l .The centre console houses the air-con vents, a/c controls and a 7” touchscreen infotainment system. It's finished in piano black, surrounded by a smart chrome border, adding an upmarket feel to the otherwise simple dashboard design. Below this console lies the hazard lights switch, front power window switches and central locking button. Press the central lock button and the sound of the door locks will make you feel like you’ve been locked in a vault. It's loud. There’s a round dummy provision ( towards the driver) which keeps reminding you of something that isn’t included in the car just yet. It is rumoured this is where the AMT gear selector will be located, in the AT version expected later on. Overall, the interiors are more functional than appealing, but they do the job.

Plastic quality is acceptable for this segment, although I must say the Eon’s interiors have an upper hand when it comes to style as well as fit & finish. The interiors are better than the Alto, but the Eon remains the benchmark. What’s not immediately evident inside the Kwid is cost-cutting. Renault have cleverly ensured that, whatever a driver uses on a daily basis isn't compromised in terms of quality or feel. As a result, Renault have fitted an awesome steering wheel in the Kwid. I’d say this is the best steering wheel ( to hold) , not just within the entry-level segment but even among hatchbacks from a higher segment. It’s small in size, beefy to hold, has thumb contours, a big horn pad, is leather-wrapped in the top area and gets a piano black finish on the bottom spoke. The steering is a delight to use. The only gripe I had was that I had to press the horn pad a little harder ( at times) to honk. This happened when I pressed it at the edge of the hornpad and not towards the centre. It’s a pleasant surprise to see the wipers having a mist option and the indicators with a lane changing function ( flashes thrice) in this segment. No rear wiper / washer or rear defogger available though.

The Kwid gets a unique all-digital instrument cluster ( no analogue dials) with a funky orange backlight. The RXT variant gets a full-fledged MID that has readouts for distance to empty, real-time & average fuel efficiency, trip meter, distance traveled, average speed and fuel consumed. Even some C-segment cars don’t get such a comprehensive MID! New drivers will be happy to see a gearshift indicator which suggests an upshift or downshift. Disadvantage? The fonts are too small - they're not the easiest to read while on the go. Sadly, there’s no tachometer on any of the variants.

There are 4 variants of the Kwid that get an in-car entertainment system, the RXE ( O) , RXL, RXT and RXT ( O) . The RXE ( O) & RXL get a basic system with CD, Bluetooth, USB and Aux-in. The top spec RXT & RXT ( O) get this 7 touchscreen infotainment system with satellite navigation ( no CD player though) . This is the same head-unit found in the Lodgy & Duster. Renault is banking on the touchscreen to stand out from the competition. The system is intuitive to operate. It is quite responsive, touch sensitivity is decent and there aren't any bugs like we saw in the early versions of the Honda & Maruti touchscreen systems. What's really a downer is the sound quality from the two 4 dashboard-mounted front speakers. They are simply too weak! What makes matters worse is there are no speaker provisions on the doors or rear parcel shelf of the Kwid. If you buy the Kwid, you'll surely want to start with upgrading the lousy front speakers.

Aux, USB & Bluetooth connectivity. No CD or SD card slot though. The Renault-Nissan group sure experiments with their ICE offerings. Datsun gave a smartphone dock in the Go ( no head-unit) , and here is Renault offering the only touchscreen in the segment.

Even after the key is removed from the ignition slot, the cabin lamp and MID operate for a few minutes and then go off. They turn back on again, once you put the key in the ignition slot or open the door.

The audio system works even without the key in the ignition slot. Yes, it does turn off when you remove the key from the ignition at the end of your drive. However, what's different is that you can start it manually again - right after that. It's rare to see this and can be a bane or boon ( depending on how you look at it) .