The Renault Kwid has been quite popular for its SUV-like stance, touchscreen infotainment system and digital dials. It was the first car in its segment to get features like this and that’s what lured customers to Renault showrooms. In 2019, Renault had updated the Kwid, so it gets a refreshing new look, an updated cabin and more equipment. The Kwid continues to be powered by the same engines: a 0.8-litre and a 1.0-litre petrol engine, available with either an AMT or a manual gearbox. With the all-new Alto being one of the new upcoming cars in India, the Kwid sure has itself safe and secure.
A mini SUV
The Renault Kwid has always looked good and continues to be attractive. Up-front, the face is new, meaning you get those split headlights with LED DRLs above with the main headlight unit below. The DRLs give the Renault Kwid a modern look from up-front and these come standard across all variants. The headlamps have black bezels surrounding them, plus you get orange highlights as well. The wheels have grown bigger too, giving the Renault Kwid a better stance. The ground clearance has improved too; the wheel covers get a grey theme, but this is available only on the Kwid Climber. The tail lights have LED guide lights in them, plus the new car is slightly longer and heavier than older model. The bumpers are to be credited for the added length while the increase in weight was needed for structural reinforcements.
New bits
There are some changes on the inside too. It gets a new steering wheel, wrapped in perforated leather, a big touchscreen and a new instrument cluster, which has a tachometer that works better. The display is clear and the 8.0-inch infotainment system works smoothly. The dashboard includes some updates and the glovebox has now gotten bigger. There’s even a passenger side airbag on offer now. And on the AMT variant, the gear selector knob is now found in between the front seats. The new design looks a bit more modern, but the fit and finish remain the same.
A 1.0-litre does it
The Kwid we’re driving is powered by a 1.0-litre, three-cylinder petrol engine making 67bhp and 91Nm of torque. But the engine is quite noisy at idle and can get even more vocal as the revs climb. Power delivery isn’t prompt and it builds speed quite slowly and moving about in the city will require frequent downshifting. The mid-range is where things improve but power tapers off after 4000rpm. Thanks to the light clutch, driving around in the city is a boon. At low speeds, the ride is quite supple, but the Kwid gets unsettled over very bad roads. It soaks in bumps well though, but not quietly, which is expected of a budget small car. However, the Kwid feels planted at high speeds despite its light weight. The car is quite stable and the wider tyres give you some confidence when darting in and out of corners. The steering is not as fun to use as the Alto K10’s, but it feels light to use, making it easy to drive in urban conditions.
Buy one, for sure
But due to bigger wheels and more weight, the frugality of the car has taken a hit, with the 1.0-litre unit returning a fuel economy figure of 21.70kpl on the manual model and 22.50kpl on the automatic model. It offers great value as the top-of-the-line variant doesn’t cross the 5.5 lakh rupee mark. Cars don’t come so affordable so easily, particularly considering this one gets all the modern features one needs in a car, in this day and age. We’d recommend it over any other budget hatchback in its class. When it comes to the new upcoming cars in India, there’s nothing new from Renault in this segment.