Practicality 4.4/ 5

Volkswagen Tiguan vs rivals

BOOT space of 615 litres in the Tiguan is bigger than either rival here, and useful touches include levers in the load bay to fold the back seats, plus a through load facility that splits them 40:20:40. You can position the backs vertically to maximise boot space, but the seats will be uncomfortable like this. Unlike its rivals, there’s no underfloor storage, but you do get a spare wheel.

Back seat space is good, with slightly more legroom than in either rival, while headroom is generous, too. The only downside is that the seats are a bit firm, and the fabrics feel rather hard, but then they should be easy to wipe clean. Cabin storage is decent, with deep door bins, a good glovebox and useful centre armrest cubby, plus a covered storage tray with cup-holders.

Road tests

WITH its mix of style, practicality, refinement and low running costs, the Renault Kadjar has secured a string of road test victories, and it remains the car to beat in the crossover class. It shares much of its running gear with the Nissan Qashqai, but Renault has added just enough individual touches to make the Kadjar stand out. The car is available with a 1.2 turbo petrol engine, or 1.5 and 1.6 dci diesels, while four-wheel drive is offered on top-spec models. In this test, we put the flagship £26,795 1.6 dci Signature S Nav version under the microscope.

Styling 3.9/ 5

RENAULT had to work around Nissan underpinnings when designing the Kadjar, but the French model has an identity all of its own. Every panel is unique, and the car has a more rounded look than the straight-edged Tiguan.

It falls between the VW and Nissan in terms of size, but the Kadjar is no shrinking violet. The car’s distinctive nose takes its cues from the smaller Captur crossover, which means the front end is dominated by a vast diamond badge and a curved grille that flows to a pair of sharp LED headlamps. The eye-catching effect is completed by a pair of elongated, C-shaped daytime running lights.

Lower down, there’s plenty of tough-looking black plastic, while the grey cladding on the doors is broken up by a flash of chrome. Stylish creases follow the curved wheelarches around the body, and smart 19-inch two-tone alloys are fitted as standard.

At the back, the rounded tailgate is a little awkward, with a hump under the glass. Still, this shape does provide a decent boot, and means rear visibility that’s an improvement on the Nissan’s. And although the Kadjar lacks a little of the VW’S premium detailing, it’s far more stylish than the conservative Qashqai.

The slick design continues inside, where the Renault runs the Tiguan close for quality and edges ahead for design. A real highlight is the easy-to-use TFT dash layout that looks bright and modern compared with the VW’S traditional dials. The air vents in our car felt a little flimsy, but plenty of soft-touch plastics are used throughout and, overall, the Kadjar appears solidly built, with flashes of gloss-black plastic and matt silver helping to create an upmarket ambience.

Driving 3.9/ 5

THE Renault’s Japanese roots extend to the engine line-up, so the 128bhp 1.6-litre diesel is identical to the unit used in the Qashqai. Yet while that means it’s smaller and less powerful than the Tiguan, the Renault was a strong performer at the track.

It covered 0-60mph in 10.4 seconds, which was 1.1 seconds slower than the Nissan, but the difference can be put down to the fact the traction control can’t be turned off, so the Renault bogs down off the line.

Still, the Kadjar was faster than the Tiguan in gear. For instance, it went from 50-70mph in sixth in 9.3 seconds, which was 1.6 seconds up on the VW. This is partly explained by the Renault’s shorter gearing, as the car turns 2,100rpm at 70mph, whereas the Tiguan registers 1,900rpm at the same speed.

In the real world, there’s little to separate our trio, although the Nissan and Renault feel more lively on the road as they respond from 1,500rpm, whereas the Tiguan only gets into its stride from 1,900rpm. We did find differences between the Kadjar and Qashqai, too, as the Renault had a smoother throttle response than the Nissan. Still, both cars were quieter than the VW, while the Renault’s six-speed box has a smooth action. And while the Kadjar’s handling isn’t the most involving, it always feels secure and composed.

It features a set-up called Understeer Logic Control (Trace Control on the Qashqai), which applies the brakes to help the car hold its line in corners. But as in the Nissan, this system isn’t as natural as other torque-vectoring set-ups, as it feels as though it’s working past the turn-in point of a bend, and slowing the car unnecessarily. This effect is far less obvious when driving sedately in day-to-day use, though.

On the plus side, the Renault scores strongly for comfort and refinement. Even on its large 19-inch alloy wheels, the Kadjar soaks up poor surfaces better than the VW, while the interior is well insulated from wind and road noise.

Ownership 4.2/ 5

IN recent years, Renault has been striving to improve its image, and it appears the effort is paying off. The brand ranked eighth in our Driver Power 2016 satisfaction survey, well ahead of both VW and Nissan. Its garages couldn’t match that result in our most recent dealer poll, but 12th place is respectable.

The Renault uses tried-and-tested mechanicals, so it’s likely to be reliable, plus its four-year/100,000mile warranty is the longest here. It’s backed up by breakdown recovery for the same period.

Euro NCAP gave the Kadjar a five-star crash test rating, thanks to its six airbags, side impact bars and emergency brake assist. Signature models add traffic sign recognition and lane departure warning, which emits a bassy rumble through the speakers to warn you of any transgression. However, autonomous emergency braking is a £400 option; it’s standard on the Nissan.

Running costs 4.5/ 5

IN this company, the Kadjar looks like good value for money, and even in our test model’s flagship Signature S Nav guise it undercuts the less well equipped Tiguan by £515. Sat-nav, climate control, DAB radio, keyless go, an upgraded Bose stereo and LED headlamps all feature as standard.

Factor in low CO2 emissions of 117g/km, and it’s no surprise to find the Kadjar is the most cost effective choice for company car users. And like the Nissan, it attracts an annual VED bill of just £30.

We managed 53.2mpg economy on test, which matched its rivals, while Renault’s three-year/60,000mile servicing plan will set you back a reasonable £399.