Renault Kiger CVT
We drove the Renault Kiger equipped with the CVT to find out if it is the more compelling package
LAUNCHED EARLIER THIS YEAR, the Renault Kiger’s claim to fame has been its highly competitive pricing, interior space and eye-catching styling. We drove it at its launch in manual guise, and put in close to 10,000km driving it across the country on the 28 States, 28 Plates drive. The manual transmission, after all, has always been the choice for us enthusiasts. However, an automatic gearbox just makes more sense in our daily encounters with bumper-to-bumper traffic. And the Kiger CVT promises just that.
Renault offers the Kiger CVT only with a 1-litre turbo-petrol engine which produces 99bhp and 152Nm torque (8Nm less than when it’s coupled to the five-speed manual gearbox). The lower torque output is not noticeable from behind the wheel but what is evident is the powertrain’s wider powerband. The engine has been tuned to deliver peak torque both lower down and higher up in the rev range to suit the CVT.
The CVT masks the engine’s turbo-lag, which is something the manual just
can’t conceal
CVTs are known to deliver power effortlessly because of their lack of gears and the engine tuning which Renault has applied here goes hand-in-hand with a CVT’s characteristic rubber-band effect. The transmission masks the engine’s turbo-lag and that is something that the manual transmission can’t conceal. At lower speeds, the CVT feels like it picks up more quickly on small throttle inputs, but just like the manual Kiger, it really starts to move past the 2000rpm mark i.e. once the boost kicks in.
The Kiger CVT retains the three driving modes as in the manual Kiger — Eco, Normal and Sport. These modes are not a gimmick and you can actually feel them work. All these modes are tuned to deliver different throttle maps. The Eco mode dulls the Kiger’s throttle and makes it rather sluggish. The Normal mode brings some of the punch back and the Sport mode just makes it a little faster. On the move though, if you slam your foot and floor the accelerator, any mode gets the Kiger to move rapidly. Now, Renault claims that these driving modes also change the steering feedback but that seems to be a bit of an exaggeration as the steering remains more or less constant — light and numb no matter what the mode.
The Kiger’s suspension soaks up bumps nicely when driven slow but its soft nature results in some body roll in the corners and the car feels floaty over road undulations at high speeds. Its 205mm ground clearance is really helpful when the going gets tough and it feels
planted at speeds of over 130kmph. The driving ergonomics are a mixed bag though. With the adjustable driver’s seat height and the steering rake, Renault makes sure that you always find a comfortable driving position. But the Kiger’s raked rear windscreen doesn’t provide a good view out of the back like a car with a conventional vertical one.
Renault claims that the Kiger delivers 18kmpl in mixed driving conditions (ARAI cycle). We found that the Renault Kiger CVT does 10 to 12kmpl in the city which also happens to be the habitat it will be most used in.
Apart from the drivetrain, the rest of the Kiger remains pretty much the same. The styling remains a stand-out factor, with plenty of people giving it a second glance on the road. The interior remains impressive in the features and practicality department. A high seating position to make it feel SUV-like and more than ample space both at the front and rear. Its 405-litre boot space is the best-in-class and the rear seats can comfortably accommodate three passengers sitting abreast. Speaking of the seats, they offer good thigh and lumbar support, but tilt adjustability on the rear backrest would’ve been welcome. You might think that the sloping roofline might take a toll on the headroom inside but it actually doesn’t and people over 6ft also have sufficient clearance inside.
While features such as wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard on the 8-inch infotainment touchscreen, it also gets ambient lighting, the crowd favourite digital instrument cluster and an optional wireless charging pad. The interior feels robust but also built to a price due to the hard plastics.
No, the Kiger is not perfect. But it should be high up on your consideration list if you are looking for a compact SUV which is both practical and offers good value. Its brilliant pricing gives people in the market for hatchbacks a chance to think about opting
Fully digital instrument cluster looks good; gloss black centre console picks up fingerprints; the rear features a faux skid plate; LED headlights aren’t that efficient for a much bigger car (with an automatic!) without digging too deep into their pockets. The CVT makes the Kiger effortless to drive in the city and the 1-litre turbo-petrol engine makes sure it doesn’t feel underpowered. It’s a good combination, one we’d even recommend over the manual! ⌧
Mandar Sawant (@maddee_25_gt3355)