The smallest car in Renault’s European range is the Twingo. But the company does have another compact on offer. One of a completely different construction and design, which fully responds to the desire of more and more motorists, wanting to drive an SUV. That’s where the Renault Kwid comes into play.
It was 2014 when the name Kwid was made public to the world for the first time, when Renault’s Indian design team unveiled a colourful mini-SUV at that year’s New Delhi motor show. A variety of grey and yellow hues adorned the model with its wide wings. This was a two-door concept car (gull wing doors), modest in size, which was to be preceded or followed by its own drone. According to the designers this gave the Kwid the possibility to look ahead under all traffic conditions. It was clear that this concept would never make it to a production vehicle with similar characteristics.
The name, however, was used rather rapidly for just that: a production model. Within a year’s time, the Kwid, a five-door A-segment car, was shown to the Indian public only to make its appearance in showrooms soon after. Since the Kwid was specifically aimed at the wishes, requirements and the road conditions of India, the model is not sold in the more developed markets, mainly due to its basic facilities. The car measures a length of 3.68 metres, is 1.47 metres tall and 1.58 metres wide. In comparison with the Twingo (3.60 x 1.65 x 1.55), the Kwid is slightly longer, narrower and lower.
And in early 2017 the Kwid was made available to the South American markets also, in particular Argentina and Brazil, the latter of which it is also being built. But don’t think this was a mere matter of cutting and pasting. The requirements, in terms of technology and safety in particular, are considerably higher in South America than they are in India. Reinforcements to the bodywork as well as added airbags and ABS, resulted in a considerable increase in weight. Still though, the car’s appearance remained untouched. The Kwid comes with all the typical characteristics of SUV’s: arch extenders in contrasting colours, tall bumpers and black striping on the sides, for example. In addition, the car offers a ground clearance of 18 centimetres as a standard, which is a substantial figure when you compare it to the average car in the (A-) segment.
In the hectic traffic of the Brazilian metropolis São Paulo, it soon turns out that this ground clearance is more of a necessity than it is a luxury. São Paulo is hilly, which means that the streets have to cope with the necessary differences in height. When it rains heavily, water runs down at ample speed and is guided to massive gutters along the kerbs. At crossroads, traffic has to pass those gutters also. The average sports car will get stuck or loose some of its plastic bits. But not the Kwid, which fits in perfectly to the circumstances. The overhangs front and rear are very short, which help also. While the A-segment is still being fully developed in Brazil it’s the B-segment, claiming the bulk of the sales. By now most of the compact cars have come within the reach of the countryside population, where deep holes are never far away and roads are often not even paved. The Kwid is a top seller here. It may be considered a fun fact then that Renault Brazil regards the Kwid as a true city car, though.
The A-platform developed by Renault and Nissan uses McPherson struts at the front and towed wishbones with coil springs at the rear. The level of tuning is perhaps not quite so refined than we are used to on European cars, but the large diameter wheels do have a positive effect on the car’s comfort, which is perhaps better comparable to French cars of the 1980s and 1990s.
The car’s four doors and its boot lid provide excellent accessibility to passengers and their luggage. Given its dimensions, the possibilities that the interior offers should not be overestimated, though. It will do for a family with two children. The space in the front is perfectly adequate and even the car’s humble width has not led to cramped seating positions. The legroom in the back may not be too generous for adults either, but what can you expect when a car comes in these dimensions? The boot has a capacity of 290 litres, which is larger than that of its competitors. The rear seat can even be folded down in one piece.
The interior shows a number of well-known Renault design features that go further than just the Renault-badge on the steering wheel. The top of the line Intense variant, for example, uses the MediaNav system with all possible options that we know of. But there is also the design of the dashboard, that of the door panels and the layout of the seats, which are all typical for Renault. Yes, you can expect hard plastics used throughout the interior. But that can only be considered all too common now in the entry segment.
Engine-wise, Renault of Brazil and Argentina offer just one option: the normally aspirated 1-litre. The India-built Kwid uses this engine, too, but that has access to a 54hp strong 0.8 litre version, too. Due to its heavier weight this variant was left out on the South American markets. The brave little three-cylinder 1.0 SCe is good for a neat 66hp and 92Nm of torque at 4,250rpm. The front wheels are mated to a five-speed manual gearbox. Unfortunately, the maximum performance could not be tested in São Paulo. But Renault promises a top speed of 152 km/h and an acceleration of 0 to 100km/h in 15.5 seconds. That’s definitely not bad.
Some small adjustments would make the Kwid suitable for more markets. Apart from that, the car’s looks would surely meet buyers in Europe. Perhaps the Kwid and Twingo will meet each other when the current models need replacement? And since the K-ZE, an electric version of the Kwid, has been unveiled recently, it becomes clear that the Kwid has a future ahead in various parts of the world, starting with China where a K-ZE production version will appear in 2019.
En détail
Renault Kwid
Engine:
3-cylinder in line, 12 valves, capacity 1.000 cc, compression ratio 11,5:1. Power 66 (DIN) hp at 5.500rpm, torque 93 Nm at 4.250rpm, indirecte injection.
Gearbox:
5-speed manual. Ratios 1st - 3,769, 2nd - 2,048, 3rd - 1,29, 4th - 0,949, 5th - 0,791, rear - 3,540, bevel gear - 4,380.
Top speed 152 km/h, acceleration 0 to 100 km/h in 15,5 seconds. Tyres 175/70R14 (Intense).
Suspension:
Front McPherson, triangular arms pulled with coil springs at the rear.
Dimensions/weight:
Length 3,680mm, width 1,586mm, height 1,474mm, wheelbase 2,423mm, ground clearance 0,180mm. Track front 1,385mm, track rear 1,365mm. Weight: 796 kg. Luggage compartment: 290 liter. Fuel tank 41 liter.