Nissan Magnite-rivalling Renault Kiger SUV Revealed Before March Launch

Just like the Sonet and Venue, the Renault Kiger shares its engines and underpinnings with its sub-4 metre SUV sibling, the Nissan Magnite

• Kiger will be the ninth offering in the sub-4 metre SUV space.

• It has a familiar Renault face, but with more premium elements such as a triple projector headlamp setup.

• It gets two 1.0-litre petrol engines: a naturally aspirated and a turbocharged, with a 5-speed manual transmission as standard.

• The turbocharged engine can be had with a CVT as well, while the naturally aspirated engine can be had with an AMT.

• Renault is offering an 8-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

• Expected to launch in the coming months for Rs 6 lakh to Rs 10.5 lakh.

Renault has finally revealed the Kiger SUV, its entry into the sub-4 metre SUV segment. Borrowing several cues from the concept revealed earlier, the Kiger makes a bold statement with its design. It is also packing in a lot of tech for an SUV in its segment, looking to get a piece of the sub-4 metre SUV segment.

You will see glances of the Kwid in its front-end but that’s purely because Renault wants to keep that family-face intact. The Kiger, however, sports a triple projector LED headlamp setup and sleek LED DRLs that give it quite a premium look. In its profile, the Kiger has short overhangs that give the appearance of a slightly stretched wheelbase. At the top, though, the roofline looks more coupe-ish, instead of outright SUV because of the highly raked rear windscreen. Black body cladding on the fenders and the rear bumper give the Kiger a go-anywhere look and a healthy ground clearance of 205mm means it will devour most roads with conviction. The C-shaped LED tail lamps beautifully wrap up the rear, completing the modern day chic look of the Kiger.

The interior is decked in all black. It gets 29 litres of space inside the cabin to store your knick-knacks and a class-leading boot space of 405 litres. It is also equipped with a  PM 2.5 air filter. Besides, it comes with additional packs that add cosmetic and practical features to the Kiger.

The Kiger shares its underpinnings with its cousin, the Nissan Magnite. They also share their powertrains. Thus, the Kiger is a petrol-only offering with the choice of a naturally aspirated (NA) and a turbocharged engine. The NA engine can dish out 72PS/96Nm from a 1.0-litre three-cylinder setup, mated to a 5-speed manual transmission only, or an AMT. The forced induction option also uses a 1.0-litre three-cylinder setup, but it is capable of churning out 100PS/160Nm when paired with a 5-speed manual transmission. It can be had with a CVT as well. The Kiger also gets drive modes, unlike the Magnite. You can choose between Eco, Normal and Sport.

Renault is offering quite a few modern creature comforts with the Kiger. The centre piece is an 8-inch touchscreen unit that supports wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The instrument cluster too is an all-digital affair. The addition of a cruise control system means your highway rides will be more relaxing. It also gets wireless charging so you don’t need to clutter your centre console with cables. All in all, the Renault Kiger is a well-loaded car in terms of modern day amenities.

On the safety front, it gets up to four airbags. The higher variants also offer features such as ISOFIX seat mounting points, a traction control system, hill start assist, and vehicle dynamic control. Not to mention, the Kiger’s cousin, Magnite, received a 4-star crash safety rating from ASEAN NCAP.

Renault will launch the Kiger in the coming month for an expected price of Rs 6 lakh to Rs 10.5 lakh. At this price point, it will be a good bargain against its rivals like the Hyundai Venue, Kia Sonet, Maruti Vitara Brezza, Toyota Urban Cruiser, Ford EcoSport, Tata Nexon, Mahindra XUV300, and the Nissan Magnite.