Renault Kiger long term review; 9,000km report

Our long-term Renault Kiger is very close to hitting the 10,000km mark and I can say that almost every single kilometre on this SUV has been a pleasant experience. The Kiger has been my de-facto ride to work for a year now and has been chugging along well.

Shifts are slow but they are smooth and jerk-free.

Sure, there have been a few issues that have cropped up, but thankfully, it’s nothing that would need immediate attention. The Kiger’s trip meter has developed a snag and keeps resetting on its own; it isn’t a frequent problem but one that resurfaces periodically and can get irritating if you are using it to log trip data or to calculate efficiency. Thankfully, at Autocar India, we log the actual odometer reading at every fill-up to calculate the fuel economy. Speaking of which, the Kiger gives a steady 10.5-11.5kpl in the city. However, I have noticed it drop to as low as 7kpl during the summer. This is perhaps due to the extra load on the compressor, because while the AC performance was consistent, it took more time to bring down the cabin temperature.  

Infotainment system takes a while to boot up at times.

My overall driving preference is quite laid-back rather than aggressive so, while most in our team don’t like the CVT gearbox due to its lazy nature, I find it better especially in slow-moving traffic as you experience jerk-free shifts. On long drives too, the gearbox does a decent job and propels the Kiger to respectable speeds quickly. Over time, however, I have noticed slightly more vibrations at lower speeds, which disappear as you pick up speed. The ride quality has been brilliant for a vehicle of this size; yes, the cabin does rattle more than before when the car goes through bad patches, but the suspension continues to take on bad roads with almost no hassle.

Wireless Android Auto does not disconnect during use.

The Kiger was one of the first in its segment to offer wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and I must say, contrary to many others in the industry, this works like a charm. Sure, there are times when there have been minor lags during start-up, but I’ve never had my phone disconnect automatically while using any app. This is indeed commendable as such issues have been noticed in a few other vehicles.