Renault launched the Kwid in India in 2015 and, owing to its SUV-inspired styling and a competitive price tag, it soon became the brand's highest selling model in our market. In order to maintain its appeal in a competitive segment, the French automaker has been constantly updating the budget hatch over the years with minor improvements.
However, faced with growing competition, Renault has finally decided to give its entry level offering a major makeover and introduce a heavily reworked, facelifted version. The new Renault Kwid not only boasts of contemporary styling and more equipment, but also gets significant updates under the skin.
So, how does the Kwid facelift stack up against the likes of the Maruti Suzuki Alto, Alto K10, Datsun Redigo, and the recently launched Maruti Suzuki S-Presso, in terms of specifications? Read on as we pit the Renault against its competitors, on paper.
Dimensions
The new Renault Kwid gets a heavily updated front fascia with revised grille and bumpers, along with a split-headlamp setup. The more pronounced bumpers have resulted in a 52mm increase in overall length of the hatch to 3,731mm. While the 1,579mm width and 2,422mm wheelbase remain identical, the overall height has been reduced to 1,474mm (a decrease of 4mm compared to the predecessor) due to a slightly re-contoured roofline. This makes the updated Renault the longest and widest vehicle in the segment, though it trails behind all of its competitors in the height department.
The facelift also brings to the Kwid a set of 14-inch wheels that are a size up vis-à-vis the outgoing model. In comparison, all the competitors, barring the S-Presso, ride on smaller 13- or 12-inch wheels. The larger wheels and wheel wells on the Renault have also resulted in a bump in ground clearance to 184mm (from 180mm earlier) and a dip in boot capacity to 279 litres (from 300 litres before). While the Datsun Redigo manages to better the French offering in the first case, the Kwid still holds the promise of packing in the most luggage for those airport runs.
Renault claims to have used the opportunity of introducing the facelift to add structural reinforcements to the front and sides of the chassis to make the Kwid compliant with the October 2019 crash test norms, as well as the pedestrian safety norms that kick into effect a year after. Though this sees the kerb weight of the updated hatch go up by 35-40kg, it is still the lightest offering in the segment, save for the Redigo.
Powertrain
All contenders in this entry-level segment are available with the choice of a 0.8-litre and a 1.0-litre petrol engine, except for the S-Presso, which only gets the larger displacement motor. The 800cc Kwid pushes out 54hp and 72Nm of torque. The Redigo 0.8 manages to match this output, though the Alto 800 comes off as a bit underpowered with figures of 48hp and 69Nm of torque. All three vehicles come with a sole 5-speed manual gearbox offering.
With regards to the larger 1.0-litre versions, the Kwid, S-Presso, Redigo and Alto K10 are evenly matched and sport near identical output figures of 68hp and 90Nm (or 91Nm) of torque. Moreover, all hatchbacks extend the convenience of an optional AMT auto transmission, in addition to a standard 5-speed manual gearbox.
Post facelift, the fuel economy of the Kwid is rated at 22.30kpl, 21.70kpl and 22.50kpl for the 800cc, 1.0-litre MT and 1.0-litre AMT variants. For a complete comparison of the Renault Kwid’s efficiency to that of its rivals, click here.
An important point to note is that, for the time being, only the S-Presso and Alto meet the upcoming BS6 regulations. While the rest of the models will get an upgrade for the same in the coming months, it could lead to a drop in their power, torque and fuel efficiency values.
Price
The updated Renault Kwid range has been priced at Rs 2.83-4.84 lakh, which is a slight mark-up compared to the pre-facelift version’s asking rates of Rs 2.76-4.76 lakh (all prices, ex-showroom, Delhi). As such, the 800cc Kwid is now positioned a little higher on the price charts compared to other 0.8-litre offerings. And while the 1.0-litre manual Kwid is also the most expensive amongst comparable options, the Renault manages to undercut the S-Presso in their respective automatic avatars. However, the situation could change closer to April 2020 when all the vehicles are available in BS6-spec and are consequentially at a more even footing.
Rivan RS 
Viraaj Bhatnagar
Uday Singh
Suraj Viswanathan
