Renault recently updated two of its models in India in quick succession – the Triber MPV and the Kiger compact SUV – with facelifts. Now, the entry-level Kwid hatchback is also expected to receive an update.
- Kwid last received a facelift in 2019
- Sales down to less than 1,000 units a month
What to expect from updated Renault Kwid?
Speaking to our sister publication Autocar Professional, Venkatram Mamillapalle, managing director of Renault India, said, “The new Triber is the first product under the Renault.Rethink strategy, and this will be followed by three more launches over the next two years.”
The second product was the Kiger facelift, and the new Duster-based 5-seat SUV, which is lined up for launch next year to rival the likes of the Hyundai Creta and Maruti Grand Vitara, is the third. This will be followed by a new 7-seat derivative of the same SUV to take on the likes of the Hyundai Alcazar and Mahindra XUV700.
Mamillapalle did not specifically mention the Kwid, but a few tech upgrades such as six airbags and cosmetic revsions can be expected. “We are going to cover all segments, starting with the A-segment which is the Kwid. Then there’s the B-segment, where we have the Triber and Kiger, and eventually we will expand to the C-SUV segment,” he elaborated.
The updated Kwid could look like the Kwid EV, spy shots of which surfaced from Brazil earlier this year. It gets new headlamps and tail-lamps and revised bumpers. However, the electric version is not expected to launch here.
Renault Kwid price and details
First launched in 2015, the Kwid was one of the core volume drivers for Renault in India. It was last updated with a facelift in 2019, which means the current car has been on sale for nearly six years and is pretty long in the tooth. The Kwid is currently priced between Rs 4.70 lakh and Rs 6.50 lakh, and is available with a sole 68hp, 1.0-litre petrol engine with manual and AMT gearboxes.
The entry-level car segment is on a steady decline. Increased preference for SUVs and the growing popularity of used cars means the budget hatchback segment has really taken a hit. The Kwid’s sales figures are down to just about 500-600 units a month on average. In contrast, the Kwid's arch rival, the Maruti Alto K10, sells about 5,000 units a month.
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