First look at the Renault Kwid
Indian car buyers will be spoilt for choice in the next few months. The Indian automobile industry will see a huge onslaught of new launches- from luxury cars, SUVs, crossovers, premium hatchbacks to the very entry level car.
And entry level car segment brings us to the ‘Kwid’ – the newest ‘kid’ on the block. The Renault Kwid the entry level car from Renault will compete with Maruti Alto, Chevrolet Spark, Hyundai Eon etc.
The French Automobile manufacturer has spent approximately Rs. 3000 crore in the process to bring this car to the showrooms. Unveiled at the AutoExpo 2014, the car is expected to come to showroom in September 2015.
So why is there such a hoopla around the Kwid ??
In order to price this car competitively in the entry level segment, Renault has gone for 97 per cent localization. The car was developed from a blank sheet by a team based in Chennai. This is a huge achievement by Renault, previously done only by Maruti.
From the details available till now, we know that the car will be fitted with a 800 cc engine. However, almost six months after the launch, the company is targeting to launch a 1000cc car with an option for AMT.
The car is underpinned with a CMF-A platform which is already being used for the Renault Duster and other cars from the Renault, Nissan and Datsun stable.
Banking on the new SUV and crossover craze, the car is designed like an SUV , but with smaller proportions with a lot of design cues taken from Renault’s blockbuster car – Duster. The company is also focusing on offering good space in the rear seat. This is a major selling point for Indian families who are buying a car for the first time. The SUV like design also results in a higher ground clearance. Renault had a team of French, Japanese and Indian engineers working on the Kwid, making it a truly global car.
Other discerning features include navigation systems and airbags, which are generally unheard of in a car in this segment.
Kwid is expected to be priced between Rs. 3-4 lacs.
Read comparitive analysis of Renault Kwid vs. Maruti Alto vs. Hyundai Eon