Car Make – Renault
Model – Kwid
Variant – Petrol
Trim Level – RXT (O)
Kms covered – 991.5 kms
Fuel Efficiency – 24 kmpl (best), 19.5 kmpl (worst)
Isn’t it strange how a machine becomes part of your daily life so quickly? The cute, but extremely sturdy Renault Kwid has been with us for almost 4 months now. Reversing the car from our miniscule building compound has been a breeze with the Kwid. Because of its compact build, it doesn’t require a lot of space to park or reverse. In the time it has been with us, the Kwid has seen daily early morning school drops, emergency visits to the vet with our doggie, countless grocery runs, office sojourns and weekend trips out of Mumbai. And the most exciting and convenient feature on the Kwid is undoubtedly the First-in-class AMT Dial! A revolutionary 5-speead AMT, which comes with Easy R technology. The Dial is mounted on the dash to allow easy shifting between three modes – Reverse, Neutral and Drive. Depending on the driving conditions, it automatically shifts gears for smooth acceleration. So not only do you drive clutch-free, but also save on fuel at the same time.
The SUV-inspired design of the Kwid is what makes you take a second look. It comes with a short front and rear overhang. The ground clearance is high, giving an impression of sturdiness. The striking, structured grille makes the perfect backdrop for the Renault lozenge logo. The SUV-like stance is further enhanced by the muscular front end flowing into the profile, with indicators on the front cladding. The headlights bring Renault’s new signature lighting with a C-shaped chrome trim, along with stylish fog lamps. The Kwid comes with a high waistline, with a forward-positioned windscreen, lending a fluid touch. The lower part of the rear bumper, as well as the wheel arches come in a black trim, with an integrated roof spoiler adding to the overall SUV-like look.
Driving in the crazy Mumbai traffic was not agony any more… thanks to the piano-black centre fascia with chrome surround which houses a state-of-the-art, user-friendly, MediaNAV multimedia and navigation system, featuring a first-in-class 7 inch (18 cms) touchscreen display, with two speakers in the front. This system comes with features like turn-by-turn voice guidance, Bluetooth audio streaming, hands-free telephony, USB, AUX-input ports and speed sensing volume control. The chrome highlights lend a look of sophistication to the AC vents and the control knobs. My zipping around used to be accompanied by some cool music on either the radio or through the Bluetooth connected to my phone! With good music, even the worst Mumbai traffic cannot dampen your high spirits, also, thanks to the no-clutch, easy driving, which definitely is easier on the knees! The easy-to-read digital instrument cluster with on-board trip computer gave me valuable information such as average fuel consumption, distance to empty (indicating when I needed to tank-up), average speed and more. The one-touch lane change indicator and the remote keyless entry simplifies your life that much more!
Just before the Diwali madness began, we took the Kwid on a weekend trip to Khandala. It was on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway that we got to really test the speed, and it very easily touched 135 kmph on the smooth stretches. The Kwid’s ergonomic seats offer superior comfort, whereas the higher driving position means greater visibility. The black, grey and red seat covers give an extremely sporty feel to the cabin interiors. The car can comfortably seat 5, while the cabin itself comes with a range of thoughtful features. The electric power steering, power-assisted windows, powerful air-conditioning made the 2.5 hour drive seem much shorter! Also, there was ample space for storage of our luggage with the 300 litres boot, and knick-knacks because the Kwid has three-set glove compartments, floor, door and centre console with bottle-holders and cubbyholes. With the weather playing havoc, the intermittent wipers took good care of the unseasonal rain. And yes, the power socket was a boon to charge our phone batteries with. Renault offers two engine options with SCe – Smart Control efficiency engine technology for accurate air-to-fuel monitoring. With a ground clearance of 180mm, you can take on any challenge with ease. The Kwid’s length is 3679 mm, width is 1579 mm, while the overall height is 1478 mm. The tanks fills up with 28 litres, which was good enough to get us to Khandala and back, as this cutie gives an average of around 24 kmpl at its best and 19.5 kmpl at its worst.
This lil gem of a car comes with safety features like front seat belt pretensioners and road limiters, a driver’s side airbag and a central locking system. You are all set to tackle all weather conditions and bad roads with front disc brakes. The 13” Ceat Radial Tubeless Tyres (155/80/R13) give this compact car a good, strong balance. While we had the pleasure of having the Kwid in Outback Bronze for 4 months, it also comes in 4 other colour options as well – Fiery Red, Ice Cool White, Moonlight Silver and Planet Grey.
An AMT car like the Renault Kwid has proven to be a real staunch friend in bad, hair-raising traffic, crazy rains like the sky has collapsed, roads which have more potholes than plain surfaces, teeny-weeny, almost non-existent parking spaces in congested Mumbai and many, many more thrilling adventures!! The AMT feature with the smooth gear shifts made driving a pleasure in Mumbai too, and that’s a high compliment for a car! We will definitely miss this cute lil strong car, which managed to capture our hearts in such a tiny span of time.
Story & Pics – Vaishali Kowli