Renault Kwid small car unveiled in India

Making a world debut Renault has shown its low cost hatchback, christened Kwid in Chennai, India. This is the most affordable car to be introduced by Renault currently, and in India will compete with the likes of Maruti Alto and Hyundai Eon. Renault is planning to launch the Kwid around September-October 2015 to cash in on the festive season.

The new Renault Kwid shares its platform with Datsun Redigo which is being developed with alliance partner Nissan. It is the first car from the alliance on the CMF-A platform and will have close to 98 percent localization level. It will be powered by a 800cc petrol engine that Renault says will return best in class fuel economy. The engine is an all new 3-cylinder 4-valve unit mated to a newly developed 5-speed manual gearbox specifically for the Kwid and its derivatives. The fuel efficiency claims could well be true as the car weighs just 678kg, lighter than the Alto and Eon.

In terms of design the new Renault Kwid has an imposing design, with the large Renault badge prominently positioned on the chunky front grille. The well contoured bumper further accentuates the front styling. On either side there are large headlights which not only look good but would also help illuminate the road well. The tall-boy design with a high roofline ensures that there is no dearth of cabin space, with ample headroom in front and back. The boot is also large and possibly the best in class.

Since the new Renault Kwid budget car will be offered markets like India, Renault has ensured to give it good ground clearance (180mm) to tackle adverse road conditions. In fact the new 800cc 3-cylinder petrol engine has been developed right here in India to power the new Renault Kwid, to keep the cost in check. It will be easy to maintain and affordable to run says Renault India. It will be offered with a 5-speed gearbox now and later on might also get an automatic transmission (AMT) option. As for the interior, the top end Kwid will get a touchscreen multimedia system which will be a segment first and a driver's side airbag. 

Renault will launch the new Kwid at an introductory price ranging between Rs 3-4 lakh to take on the current popular entry level small cars like the Maruti Alto and Hyundai Eon.