A Kwid Cross? No, this is the new Renault Kiger, a sporty sub-meter SUV which has entered the competitive compact crossover segment. The Kiger will be replacing the Renault Sandero in the South African market with a refreshed design approach. I found one or two negatives during my time with the vehicle but overall, I found it to be pretty decent model.

On The Road

Stepping into the Kiger, I knew it was going to be a fun experience. The vehicle comes fitted with a new turbo-charged 1.0 litre three-cylinder petrol engine that produces 74kW and 160nm of torque. The front wheels are powered via a CVT gearbox that provides the perfect balance between performance and efficiency (thanks to the multi-sense driving modes).

The Kiger proved that it’s more than meets the eye as it handled fairly well on both urban roads and highways, however, I would have liked if the suspension was a little ‘stiffer’ as there was a considerable amount of body roll (or lean) when going through corners. This might be solved with a bit of a tweak to the suspension. When it comes to safety, the body structure of the Kiger is reinforced, and weight optimised as per Renault.

Renault claims a fuel average of 5.4l/100km, although this was not accurate during my driving experience. I had an average of 10.9l/100km. That being said, everyone drives differently and has a different experience.

On The Inside

Renault has always had an eye for detail and that is no different here. The cabin of the Kiger effectively combines technology and functionality, offering a generous amount of space as well as class-leading boot space at 450l.

Boasting many features, the Kiger includes an 8-inch floating touchscreen, wireless smartphone replication, reverse camera, hands free smart access, ambient lighting, and multi-sense driving mode system.

Key Features

  • ABS + EBD
  • Driver + Passenger airbags and side airbags* (Zen & Intens models)
  • Rear parking sensor & Camera to limited models.
  • ESP exclusive to the turbo engines.

Final Thoughts

The Kiger offers some exclusive features that we see on higher end models in the segment such as the 8-inch floating touchscreen. For those looking for a car to go around the city and do the odd drive through the countryside, this would be a pretty decent option. The main negatives I found was the inaccurate fuel economy and frequent body roll around corners. Other than these two minor points that I think should be tweaked, the Kiger is a fairly good vehicle and Renault should keep up the great work on what they bring to the table.