With ever-increasing traffic jams and longer city commutes, most people in India have started opting for AMTs given their ease of use, affordability and good fuel economy. Renault not only offers the option of an AMT with the SUV-inspired Kwid but also unparalleled packaging that makes it the best automatic hatchback in India. Here's how...
Powerful 1.0-litre engine with the AMT advantage
The Renault Kwid packs a powerful 1.0-litre petrol engine that comes paired with an AMT (automated manual transmission). With 68PS of max power, 91Nm of peak torque and a sub-1 tonne weight, the Renault Kwid is a pocket rocket! The AMT simply adds to the convenience factor, ensuring you aren’t tired at the end of a drive through bumper-to-bumper traffic.
While a lot of hatchbacks offer an AMT option, the convenience that Renault’s AMT rotary dial offers is unparalleled in the category. In fact, a rotary dial for changing gears is something that you usually spot in luxury cars. Just rotate it between D ‘Drive’, R ‘Reverse’ and N ‘Neutral’ and you’re good to go. It features Renault’s innovative Easy-R technology wherein a computer control system optimises gear shifts automatically for smooth and uninterrupted acceleration. And thanks to autonomous gear shifts and the absence of the clutch pedal, you can enjoy driving the peppy Kwid in traffic and give your left leg a break!
It also gets an intelligent Traffic Assist functionality which aids the vehicle to crawl forward in stop and go traffic without using the accelerator pedal! Thanks to its advanced shift control, the Renault Kwid AMT is more efficient than its manual counterpart with an ARAI-claimed fuel efficiency of 22.5kmpl. The manual variants, on the other hand, are rated at 21.7kmpl.
The AMT dial is positioned just below the AC controls and is well within reach for the driver. This setup not only comes in handy for the driver but also helps free up storage space on the centre console. Thanks to this unique setup, the Kwid AMT gets large, twin cup holders and a 12V socket. Quite a thoughtful addition.
Unparalleled packaging
The Renault Kwid not only offers SUV-inspired butch looks but also does the part. The Kwid rides 180mm off the ground, which is more than enough for rough roads the country has to offer. The Kwid easily dwarfs its vanilla-looking rivals thanks to its segment defying design.
The 2018 model year hatchback offers refreshed styling with new ‘Razor-edge’ chrome front grille and sportier black, red and grey fabric upholstery along with a host chrome highlights inside-out.
Apart from being the most spacious car in its class, the Renault Kwid also packs a premium hatchback-rivalling boot capacity of 300 litres! And it doesn’t skimp on features either. Over and above what the segment warrants, the Renault Kwid packs goodies such as a massive 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with built-in navigation. The system also packs a reverse parking camera so that you don't have to worry about parking the Kwid in tight parking spots. Also on offer are a fully digital instrument cluster, a rear centre armrest to pamper occupants and a rear 12V power outlet to juice up your smartphones. The 2018 Renault Kwid also gets rear ELR (Emergency Locking Retractor) seatbelts that improve the safety of rear seat passengers. A majority of these features are not even offered in hatchbacks from a segment above.
What’s more, Renault even offers an even more rugged-looking version of the hatchback called the Kwid Climber. The flagship Climber enhances the Kwid's appeal further with sturdier bumpers, exclusive paint schemes and orange highlights inside-out. And like the standard model, the Kwid Climber too comes with added features such as a rear centre armrest, rear 12V power outlet, ELR (Emergency Locking Retractor), rearview camera at no additional cost!
Finally, what cements the Kwid’s case is its category-first 4-year/100,000km warranty. Maintaining it won’t cost a bomb either as the Kwid 1.0-litre is about 40 per cent cheaper to maintain over a similar time frame when compared to other 1.0-litre offerings in the segment. What makes the Kwid even more desirable is Renault Finance's attractive interest rate of 7.99 per cent, which is among the lowest in its class.
The fact that the 2018 Renault Kwid AMT gets more segment-first features at no additional cost only sweetens the deal, while making it the best automatic hatchback in the country!
Disclaimer: This article has not been edited by Deccan Chronicle and is taken from a syndicated feed. Photos: CarDekho.
