Renault India launched the Kiger in February 2021.
Now, the sales of March 2021 are out and the sales figure reveal that Kiger’s sales have surpassed the sales of Nissan Magnite which is its cousin. Renault sold 3,839 units of the Kiger as compared to the 2,987 units of the Nissan Magnite. The Kiger starts from Rs. 5.54 lakhs ex-showroom while the Magnite starts at Rs. 5.59 lakhs ex-showroom.
Both the compact SUVs share quite a few things such as the underpinnings, factory, engines and transmissions. Both are based on the ‘CMF-A+’ platform that debuted with Renault’s Triber. They both are being produced at the factory located in Oragadam, Chennai. However, the design of both compact SUVs is vastly different. The Kiger is bolder with its sportier and aggressive design whereas the Magnite is more classy with its sleek crossover design language.
The engine options are also the same. There is a 1.0-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine that produces 72 PS of max power and a peak torque output of 96 Nm. It is offered with a 5-speed manual gearbox. However, the Kiger also gets an option of a 5-speed AMT gearbox. Then there is the more powerful 1.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine on offer that produces 100 PS of max power and a peak torque output of 160 Nm. It is offered with a 5-speed manual gearbox or a CVT automatic gearbox. If you opt for the CVT then the torque amount is reduced to 152 Nm.
At a first glance, the Kiger might look like a jacked-up Kwid but if you get close you will notice that there are a lot more differences. The Kiger is much bigger and more imposing than the Kwid. There are chrome inserts with the front grille that integrates with the LED Daytime Running Lamps. The headlamp is placed in the lower half of the bumper and they are quite unique. There are three individual LED projector units that mimic the design of an ice cube. Because the headlamps are places so low, there is no need for fog lamps.
The side profile consists of 16-inch dual-tone alloy wheels and roof rails also. The roof rails can take a weight of up to 50 kgs. There is plastic cladding on the wheel arches to emphasise the rugged looks. Renault offers a dual-paint option across all the variants. So, the outside rearview mirrors and roof is finished in contrasting black colour. The rear gets a faux skid plate, C-shaped LED tail lamps and shark-fin antenna. There is also a rear spoiler on offer.
The cabin of the Kiger has some design elements from the Triber. The cabin is finished in a black and grey theme. There is a floating touchscreen infotainment system that comes with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. There are loads of equipment on offer too. You get rear AC vents, push-button to start/stop, a digital instrument cluster, automatic climate control, multi-function steering wheel, electric adjustment for the outside rearview mirrors and much more. For safety, you get rear parking sensors, up to 4 airbags, ABS with EBD, speed-sensing door locks and load limiter and pretensioner for the driver’s seatbelt.
