Renault has recently unveiled its most awaited Kiger SUV, which will mark the French maker's entry in the hotly contested sub-compact SUV segment. While the launch of Kiger is scheduled for March 2021, the reports are suggesting that it will be the most affordable car in the segment. That said, the Renault Kiger will undercut the Nissan Magnite which currently bears the most affordable SUV tag in the segment.
The entry-level variant of Nissan Magnite, XE has recently witnessed a price hike of up to Rs 50,000. With this, the Magnite currently ranges between Rs 5.49 lakh and Rs 9.59 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). If reports are to be believed, the ex-showroom prices of Kiger will start below Rs 5.49 lakh. In our opinion, Kiger's pricing will start from around Rs 5 lakh.
Since the Renault Kiger strives to be the 'most economically priced SUV in the segment’, hence it will not only outdo the Nissan Magnite on affordability quotient, but also other offerings of the segment including the Kia Sonet (Rs 6.79 – 13.19 lakh – currently the 2nd most affordable SUV of the segment), Hyundai Venue (Rs 6.86 – 11.66 lakh), Maruti Vitara Brezza (Rs 7.39 – 11.40 lakh), Tata Nexon (Rs 7.09 – 12.79 lakh), Ford EcoSport (Rs 7.99 – 11.49 lakh), Mahindra XUV300 (Rs.7.95 – 12.30 lakh), Toyota Urban Cruiser (Rs 8.40 – 11.30 lakh), and Honda WR-V (Rs 8.55 – 11.05 lakh).
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For the people not in know, the Renault Kiger shares its underpinnings and engine options with the Nissan Magnite. It also utilises the same 1.0-liter naturally aspirated and 1.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine. However, compared to Magnite SUV, the naturally aspirated unit in Kiger will also get the option of AMT gearbox along with the standard 5-speed manual unit. The turbo motor, on the other hand, will get the CVT automatic choice as its Nissan counterpart. Renault will also offer three driving modes with the turbocharged model – Normal, Eco and Sports.
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Despite the Kiger and Magnite use the same platform, the styling of Kiger is distinct from its sibling, which is an admirable attribute. In terms of features, it will be well-loaded offering with some nifty equipment such as an 8.0-inch floating touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay compatibility, 8-speakers Arkamys sound system, voice commands, a 7-inch TFT driver-side display, keyless entry with push engine start/stop button, automatic climate control, rear AC vents, ambient lighting, cruise control, and segment's largest boot capacity of 405-litres. It will also get a wireless mobile charger, and air purifier as part of an optional package.