Long-Term Review Of The Renault Kwid Climber

The Kwid Climber replaces our S-Presso as the smallest member of the fleet..

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I got the keys to a brand-new Renault Kwid Climber, which has replaced our Maruti Suzuki S-Presso; incidentally, its main market rival. The Kwid is not entirely new to me, especially after using the pre-facelift 0.8 as well as 1.0-litre versions extensively in the last few years. This one is the heavily updated Kwid and, in Climber's guise, it gets some unique cosmetic elements. This mid-life update went on sale in India before the rest of the world, and I have to give it up to Renault’s designers for making a budget hatchback look so convincingly SUV-like. The Climber variant comes with 14-inch wheels, which add a lot to its looks. The double-layer headlamp design, with its LED DRLs above and headlamps below looks upmarket, and further sets the Climber apart are its eye-catching orange exterior accents, dark grey wheel covers and unique interior upholstery.

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Since we are now back to a work-from-home regime, the Kwid makes fewer trips to the office, but I have managed to put around 2,000km on it, since late February. Spend enough time driving any vehicle, and you’re sure to get a good, solid perspective of its performance, dynamics and capabilities. The Kwid is my de facto ride to various COVID-19 centres I visit as part of a volunteer water distribution project I am part of. It’s also my companion for my aviation photography sessions, where its small footprint is quite helpful for the tight parking spots we ‘spotters’ often find ourselves in.

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Having driven this car over a thousand kilometres, I’ve noticed the new Kwid feels a bit slower and less energetic than the earlier Kwid 1.0, which I thoroughly enjoyed during my 12km office commutes a few years ago. While the engine does sound a bit more refined, it now feels milder. This is likely due to the added weight from upgrades made to let it meet the newer crash test norms.

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Once you get going, the performance feels adequate for a regular city commute, and it also has just enough pep to keep up with highway traffic. What I did like about the updated Kwid’s engine is that the bottom end is slightly better and, along with a light clutch, helps reduce stress and effort while driving in heavy traffic.

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The Kwid has also received a major change on the inside with this facelift. The dashboard is all new and so is the steering wheel. I did find the seats a bit better contoured, but the big talking point is the 8.0-inch touchscreen which is the biggest in the class. While the audio quality from the two speakers in the dashboard remains nothing to write home about, the updated touchscreen system sort of makes up for it. Also, a good addition is a rear-view camera, which offers a surprisingly clear view of obstacles, unlike other budget cars that have a patchy, low-res feed. Apart from the added structural reinforcement, the Kwid now gets dual front airbags and ABS as standard, thanks to the recent government norms, giving me a little more peace of mind.

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As far as fuel economy goes, I am getting around 13.5kpl in the city, but the Kwid Climber 1.0 is still quite new and the odometer is still just above 2,000km, so it should improve. More on that in my next long-term report, where I’ll also look into the rear seat and what has changed there.

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The Renault Kwid price is quite competitive, and the same is true for the Climber variant.

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Review compiled by https://www.autocarindia.com/car-long-termer/

New Renault Clio V Builds On The Success Of The Clio 4

The fifth-generation Renault Clio arrived in South Africa at the start of 2022 after a delay of more than two years due to the Coronavirus pandemic and semiconductor chip shortage. Although the stylish hatchback is late to the party, it still has some prominent features that would help it compete with the new Volkswagen Polo, Hyundai i20, and the Kia Rio. The fourth-generation Clio received lots of accolades around the globe, and the 2022 Renault Clio V builds on that success.

Trim levels and powertrain

The first non-tangible change for the Clio V is the new trim names. Renault has replaced the old Authentique, Expression, and Dynamique with entry-level LIFE, mid-level ZEN, and range-topping INTENS. 

The French carmaker gives buyers just one powertrain choice for the 2022 Clio V, i.e., a 1.0-litre turbocharged petrol mill mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox. While the engine might seem like carried over from the Clio IV, it basically has an entirely new motor producing 74 kW and 160 Nm of torque - 8 kW and 20 Nm more than the previous generation. The new powerplant is more fuel-efficient at 5.7L/100 km (claimed); however, in real-world testing, the reviewers witnessed around 6.9L/100Km.

Renault won’t want to offend the automatic gearbox lovers, so we expect a new mill and an auto variant sometime this year or for the refreshed 2023 Clio V.

Exterior

While the overall design of the new Clio V isn’t much different from the previous model, the new C-styled headlights and the new lower bumper give it an up-to-date appeal. Renault has also updated the rear styling with bigger LED rear lights built into the tailgate and a superbly incorporated chrome finish. Let’s not forget the concealed rear door handles that give the new hatchback a sophisticated look.

Interior

Renault is famous for its attractive cabin design, and the Clio V is no different. The interior looks upmarket, with most controls focused on the driver. The biggest highlight is the 9.3-inch portrait-oriented touchscreen supporting Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Other salient features include two USB ports on the console and the digital instrument cluster that changes themes according to the drive mode.

To make the Clio V more capable, you can opt for the option that includes front parking sensors, a reverse-view camera, 17-inch diamond-cut alloys, a little bigger (9.3- in place of a 9.0-inch) display, and a wireless charging pad.

The new 2022 Clio V is a little more compact than its predecessor, but that doesn’t make it less spacious for carrying luggage. In fact, the cargo room has increased by 61 litres to take the total volume to an inspiring 391 litres with the rear seats up. Fold them flat, and the capacity increases to around 1069 litres.   

Renault Clio price

The 2022 Renault Clio V starts at R307,999 for the entry-level LIFE and R322,999 for the mid-level ZEN. The flagship INTENS model goes for R362,999. All Clio models come with a 5-year/150,000 km warranty and a service plan.

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Info sourced from https://www.motorhappy.co.za/motorhappyblog/