Renault Kwid has earned an enviable distinction of being one of the best hatchbacks with an SUV inspired styling. Launched in 2015, the Renault Kwid was the pioneer in many ways. Seeing the success of this model, its rivals have also come up with their versions of SUV-inspired hatchbacks. The names of Maruti Suzuki S-Presso, Maruti Suzuki Alto, Maruti Suzuki Alto K10 and Datsun Redigo come to mind immediately.
Renault has been continually upgrading the Renault Kwid. To compete with their rivals, Renault has now given a massive makeover to the existing model and renamed it as the Renault Kwid Facelift. Let us see how the 2019 Renault Kwid Facelift deals with the enhanced level of competition from its rivals.
Dimensions – Physical Prowess has a say
The dimensions show that the Renault Kwid Facelift has a towering personality with an astounding ground clearance level for a hatchback model. It is much higher than what the Maruti Alto 0.8 and Maruti Alto K10 1.0L offers. The newly introduced Maruti Suzuki S-Presso is a close contender. The Datsun models have a ground clearance height of 185mm to give stiff competition to the Renault Kwid.
Compared to its rivals, the Renault Kwid Facelift has the largest wheelbase, thereby making it the most spacious car among its competitors. The Renault Kwid is longer than all its rivals by approximately 160 to 300mm. Its greater width adds to the comfort and convenience factor.
Bharat Stage 6 (BS6) Emission Standards: Everything You Need To Know
The Renault Kwid towers over all its rivals with an enhanced boot capacity of 279L. The nearest competitor is the Maruti Suzuki S-Presso, with a boot capacity of 270L. Though the boot capacity of the Renault Kwid Facelift has decreased from 300L to 279L, it is still the ideal car to go on long vacations with the family.
The Renault Kwid is the only model that has 14-inch wheels, whereas all its rivals ride on 12-inch or 13-inch wheels.
Renault has also used the opportunity to introduce structural reinforcements to ensure that the 2019 Renault Kwid Facelift satisfies crash test and pedestrian safety norms. Despite the enhanced dimensions, it is among the lightest of all the models with the kerb weight in the range of 705 to 754Kg. The Datsun Redigo is lighter than the Renault Kwid but is nearly 300mm shorter in length.
Engine and Transmission – Performance is All That Matters
Apart from the Maruti Suzuki S-Presso that comes with a 1L petrol engine, all the other models come with both a 0.8L and 1.0L petrol variants. There is very little to choose between the engine power and torque. However, the Maruti Suzuki Alto 0.8 and Maruti Suzuki S-Presso are the only two cars coming with BSVI compliant engines.
Maruti Suzuki S-Presso Vs Renault Kwid Facelift – Variants and Features Explained
All the 800cc variants feature manual transmission, whereas the 1.0L petrol engines come with an automatic transmission system, as well. On the mileage aspect, there is not much variance, as all the models deliver similar performances. An important point is that all the models will see a drop in their mileage performances after switching over to the BSVI compliance norms. Thus, the Maruti Suzuki Alto 0.8 and Maruti Suzuki S-Presso might have a slight advantage over the others.
One can expect all the variants to upgrade to BSVI emission norms soon.
Price – The Ultimate Deciding Factor
On the pricing front, the Renault Kwid 1.0L is the most expensive of the lot. However, it comes with various additional features worth its price. The Maruti Suzuki S-Presso automatic version matches the Renault Kwid 1.0L automatic variant. The introduction of BSVI specifications by April 2020 will bring all the prices in the same range. Consider the fact that the Maruti Suzuki S-Presso has already achieved BSVI compliance norms, it should prove to be the least expensive of all by April 2020.