[carwatcher]

Long booking list for entry level hatchback is not good for the company always as the buyer is very sensitive in this segment.
We also have examples of Fiat Uno and Tata Nano which are now remembered more for 'What If' and missed opportunities.

Renault please don't let this opportunity go waste else you will repent for a long long time.

[dtox]

Originally Posted by carwatcher

Long booking list for entry level hatchback is not good for the company always as the buyer is very sensitive in this segment.
We also have examples of Fiat Uno and Tata Nano which are now remembered more for 'What If' and missed opportunities.

Renault please don't let this opportunity go waste else you will repent for a long long time.

+ to that !
Another one comes to mind - Fiat Palio had a sensational start and then just frittered away. Can't remember if there were stock constraints initially.

Regards.

[aaggoswami]

Out of curiosity and looking forward to a replacement of our K10 Wagon R CNG, I visited Renault dealer in my city to see Kwid. Honestly, Kwid, due to its price and expected VFM proposition did manage to make me more than reasonably curious.

I was surprised to see so many footfalls in Renault showroom. The same place would always wear a deserted look and now there was no place to sit even. All extra chairs were occupied. This is a very positive opportunity for Renault after Duster and overpriced Lodgy. Duster prices have increased and Lodgy failed. After S-cross and Creta pricing, Figo/Aspire, Ecosport did make me happy. But Renault Kwid is in a different class altogether.

A week or so before this I had placed a call to Renault dealer about my interest in Kwid. At that time, the Kwid was not available, and the a person did note down my contact info. promising to inform me when Kwid was available. I requested for msg and two days ago the message came.

Now, the car :

A sure shot Alto eater + beater if mechanical reliability and low maintenance cost are achieved or taken care of. Last week, I did TD the Alto 800 and found it bad. When the Alto 800 hit the market, I TDed the same, but this time it was even worse ( and the TD car was not even well maintained, salesperson informed about poor brakes and yes, the brakes were horrible ).

With the above impressions in mind, Kwid was a winner.

1) Kwid seats are much, much better than Alto. Any given day, be it Alto 800 or Alto K10. This makes the basic task of driving comfortable.

2) Space is clearly more than Alto series.

3) Boot is huge, thought a bit narrow, but quite deep.

4) Looks nice from front. But on the road I did feel that front is overdone as compared to rest of the body. Could be even slightly "not so proportionate"

5) Engine bay as a lot of space for a bigger motor. Probably 1.5 diesel or a smaller diesel could make it into Kwid.

6) Door panels, etc. were not sturdy enough, but its the norm for the segment to which it belongs.

7) Open the hood, its reasonably heavy. A lot of industrial glue on various joints, etc. But not bad. Small engine with a spacious engine bay means it must be easy to work onto.

8) Car is narrow, but not as narrow as Alto series.

9) Interior quality is reasonable. Steering wheel of top end version felt very nice.

Maruti was overconfident IMO when it comes to segment of Alto. I find Maruti more conscious in Swift segment and above. Not so in Alto segment. Kwid could be real threat to Alto, much more than Nano and Eon.
For me Kwid is above Alto, but below Wagon R. Celerio, due to its seats and lack of any refinement even in petrol is best ignored.
Did not TD the car as I was getting late and hungry, the queue was also quite long for test drives. Competition is good! I dont expect either Alto or this car to do good in crash ratings, though would good to have them.

[Self Driven]

Just took these shots while driving back from office. It definitely looked different from behind. The car was being driven at 80+ speed. The side profile with the large door moulding looked not so good.

But definitely looks like will shake the segment

[sam003]

Originally Posted by johannskaria

Please share the app booking experience, if any members have had a first hand experience.

I did app booking on 25th Sept. Got confirmation in few min from Payumoney for payment. But surprise when called dealer they haven't received any. After couple of call no one responded, saying you have to release the payment but how no one know. Then launched complaint with Payumoney and they reverted saying payment made to Renault India and that's the problem from their end and they haven't transferred amount to dealer. Then received a call from Renault India and they confirm the same and send sms too saying thanks for booking. Finally 2 days before got confirmation from dealer as well and he was saying thanks to me, as no one was aware of the problem and due to this around 20 other booking to went on hold. And all go cleared in one shot. I booked RXT with Driver Airbag Option. Its showing in my app too.
But one question I have, who will cancel and transfer the money in case I have to?

[Rajeevraj]

Further info on Renault's Kwid's booking and plans.

• As mentioned earlier 25K bookings 35% from Tier 2 and 3 cities
  
• Looking to hit 205 dealer outlets by end of quarter. Which covers 92% of the market (?)
  
• Focusing on the Online Sale option to reach out to a wider base.
  
• Next year plan is to target Tier 4 towns- Towns which are predominantly 2 wheeler towns.
  
• Initial booking data also shows 15% of customers are female.

Plans sound good. But key is to ensure prompt initial deliveries and not be in a situation where they quote 4-5 months waiting periods. No one likes long waiting periods, least of all the entry segment buyers. Hope they are able to ramp capacity to ensure waiting period is max 1-1.5 months.

Source: TOI

[shreyascashyap]

I took a test drive of the Kwid over the weekend at
Trident Renault in Bangalore. There was an insane rush of people at the showroom, in all my time I've never seen any showroom this packed! This was my second visit to see the car and both the times there were more than 100 people at the showroom.

The test drive was very rushed, there was a long queue of people waiting to get a go on the car. Drove for about 2-3 kms only and made the following observations.

1. Space is indeed a big plus point. I'm 5'11" and well over a 100kilos. I was able to sit comfortably both in the front and at the rear. Good shoulder room - my shoulders invariably bumped against the driver in my friend's Eon but not so here in the Kwid. Headroom is quite decent too. Definitely better than both the Alto and the Eon in terms of passenger space. That being said, it's gonna be a squeeze to try and fit 3 ppl in the rear.

2. Boot space is gigantic for this segment at 300L. Can easily stuff a suitcase and few duffel bags here. More than enough for weekend trips for two.

3. Touchscreen navigation is pretty smooth and was able to use it without any lag. There are 2 speakers fixed on the front dash just below the base of the windscreen. Audio quality can be termed barely adequate. The display was barely legible when direct sunlight was falling on it. I am assuming it will get better once you fiddle with the settings, being pressed for time due to the rush, was not able to take a longer look.

4. Lots of cubby holes and 3 usable glove boxes on the RXT trim. Rear seat passengers get no bottle holders or storage space. Rear seat belts don't retract automatically either.

5. Interior quality is much better than Alto, comparable to Eon. At this price range, you can't expect i20 like plastics. The black interior will be less prone to getting dirty compared the beige on the Eon.

6. With 3 people on board, the suspension went down quite a bit. The gap between the wheel arch cladding and the tire was noticably reduced. I feel that the ground clearance they claim is when there is no one sitting in the car? However, there were no scrapes when I went over humps and craters on Bangalore roads with 3 people inside. Definitely an improvement over Eon/Alto.

7. I'm used to driving the old 1.2L 80bhp i10 Magna. Loss of power was very noticable for me. With three heavy people on board, on flat roads it felt like the car took ages to reach 40kmph. I am not sure how it will be able to cope with steep inclines. Had to downshift even on very mild inclines.

Some other points to note -
My friend commented that she felt very claustrophobic at the back.(said it was as bad as the Swift) The rear window is quite small compared to the front ones, and they don't go fully down as well.
The fixed head restraints at back are more usable for someone my height than the curved ones like on the new Figo which press painfully against my neck
Cabin noise and vibrations in the car are comparable to new Alto/Eon. Something you'll have to live with in a small 3cyl car. It's not as bad as the Nano though.
The car doesn't look as good from the back as it does from front.

Conclusion - For first time buyers and people looking for fuss-free commute from A to B this more than fits the bill. At 4.51lac on road BLR for the top end RXT with the airbag option, it gives much better bang for your buck than anything else in this price range. Makes good sense as a 2nd car for the house too, which is what I'm looking for. Purely inside-city office runs with 1 person on board and the occasional passenger.

[PrideRed]

Originally Posted by shreyascashyap

7. I'm used to driving the old 1.2L 80bhp i10 Magna. Loss of power was very noticable for me. With three heavy people on board, on flat roads it felt like the car took ages to reach 40kmph. I am not sure how it will be able to cope with steep inclines. Had to downshift even on very mild inclines.

It was a different story I noticed. I found the car to be quite peppy. When i took the car for second test drive, we were 4 on board, weighing close to 300Kilos. The AC was on and car was lurching forward till 40-50 KM/hr. Post this I could notice power tapering off. Majority of the torque being made available at lower RPM is the cause. This one is completely tuned for city driving.

[deetjohn]

I checked out the Kwid on Sat. There were two display cars kept here, a red RXT(O) and a white RXL. Sorry! No pictures as the showroom was packed with people.

1. No cars for TD. The sales fella stated TD is only for the customers who have booked the Kwid. And was trying hard for a booking by paying 5k. Just not cool Renault, not cool at all!
2. The design is really good inside out. Each bit on the car, be it the grille, the lights, the center console or the upholstery is very smartly designed and attractive.
3. The steering wheel is just the right size, superbly shaped and great to hold. The all black interior looks gorgeous. The plastics are good. The seating position is good too.
4. Build is much better than Datsun Go, though its not saying much. I felt its on par with others in the A segment.
5. And there is so much space on the offer everywhere. Front, rear and the boot. Even inside the bonnet too. The little engine has left so much space behind that it looks a bit odd. Hope the 1L and AMT will fill the engine bay better.
6. The gearshift felt okay too. The display car had the upper glove box cover broken. The AC buttons felt a little too flimsy. I don't have a problem with the placement of front power windows under the AC module.
7. Hated the rear seat belts lying lose on the seat and lack of trim on the inside of the boot. The suspension mounts, the wheel wells are all exposed and its not a pleasant sight. Moreover, it will also let a lot of road noise on the inside. Wish the engine firewall insulation was also more complete and thicker. At some places, there is nothing on the firewall.
8. RXT(O) with airbag is 4.21 OTR kochi. Looks great VFM! Picking white will save you 2k more.

I will repeat what I have said before. I so wish Renault had made this car for the B segment, keeping the same design and investing on the quality and build by charging some 50k higher. The design is well worth it.

Maybe that's their idea, not improving the build but increasing the price as the Kwid becomes a success. I can see this vehicle giving sleepless nights to the ones in lower B segment too.

[sprue12]

After a long day request to one of the dealers here in my town, i was able to drive the Kwid for about 3 kms. We were 4 on board. Went especially to a shopping mall where the parking lot had a inclined ramp to test the engine and believe me it was a struggle. It halted once. Had people at my back honking. I asked my friend to get out of the car to the calm the people down, checked twice if the AC was switched off and it sure was even when i entered the mall. After an embarrassing scene at the mall, went out on the open road but it was not at all fun to drive with 4 on board. Overtaking felt like a big task even on plains. Driving ergonomics were good though compared to the other cars in this league. Nobody complained about the rear space or head room. I feel this car is tuned just for mileage and for getting the job done and that iss it. AC was good, could not pass through blower speed of 2 as weather was very pleasant in the evening. Dropped off the car and the showroom guys at their station. Sales personnel insisted on getting the booking done as the booking has already mounted to 500+ and they are already giving a time frame of 4-6 months to their customers. I told them i would come the next day to book with my parents. I did not want them to feel offended, so tricked them. I went off on my Honda Activa with my friend and believe me driving Activa made me more happy rather than that car. Me and my friend could not resist laughing our butts off on what in the hell we were expecting out of this car.

So the question is, will i buy this car?
NOT AT ALL !!

[chandra1]

Originally Posted by sprue12

Went especially to a shopping mall where the parking lot had a inclined ramp to test the engine and believe me it was a struggle. It halted once.
NOT AT ALL !!

Does it mean One should not even think of taking Kwid to hilly terrains? If that is the case I think I'll need to reconsider my decision to buy this car as I plan to travel to hill stations occasionally. I thought weight-power ratio will work in the favor of Kwid.
What do you guys think?

[castiel]

Originally Posted by sprue12

I went off on my Honda Activa with my friend and believe me driving Activa made me more happy rather than that car. Me and my friend could not resist laughing our butts off on what in the hell we were expecting out of this car.

So the question is, will i buy this car?
NOT AT ALL !!

Wow! . I just recommended this to a family planning an upgrade from Activa.

Was there an issue with the TD car or is this how it is?

How would have an Alto performed in similar situation?

[vinit.merchant]

Originally Posted by chandra1

I thought weight-power ratio will work in the favor of Kwid.
What do you guys think?

Well, a strong Power to weight ratio of 660 kgs to xx bhp will remain that till the car is empty.
4 adults and some luggage and you are looking at 1000 kgs. Now where does that take the Power to weight ratio?

Best is to test drive the car, with 4 adults, on an incline and then decide.

[Prafful_Rathod]

Originally Posted by vinit.merchant

Well, a strong Power to weight ratio of 660 kgs to xx bhp will remain that till the car is empty.
4 adults and some luggage and you are looking at 1000 kgs. Now where does that take the Power to weight ratio?

Best is to test drive the car, with 4 adults, on an incline and then decide.

Then the same logic would apply to the other cars in the segment as well, as far as power to weight ratio is concerned. But agree that a TD is required to actually get a feel of how responsive or agile the engine is.

[sprue12]

Originally Posted by chandra1

Does it mean One should not even think of taking Kwid to hilly terrains? If that is the case I think I'll need to reconsider my decision to buy this car as I plan to travel to hill stations occasionally. I thought weight-power ratio will work in the favor of Kwid.
What do you guys think?

I would recommend you to take it to a slope to test its pulling power with occupants. As i live in plain, so went to the shopping mall with inclined slopes. Have a test drive and then consider over your decision. I usually do not travel alone and have at least 3-4 occupants in car. I have 2006 Accent petrol and it does fairly fine on inclines. I was considering Kwid due to its high ground clearance and mileage but i did not feel comfortable driving it on an incline at all. Hilly terrain requires sudden overtaking sometimes and with a car like Kwid, it would definitely be a problem. But Kwid did move over an incline after all. You know how mall ramps have slippery turf sometimes. Once in for all, I think Kwid would be to the liking of females or old aged people who like sedate driving.. It definitely should have had 1.2 L or 1 L engine.