[topaz2011]

hello guys, I am lookout for a new car and considering Kiger.
However, am a bit confused on which variant should I go for - turbo MT or the CVT. The reason behind this dilemma is a post in one of the Kiger groups in FB. Here goes the excerpt:

"Very slow response while climbing hills from stationery position, even in the load mode need to apply full throttle and turn off the AC after that it takes 5 to 10 seconds to move the vehicle from static position (vehicle will not roll down but takes time to move) it’s seems Renault engineers designed in such a way to avoid excessive wheel spins when you are climbing in hills but this may create problems when you have vehicles in front and back as when your front vehicle moved you need 5 to 10 seconds to move and the guy behind will honk you (need to do more testing on this situation and post the results soon) this issue is likely to face only for CVT owners only at steep hill areas

In CVT model no option for engine braking when you cruise downhill, have to apply brakes and this will result in high tear and wear to brake pads, load gear makes high noise when you downhill"

I wanted to go for the CVT but wondering how big is this issue during hill drive / ghat roads? Would be great if members can suggest which Kiger variant to go for if hill driving is taken into consideration along with usual city driving?

[teekranthi]

I have recently booked Renault Kiger RXZ Turbo CVT. Kiger comes with only one USB port in the front. I plan to install a Garmin Dashcam that I have sourced from the USA. The problem is, if I use up the USB port in the front for the camera, I will not be able to charge my phone. Is there a way to add a USB port or a charging socket in the front? I want to leave the charging socket in the back for rear passenger use. I am against tampering with the car for aftermarket accessories. Are there any Renault-provided OEM parts for this? Did anyone do it in their Kiger?

[jackerhack]

Originally Posted by teekranthi

I have recently booked Renault Kiger RXZ Turbo CVT. Kiger comes with only one USB port in the front.

You should have a USB port and a charging socket in the front. Get a multi-port charger for that socket. Don't use the USB port is that is also connected to the media console. It is a low power port, so you're better off putting your phone also on the multi-port charger in the socket, as the RXZ has wireless Android Auto/Carplay and doesn't need a physically wired phone.

I use a 70mai dashcam. This comes with an optional charger that can be wired directly to the car's fuse board. This has removed all dangling cables from my console, and the dashcam is now able to record on impact even when the car is turned off. There doesn't seem to be any significant impact on battery even if the car is unused for weeks at a time.

You may want to consider this if your dashcam supports it. Installation is non-invasive, requiring nothing more than glove box access. Even for the rear dashcam, I was able to route the cable through the existing cable bundle using just curtain spring wire.

[apollo_1999]

Originally Posted by topaz2011

In CVT model no option for engine braking when you cruise downhill, have to apply brakes and this will result in high tear and wear to brake pads, load gear makes high noise when you downhill"[/i]

I wanted to go for the CVT but wondering how big is this issue during hill drive / ghat roads? Would be great if members can suggest which Kiger variant to go for if hill driving is taken into consideration along with usual city driving?

I would consider you to check out the Nissan magnite once before making your decision.
Few days back I had the opportunity to drive a 1.0L NA engine mated with the AMT gearbox. The impressions are not very promising, engine lacks power and its clearly visible and the gearbox is slow and jerky, every shifts were noticeably and the acceleration was also very slow. The turbo with the CVT felt much better as compared with its AMT counterpart but it also suffers from the same problem.

[electro-monk]

I am looking to purchase 1.0 turbo CVT Kiger.
I need an automatic car immediately and after speaking to Trident Renault, the only variants available right away are RXT(O)/RXZ(O). I am upgrading from 2015 Swift petrol.

Took a test drive today - went upto 65kmph on open state highway (interspersed with traffic, speed breakers and gaps in median). Impressions:
- Suspension is perfectly tuned. It is silent and slightly on softer side ( exactly how I like)
- Transmission is smooth and competent (though absence of gear indicator is disconcerting)
- Turbo lag is prominent only while starting off
- Driveability was little disappointing. I felt that Dzire(dualjet manual) > my car > Kiger(turbo CVT) in this aspect
- Engine is noisy at idle (much more than my Swift) but was acceptable to me as speeds rise
- Doors and tailgate have heft and the car feels safe (1 levels up from my current car and 3 levels up from latest Dzire). Double thumbs up
- Exteriors look smashing from all angles
- Interiors not great - in that there are no soft touch plastics on dashboard (but still an upgrade from my Swift)
- Absense of ESP is perplexing (even Dzire AMT variants get it)

Overall I am okay with negatives above but am skeptical whether, in the absence of manual mode in CVT, it would have sufficient engine braking while going downhill in L mode?
It find this very important. Just for some context, I have driven automatic cars (TC,AMT) quite extensively in India and abroad earlier, but never in hilly areas.

Basically I forgot to try out the "L" mode and so want to know this : does it lock the transmission to gear#1 or 2 or is it just 1 gear lower than what the CVT would normally choose for a particular speed?

If it is former, then I am good to go.

TIA.

[pamidi]

Originally Posted by jackerhack

I use a 70mai dashcam. This comes with an optional charger that can be wired directly to the car's fuse board. This has removed all dangling cables from my console, and the dashcam is now able to record on impact even when the car is turned off. There doesn't seem to be any significant impact on battery even if the car is unused for weeks at a time.

I see your location is Bangalore, can you please tell me where you got this installed? I have a 70mai dashcam and hardwire kit that I'm looking to get installed.

[locusjag]

Originally Posted by electro-monk

Basically I forgot to try out the "L" mode and so want to know this : does it lock the transmission to gear#1 or 2 or is it just 1 gear lower than what the CVT would normally choose for a particular speed?

If it is former, then I am good to go.

Here is the official Team-bhp Magnite CVT review snippet that's relevant to your query. I'm assuming that the Kiger has the same engine and transmission.

The CVT has an "L" mode which should be used on inclines, steep mountain roads and wherever you really need engine braking. Mind you, it's not a 1st gear mode. L mode goes all the way to 120 km/h and beyond.

[nma83]

Originally Posted by locusjag

Here is the official Team-bhp Magnite CVT review snippet that's relevant to your query. I'm assuming that the Kiger has the same engine and transmission.

Never tried L on my kiger yet, but I've always wondered if you can shift from D to L while driving along or shift after stopping the car.

[amrit_bareta]

Renault India is doing very well by bringing new products, hope this new car of Renault will get good sales.

[locusjag]

Originally Posted by nma83

Never tried L on my kiger yet, but I've always wondered if you can shift from D to L while driving along or shift after stopping the car.

Normally on CVTs and Torque Converter Automatics (which I've owned and tried it with), you can shift on the fly. My fear with shifting was of accidentally slotting into 'P' or 'R' when upshifting back from L to D.

Anyhow, the fact that the Magnite/Kiger CVT has a L that goes all the way to 120 kmph is mind-bending to me. Wonder what that feels like, to hit L at 100 + kmph!

[jackerhack]

Originally Posted by pamidi

I see your location is Bangalore, can you please tell me where you got this installed? I have a 70mai dashcam and hardwire kit that I'm looking to get installed.

I installed it myself. It's easy to push the wires under the beading. The difficult part was getting the rear dashcam's wire into the existing wiring duct for the door, for which I needed to use spring wire (sold as curtain wire on Amazon).

[jackerhack]

Originally Posted by nma83

Never tried L on my kiger yet, but I've always wondered if you can shift from D to L while driving along or shift after stopping the car.

I shift between D and L while in motion on steep curves. There is no problem with doing this. The car adapts smoothly.

[PrasannaDhana]

I did a second test drive of Kiger turbo yesterday. This time I could stretch its legs as it was on the highways. I was very happy with the engine except for the lack of any top end punch from it.

[Bismaya]

Hello Everyone.

My pre-workshipped Renault Kiger has completed 26,687kms today. I previously drove a RXE variant when my uncle purchased it during the launch and drove it for over 6-8 months before it was replaced with a i10 Nios.

Later this year, I bought a 2021 Kiger, RXZ Dual Tone Non-Turbo and have had some great experience with it. I'll let the pictures and the points do the talking.

1 Year, 26,800kms covered with the Kiger RXZ, Manual Dual Tone. Brief review of the vehicle.

Likes:

1. Compact size, stunning design and presence everywhere. It's a looker. No two ways about it.
2. Fun to drive state of engine tune. Absolutely fun on open roads.
3. Well tuned suspensions. Glides over potholes. Pair this with a good set of rubber abd you will be all set.
4. The Arkamys 3D Sound setup is awesome. Coming from a customised Sony ICE, this one is still a decent performer with it's 8 speaker system.
5. Android Auto is flawless and great to have in this price range.
6. 2.5 Cabin Filter helps to keep things smooth to a great extent. Really useful feature to have.
7. Thoughtful interior design. AC knobs, touchscreen controls, buttons and ergonomics are well sorted for the most part. You get the armrest from the base model itself which is good thinking from Renault's part.
8. Huge Boot Space - Yes, it's a life saver and useful when going on long trips, moving house or similar. I have recently carried a lot of stuff between by old place and new. My folks were suprised with how much the car could fit before running out of space.

Dislikes:

1. Notchy gear shifts - I know this is a budget SUV/cross over but the shifts are too notchy for my taste. Coming from driving Maruti's and Hyundai's, the shifts are too NOT "hot knife slicing through butter" for my taste.
2. Braking Noise from Front Discs - Yes, it's there and can be heard a lot. And while it has never created issues in sudden braking or coming to half even when stopping at 100km/hr speeds, this is a serious quality thing that Renault needs to look into.
3. Quality of dashboard - Atleast for the RXZ model, the finish could have been more premium. It feels just the same as the other models and quality plain jane if you ask me.
4. AC blower noise - You get a 7-speed adjustment. 4/7 is where the decent airflow starts and beyond that it is too noisy. And that affects your music playback, unless you are playing it loud.
5. Rear Windshield - The coupe like design makes it tough to see behind when driving or reversing. Yes, you can always use the reverse parking camera but I feel that the aesthetics ruin the rear visibility of the car and that is not acceptable.
6. Safety Features - Lack of ESP, Hill Start Assist, Hill Hold and Cruise Control. Magnite XV Premium has these features and two cars that are more or the less same should be able to offer these without any issues. Kiger has more airbags (curtain ones) but lack of these important safety features is unforgiveable in my opinion. Major disappointment and I hope Renault takes an initative to add these in the next update.
7. Seat Belt Design - Yes, tying the buckles is a task. Especially if you have a bad vision or poor eyesight. It takes a lot of time getting used to. The centre console makes it difficult and clumsy for the belt space. This is a serious issue again that Renault needs to fix. No one cares a huge centre console. People want easy access to seat belts.

What could have been better:

1. Auto Dimming IRVM - For a car that costs almost 10L and most features are well covered, this could have been easily added.
2. Sunglass Holder - Kia Sonet gets it. You get a sunglass holder placed above the front map lights inside the cabin. This really helps on long drives.
3. Stickier Rubber - Yes, while the stock MRF Wanderer really holder there own, there is really evident body roll when you try overtakes at high speeds and hit corners hard. Goodyear tyres like Kia would have better been value here. This is something Renault should have looked into. The car is too tall in height for ground clearance and 195/60-R16 is a poor choice of size in my opinion. 205/55-R16 would have made more sense and would have kept the car more Planted. I am definitely going with this size when I replace my tyres in the next 5000kms.

[Divya Sharan]

Originally Posted by Bismaya

195/60-R16 is a poor choice of size in my opinion. 205/55-R16 would have made more sense and would have kept the car more Planted. I am definitely going with this size when I replace my tyres in the next 5000kms.[/list]

Delta between 195/60 and 205/55 is about 5 mm.
This 5 mm of sidewall height would make no observable difference in terms of reducing the wheel well gap or eyesore-ness, but those extra 5 mm would certainly cushion one better than 205/55.