[vishy76]

The Renault Kwid has been bought at an OTR of Rs. 5,33,169 (Vadodara).

What I liked:

• A smart looking hatchback with a VFM price tag. Competitively priced AMT too
• Good ride quality and handling balance along with 180mm of Ground clearance
• Feature loaded. (Digital speedometer, Touchscreen infotainment etc)
• Peppy 1.0 SCe along with good driveability. Much better than it''s 800cc sibling
• AMT is a meagre 30-40K above the manual. Makes it an even more desirable offering

What I didn't like:

• Horrendous safety rating. A meagre 1 star in the Euro NCAP tests!
• Blatant cost cutting at some places. (Lap belts at the rear, lack of internally adjustable ORVMs etc)
• Stripped down AMT can't match torque converters. No manual mode either, thus limiting versatility
• Renault's A.S.S network isn't a match for established market players like Maruti and Hyundai
• Poor braking combined with a large turning radius and a 28 Litre fuel tank

I am only 15 years old, and hence might have made both technical and grammatical errors due to lack of time. Do excuse them

[vishy76]

Need for a new car
We were very happy with the way the Jetta was serving us in Mumbai. Even after shifting to Vadodara, the car gave us no problems and still doesn't. However, there were two good reasons to go for a new car.

Here's the ownership report: http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/long-t...lin-tyres.html

- The Jetta's odo reading had been increasing at an alarming rate. 43K km in 2.5 years is not a small number by any means. Add to this the fact that nearly 75-80% was in the city, and the need for a new car started to make sense. Service costs were also a concern here.

- My dad is out of town most of the times and the lack of a chauffeur meant that my mom had to take the wheel. A small, automatic for city commutes became a compulsion.

Following were the set of requirements for a new car:
- Should be an automatic
- Easy to drive within the city
- Shouldn't be more than 5-5.5 Lakhs OTR
- Good F.E figures
- Any additional features would be welcome

With this set of requirements in mind, the hunt for a new car started off.

Options considered

Maruti Alto K10 AMT

What we liked:

• A no nonsense Maruti hatchback. Competitively priced too
• Full fledged AMT with a manual mode as well to add to the convenience
• 1.0 K-series has good overall performance and driveability
• Maruti's widespread A.S.S network

What we didn't like:

• Complaints with regard to the AMT and unreliability
• Supply issues and long waiting periods of upto 6 months
• Due for a next generation around 2018. Looks dated.
• Poor safety rating. 0 stars in the NCAP tests.
• VXI (O) was sparsely available in the AMT variants

Hyundai Eon

What we liked:

• A "premium hatchback"
• Interior quality was a cut above competitors
• Peppy 1.0l engine
• Hyundai's A.S.S network

What we didn't like

• Priced above the competition
• Lack of an automatic transmission
• Vague steering and weak dynamics
• Hyundai's service costs were unknown

Tata Nano AMT

What we liked:

• A small, easy to drive hatchback for the cities
• VFM positioning as compared to direct competitors
• One of the cheapest AMTs in the market

What we didn't like:

• Dated and old. Rumours of being phased out soon
• Incompetent 700cc engine even by segment standards
• Poor driving dynamics. Front drum brakes didn't help matter further
• Tata's A.S.S and reliability remained a gamble

Hyundai Grand i10

What we liked:

• A good looking contemporary B-segment hatchback. Much better than its A-segment counterparts
• Part quality was of high order inside out
• One of the cheaper torque converters in the market
• Hyundai's A.S.S. network

What we didn't like:

• Way above our already stretched budget
• Hyundai's service costs were unchartered territory
• Hyundai-esque steering wheel and suspension
• A Volkswagen Polo was peanuts away in terms of EMI

There were a few pre-worshipped alternatives on offer, however most of them had high asking prices and odo readings. Got the offer of a used i10 automatic, but it had done 70K+ Km and was 5-6 years old. Rejected it then and there.

There were also plenty of grand i10s and Polos on offer. However, the i10s had high asking prices and the polo was not available in automatic guise at all.

[vishy76]

It's actually a pretty long story when it comes to this part. As you might have already made out, the Alto and the Kwid were the top two contenders for us. My dad test drove the Alto and liked it,but wanted to have a look at the Kwid as well.

Early 2017
This was somewhere around February or March as far as I recollect. We went to the Renault showroom and had a look at the car in flesh. The dealership was Kamdar Cars, Vadodara.

Unfortunately, the first car I fell in love with was the Climber. Ignoring the finicky orange touches, the blue colour looked very sassy on the Kwid. It's a shame that Renault doesn't offer it on other variants. My dad also sat inside the car and was pretty impressed with the headroom and overall space. There were also details of an RXL AMT variant on Carwale, so I asked the S.A about it. He was reluctant about this and misinformed. He told me that no such variant was available.

There was no test drive AMT available then, so the S.A agreed to bring the car home for us.

2 weeks later

I was jumping up and down after hearing that the test drive car had arrived. I have never been in a proper budget hatchback; that too in an AMT before. Thus, I was eager to check out the Kwid. After all, it's not everyday that you get to see a "European Budget Hatchback" .

The test drive car was an outback bronze one. I also developed a liking for the colour, which looked very premium. These were the initial impressions about the car itself:

- Violent cabin shake on startup. Maybe this was a problem with the test drive car as it had been in an accident only a week before we drove it. The whole front end had taken the impact when a customer misjudged a U-turn and a truck slammed into it.

- The gearshifts were noticeable, especially since my dad was driving a bit spiritedly. He also found it difficult on intersections and especially when it came to overtaking because he didn't know what cog the gearbox would choose.

- My dad was about to conclude the test drive when I asked him to try the car out on a slope. This hadn't been done by anyone before. The car did pass this test, but only just. I will be coming to the details later.

All in all, the car had us impressed. The build quality felt light, but then I did have the 1.5 tonne Jetta to bank upon when I needed more "heft". My dad tried to negotiate with the Sales manager, who had coincidently come along with the S.A. This is when the bad news came. RTO charges were going to be jacked up and my dad wanted to purchase the car on a corporate lease, not an individual one. The total OTR price would exceed 5,50,00 easily. I was shocked. Again, when I enquired about the RXL he gives me s****y reasons saying that the car will take months to arrive and so on and so forth. I knew he was reluctant to sell the top end, but didn't know he would be ready to do so at the cost of the car.

We had to reject the Kwid. I felt bad, but there was no other way out. Paying close to 6 lakhs for an A-segment hatchback was stretching it too far. A polo or Grand i10 wasn't far away.

April, 2017

Fast forward to late April and the lack of a beater was hurting. This wasn't because of any problems with the Jetta, but because our chauffeur was about to quit and was throwing up tantrums. He would come late, not show up et all. All of this angered us, and we had to consider a hatch for my mom now. There were no two ways about it..

I once again called up the Renault Vadodara. The phone was picked up by another S.A. The first and foremost thing i asked him was whether the RXL had arrived. He said that it had been launched, but was not in stock for now. He also immediately gave me the prices for the same. That's the kind of service I wanted. He was never forcing me explicitly to go for the RXT variant and gave me what I needed. The total math for the RXL came to a shade over the 4.7 Lakh mark, but as always, there was a twist in the tale.

June, 2017

GST was about to be implemented. Dealers were bent on clearing stocks, so we decided to ride on the 'GST' wave like any other customer and visited the showroom. The S.A my dad met this time was more courteous. He immediately realised our budget constraints and offered a December, 2016 car. It was an RXT(O) AMT in white or red.

I found it a bit fishy that the dealer was sitting on unsold stock for more than 6 months, so visited the showroom to get my doubts cleared. The good thing was that the S.A was active when it came to solving doubts, probably because he had dealt with many customers. He promised me that it won't be a T.D car and that it won't have more than 400Km on the odo, as it was being driven down from Rajkot. I was a bit apprehensive about the car being driven down, but it was a deadlock. There was nothing I could do here.

We made the booking on 26th June. By the time we had done so, the red car had already been sold out. That only left us with a white one. So, we had to accept it. The dealer promised delivery within 2-3 days, however, it took time for the cheque to be cleared, so the car was eventually delivered after 5 days.

Delivery day

It was a Friday, so came home from school and decided to leave at 4.00 to reach the showroom by 5.00 pm. Everything went according to plan. The car was ready at the showroom although we hadn't informed the dealer. Luckily it had been cleaned only a few hours back and needed a bit of polish only. I ran through the PDI checklist.

Everything seemed just fine until I came upto the rear of the car and noticed something was amiss:


The Easy-R badge was missing. I initially thought it was exclusive to the duster although i had vague memories of seeing it on the TD car. Had Renault deleted it? Either ways, I called one the S.As and he immediately acknowledged the fault after looking at another TD car. He said he didn't have it in stock, but would come home and affix it with the number plates or on the first service.

On a sidenote, I had a very hard time tallying the Chassis number. The Chassis number on the Kwid is behind the insulation directly stamped onto the sheet metal. This was extremely irritating. What's worse is that you need a phone along with flashlight to read it. Very bad methods of cost cutting Renault!

The first shot I took of the car :


We left the showroom after a quick photograph with the S.A.

The car was doing fine for the first 2Km. My dad was doing speeds of around 30-40 Km/hr when he broke a bit in order to slow down for a traffic blockage near a flyover. Here's where the problem started. The car stopped responding. I initially thought it was the AMT that had slipped into neutral until my dad said that he had lost power to the steering. However, the car cranked back up again as if nothing had happened.

The second time this happened was when we were slowing down in order to enter the society. Once again my dad broke from moderate speeds of upto 40 Km/hr and slowed down to crawling speeds due to the potholes in front. The car did the same thing again. It stalled. One common thing I noticed in both the phenomenon was that the gear indication on the MID was flickering between N and D, similar to what your computer does when it hangs. The AMT shifts fine other wise and I see no other problems with either the engine or the gearbox. I will be reporting this at the first service.

[vishy76]

Trivia

Renault has been known for making some of the most influential cars when it comes to design in India. Starting off with the mighty Duster, which not only created a segment for itself and other cars to come,but also attracted customers chiefly due to its looks. This is when the SUV hype was picking up in India and Renault hit the nail right on its head.

It's been more than 6-7 years since the duster's launch, but many manufacturers are still riding on the SUV wave created by Renault and Ford back then.

However, if there was one segment where this formula would be difficult to apply, it would have to be the A-segment. The A-segment is where a manufacturer gains Lakhs by saving on a nut or plastic cladding all thanks to the sheer volumes these cars are sold in. Have a look at this calculation for instance.

Cost of one reverse lamp bulb: Rs. 100 (Max)
No. of cars sold per month: 9,000 on an average
Total savings per month: Rs. 9,00,000

Total savings per annum: Rs. 1,08,00,000 or 1.08 cr

Applying the SUV formula is risky, especially for Renault, who is a European manufacturer and might not be the first one in a common man's mind. European manufacturers are known for expensive spares, poor A.S.S support and reliability. Add to this the fact that the Kwid was only to be offered in markets like India and Brazil, and you know how risky it is to invest $$$ into a car.

But Renault of all manufacturers decided to risk it just like the Duster. And like the Duster, Renault is reaping the benefits. The Kwid manages to do 9K to 10K units per month on an average. It might not be close to the Alto, but it is a major contributor to Renault's plans of increasing market share to 5% in the Indian market by 2018.


Exteriors

For an A-segment hatch, the Kwid looks very refreshing indeed. As I said, Renault wanted to tap the Indian consumer's interest in SUVs, albeit in the A-segment. Another commendable move by Renault is to design the Kwid as an SUVish hatch from a clean sheet of paper. As a result, there are no crossover-ish vibes associated with the Kwid. The increased Ground clearance of 180mm is a major contributor here. Combined with the thick, black plastic cladding running across the sides, the Kwid is one of the better looking pseudo-SUVs in the market today.

The front end looks very distinctive for a hatch. The funky trapezoidal grille combined with the headlamps which have a unique shape and plenty of inserts inside make it a looker. The large Renault logo sits atop the grille proudly, as the beefed up bonnet stands upright rather than gradually descending down to meet the bumper. This is one distinctive design trait that adds to the butch feeling of the car. It also makes the Kwid seem substantially larger than its direct competitors which is always something Indians like.

Coming to the side profile, the Kwid 1.0 finally gets proper ORVMs as opposed to the rickshaw type ones on the lesser variants. Even the 800cc RXT gets these as standard now, although they still can't be adjusted internally. The ORVMs on the white cars are painted in a gun metal grey sort of shade, which looks very elegant. The red colours come with these finished in silver. The 1.0 gets decals on the side, which will most definitely polarise opinions. My mom likes them, but they are still to grow on me personally. Renault should have done something better to distinguish the 1.0L variants, such as the addition of a few more features (internally adjustable ORVMs, rear power windows, etc). There is no 1.0 badging anywhere on the car either.

A ground clearance of 180mm gives the car that "butch" appearance all Indians love. Unfortunately, it also reveals the uglier side of the Kwid, such as the rails running below the body, the fuel feeder pipes for the tank and a nasty gap in the rear wheel arches.

The rear has a particularly "cutesy" kind of an appeal, although it doesn't look as substantial as the front end. It ends up looking a bit more contemporary with the tail lamps being a major contributor here. They are smaller than I would have preferred. Again, more than 80% of the bumper is black in colour. It is a joke that Renault mentions the bumpers on the higher variants to be body coloured. Another deterrent here are the puny 13 inch rims. They rob the rear of some much deserved appeal.

All in all, the car is one of the fresher looking ones in this segment and I can comfortably say that it won't look dated for another 2-3 years atleast.

Build Quality

The build quality of the Kwid is actually better than I expected at first. The 600Kg weight had alarm bells ringing but I found the doors to be slightly better than the Alto. I conducted a panel tap test and found most panels to be acceptable. Mind you, they aren't a patch for my grandfather's Chevrolet Spark, but they aren't bad either. Its only the boot lid which qualifies as flimsy and gives out a nasty metallic clack when shut.

I found the panel gaps to be wide at some places and unacceptable at others. The panel gaps around the tailgate, bonnet and doors are just par for the course. However, the bumpers are poorly aligned. The front bumper is misaligned by a good margin. Even a layman would be able to make this out.

Paint quality is also par for the course. The white shade isn't metallic so it doesn't give out that lustre the Jetta's paint gives out in daylight. However, there is plenty of visible orange peel effect on the car. When doing a photo shoot for my Silver sprinter, I literally had to hunt for obvious signs of orange peel, but it is glaringly obvious with the Kwid.

A very youthful front end. A welcome change from the boring hatches one gets to see barring the Eon:


Smoked headlamps look swell. Notice the gap between the bumper and the headlamp:


Ughh. A close look at the misaligned front bumper:


Front grille looks very funky with its unique design pattern. Contrasts the white colour well:


Front fog lamps are standard fare. Love the way they are integrated:


ORVMs get a gun metal finish similar to the Duster 4x4. They are silver on the darker shades such as red and outback bronze:


Single windscreen washer sticks out like a sore thumb. Does its job well though:


A single arm double blade wiper. Gives a clack sound while operating:


There is a gap between the rear spoiler and the body. What is worse though is that the paint has started to chip off :


13 inch steel rims shod with JK tyres. Blacked out wheelcaps look very good:


Jacked up ground clearance lead's to an ugly gap at the rear!


Puny mud flaps. Wonder what functional purpose they serve:


Indicators are uniquely mounted on the plastic cladding towards the front. Adds to the SUV character:


1.0 sticker will polarise opinions for sure. I personally prefer things clean:


A pic of the front bumper. Again, notice how the paint is chipping off. Things like these on a new car really get my goat:


Coming back to the headlamps. After a month in the rains, this is what has happened to them. Dirty water has entered the gap between the headlamps and bumper, and evaporated, leaving behind dirt and grime:


Variant badging near to the rear windows. The RXT (O) doesn't have the O though:


A mesh like structure on both sides of the wiper console to prevent debris from entering:


Seen here is the RHS tail lamp. Takes a keen eye to spot that the reversing light bulb is missing:


The LHS tail lamp has it. There are several styling elements inside the tail lamp itself:


Bonnet opening is high and access is easy. On the flip side, you have to put in a bit of effort to lift it to that height:


Antenna is on the longer side and is not the stubby one you get on hatches from a segment above:


Indian style number plates add to the SUV appeal with black bordering and bold fonts:


Rear doesn't have the substantial appeal that the front does. Skinny 13 inch rims have a role to play here:


Tail lamps lit up with the turn indicators:


The city lights turned on with the indicators:


The rear number plate light is a single bulb with a large lens. Again, helps in shaving costs off:


Tail lamps look wicked at night:

[vishy76]

Thanks to the crossover-ish stance, it isn't difficult to get inside the Kwid. The fact that the car stands fairly high off the ground means that you don't have to exactly sit inside it. You walk into the Kwid, which is something my grandfather appreciates a lot.


Once inside, what does catch your eye is the touchscreen. That's if you are a typical Indian of course. As for me, I immediately started checking the quality of plastics in the car. Mind you, most of the dash feels well screwed together and it also has a functional yet fairly modern layout. Again, the use of a black colour scheme might not be liked by all, but I appreciate the fact that I won't have to worry about the door pads getting soiled , something which still gives me nightmares when it comes to the Jetta.

The front seats are fairly supportive. They come with integrated head restraints, but I find them to be comfortable for a hatchback. Both the driver and the passenger seats get a recline setting, but there is no height adjustment for either. The cushioning of the seats feels firmer than I anticipated, which is a pleasant surprise.

Quality of plastics used is standard fare for most of the interiors. It's nothing to write home about, like in the Eon for instance, but it isn't as bad as my grandfather's Spark, which ends up feeling crude in comparision. Most of the parts also feel well put together and consistency is also maintained throughout most of the interiors.

The front A/C vents are the only ones which end up feeling fragile. It's just that the fins are too thin and it seems as if they could break off any moment. The side A/C vents feel fairly robust on that note. They are reminiscent of the Duster, and also have a better tactile feedback as compared to the centre ones. The chrome rings add a touch of sophistication to the cabin, which might otherwise pass off as a bit drab due to the black colour scheme.

The A/C controls feel par for the course. The knob for adjusting the blower feels a bit cheap, but the overall quality of the knobs is much better than my grandfather's 3rd generation City. The air conditioning is a bone chiller and cools the car in no time. The smaller size of the cabin helps this cause even further.

The doorpads are the only parts of the cabin which could have done with a bit more of chrome or piano black inserts. They end up looking too boring in that sense. A silver finish on the door handles could have down the job here.

Steering wheel manages to look unique for a budget hatch. The top half is draped in perforated leather. Also gets a piano black insert only on the RXT(O) variants:


A/C vents on the side are reminiscent of the Duster. Have a good tactile feedback and can be shut completely:


Here it is in its completely shut position. Notice the chrome insert. There is a dimple on the vent which tells you where to push it in order to open. Neat! :


A/C vents are standard fare. The blower knobs ends up feeling a bit fragile. All controls are backlit in orange. The A/C button actually has an indication to tell you whether it is switched on, but the light is too dim to spot during the day:


Central A/C vents feel very fragile. Let out 10-15% of air even when shut:


Here's how they look when completely shut. The two parts don't sit flush together, thus letting out air:


The gear selector switch. It's only the outer ring that moves while the central portion remains fixed. Remains backlit irrespective of the headlamp setting chosen:


Orange back lighting looks uber cool. All the the switchgear including the windows switches are backlit:


Maruti type door locks stick out like sore thumbs. I have seen these breaking of in the long run:


Grey doorpads look boring! Flex a lot on operation. Plastic quality feels inferior as compared to the rest of the cabin:


A 12V power source comes in handy:


Digital speedometer looks cool. Gets a chrome border and a comprehensive MID too. More about that in the later post:


A bottle holder where the gear lever is placed in the MT:


Seen here is the left stalk. Settings for the wiper. Again, quality of the plastic is acceptable:


The right stalk seems to be a bit more crowded here. Headlamp and fog settings shown below:


Gets a single map light mounted at the front. The centre of the cabin should have been the ideal location:


Large ORVMs offer good visibility. Notice the irritating reflection of the black dashboard on the window. BTW, that's the Jetta in the background :


Visibility from the driver's chair. You can see parts of the bonnet from the seat itself, something which newbies will appreciate a lot:


The upper glovebox comes in handy, especially since the lower one is non-existent. Also note the recess below it:


When completely shut. Luckily, I haven't faced the issue where the glovebox opens up randomly over bumps and potholes:


Door pockets are sufficently deep and can store 500ml bottles with ease:


IRVM is small, but gets the job done none the less:


Grab handles for the door come in handy. You can't store anything here :


Contrary to what is listed in the official review, there is a light to indicate the air con is switched on. Locating it is a real pain in daylight:


A reinforcing beam runs through the centre of the roof. Quality of the headliner used is surprisingly good for an A segment hatch:

[vishy76]

The Kwid comes with a 7 inch touchscreen infotainment system fitted from the factory on the RXT spec trims. The hardware quality and the tactile feel of the buttons is typical LG. I won't say it feels very premium but its not bad for by any standards either.

While the system itself has a good looking HU and a host of features to boast about, it doesn't do the one thing it is meant for. Playing music!

The two speakers feel very tinny and sound quality is disappointing, especially considering the HU is so capable. There is no provision in the software of the infotainment for enabling the rear speakers, you have to unload and downgrade the system software in order to do the same. You can also enable the rear camera output.

HU looks very capable. Helps the aesthetic cause of the centre console. Seen here is the homescreen:


You can adjust brightness levels through the settings menu:


Language and clock settings shown below:


The screen for the radio. Choosing radio stations is a breeze:


List of radio stations to choose from. UI is intuitive and the touchscreen sensitivity is acceptable:


Another option to select the desired radio station. Not the most intuitive method though:


A few FM settings seen here. Note the news setting in this menu:


Media being played from the USB mass storage. Reading speeds are acceptable even when I am using a decade old pen drive:


Again, there are multiple ways to choose the track you want to play. Here's another way:


Some of the settings for the music playback through mass storage. Also has a shuffle option:


Option to connect bluetooth devices. You get to setup a new device or choose from the existing list itself:


One of the only two speakers mounted to the front of the dash. Very tinny sound quality. An upgrade is definitely recommended:


Each and every time you use the maps, you are compelled to agree to these conditions:


Shows the number of satellites it has locked onto as well:


A few more map settings seen here including points of interest or POIs:


Map updates option along with traffic as well:


A few more useful option which includes a speed limit warning as well. Not sure about its use though :


Multi-information display (MID)

The instrument cluster on the Kwid is a digital one, standard across all variants. It includes a comprehensive MID and a digital speedometer along with a digital fuel guage. What it doesn't get though is a tachometer. Another thing worth noting here is that, the hardware used to switch menus on the MID is a simple button rather than the long and ugly stalks provided on almost all other economy hatches.

As listed before, the MID is very capable for a budget hatch. It throws out a lot of useful information while driving which includes a trip meter, DTE counter, average fuel economy and even the amount of fuel used in litres.

The only grouse I have with it is the fact that the LCD is a size small and it also seems that there is a layer of glass or film missing on top of it. I can clearly feel the matt finish of the LCD and how delicate it is.

Instrument cluster looks very futuristic. Orange border lends a funky touch:


Seen here is the trip meter. Don't bother with the reading, it hasn't been reset since a long time:


Average fuel economy. This is the figure I have been seeing for the past 1K km or so:


DTE counter is fairly accurate. Note that the handbrake light remains on irrespective of whether you have switched the ignition off or not. It turns on along with the MID when the doors are opened:


Instantaneous fuel efficency is also displayed for that FE enthusiast:


Fuel guage does seem to have a mood of its own at times. The DTE counter still works though. Notice the door ajar warning which has been disabled for Indian variants :

[vishy76]

The 1.0L block is a bored out version of its 800cc sibling. However, performance and NVH are in another league altogether:

The Kwid 1.0 uses a 999cc MPFI engine that Renault calls 'SCe" or smart control efficency. Don't be fooled by the name though, the engine is very similar to all other budget hatches found in the market. It is also a 3 cylinder unit much like K-series engine used in the K10.

The engine itself is mated to a 5 speed manual or a 5 speed automated manual transmission (AMT). The automated manual transmission is basically a manual transmission mated to hydraulic pumps which manipulate the clutch and change gears. Using an AMT helps in reducing overall costs, while FE also remains more or less the same. Additionally, owing to the stripped down nature of the transmission, I also expect maintenance costs to be marginally less than say a torque converter.

Where the AMT scores in my opinion is the price difference with its manual counterpart. It is a meagre 30K above the manual. For instance, cars like the Grand i10 have a price difference of over a lakh between their manual and automatic variants. It is truly a no-brainer choice if you want a convenient city car, but I would still suggest the manual for highways. (More on that later)

Walk into the Kwid, and insert the key into the slot. But wait, there is a catch here. Unlike Maruti's AMT, where the gearbox initialises as soon as you open the doors, the Kwid only does so when you turn the ignition on. This means that there is an irritating 3 second wait before you crank her up. You will also hear the gearbox initialising if you concentrate. The brake pedal is also locked by the system and you cannot push it for those 3 seconds. After the 3 second wait, the brake pedal comes free and you are finally allowed to crank the car.

The 1.0 fires up with a violent jerk, typical of 3 cylinder hatches. Push the brake pedal again and slot the gear selector into D from N. The Kwid doesn't have a creep function where the car moves ahead at <5 Km/hr without throttle inputs, so you are forced to give it some gas. Once you do, the car moves ahead gradually. The engine has good response times just like any other 3 cylinder and can be an excellent companion within the city. There is plenty of low end torque available and you can amble along very easily. Additionally, the AMT also makes light work of city traffic as well. This motor is happiest in the lower part of the rev range and mashing your foot down will make it angry. At higher RPMs, there is that typical 3 pot raspiness and the motor sounds thrashed. If you are in a manual, it is best to treat the Kwid as a diesel and upshift early rather than revving her away to glory. This is not your high rev friendly TSI or 1.2 K-series that likes the redline.

The motor itself has enough power to get the car upto 100 km/hr easily. With the car weighing in at barely 600Kg, the power to weight ratio stands at about 96 BHP / ton (class leading). Out on the highway, the motor can make good progress between 80-100 Km/hr. It is fairly relaxed at these speeds apart from road and wind noise creeping in.

NVH

The Kwid certainly isn't as refined as any of it's indirect 4 cylinder counterparts (read:erstwhile Spark and Grand i10). At idle, you do have faint vibrations creeping into the cabin. Surprisingly, the vibrations actually reduce noticeably when you switch the air-con compressor on and the engine RPM increase. Renault should keep the idling speed slightly higher (about 100-200 RPM) for the sake of NVH atleast.

There is also an irritating whine heard when you are standing outside at lower RPM. I have no idea where it is coming from though. Maybe it is the drive belts or the automatic itself?

As I mentioned, the motor sounds thrashed at higher RPM. The vibrations, which die out when you are accelerating through the mid range, return and are even stronger than before. The Automatic should prevent these kind of embarrassments by shifting up early, however manual owners should be aware here. Pop the hood open and you will notice that the motor is all over the place! It vibrates about violently on the engine mounts. They are undoubtedly the most stressed out mechanicals here. I noticed this when a Kwid with a removed bonnet came in for repairs.

Coming to road noise, there is insulation provided in the form of a coating for the wheel arches. I won't say it causes a huge difference to the NVH, but its good to see an effort by Renault here. Tyre noise is well controlled at speeds of upto 50-60 Km/hr, however, it does start to create a racket in the cabin thereafter. Even wind noise increases only post 70 Km/hr.


AMT (Automated manual transmission)

The automated manual transmission or AMT uses Bosch hydraulic actuators and hardware along with FEV software. You can clearly see the AMT housed below the battery itself:

Before starting off about the AMT, let me make it very clear that the gearbox is not exactly a highly acclaimed one like the DSG or the ZF-8 which make the journey your destination. It is a point A to point B commuter and is designed to do so with minimal loss in fuel efficency, not in speed.

You have to put your foot on the brake to switch modes. You only have a choice of N-neutral, R-reverse and D-drive. There is no P or park mode for locking the gearbox on inclines, which means you have to solely rely on the handbrake. I will be splitting the AMT's performance into different scenarios for easier understanding:

Within the City

This is where the AMT truly shines. It makes very light work of city driving with FE oriented shifts, and acceptable downshift times too. The fact that you are driving with a light foot also means that the AMT itself is relaxed and finds it easy to swap through cogs at its own sweet pace.

It also obliges for downshifts when approaching speed breakers, and doesn't mind dropping to first either. This means you can smoothly lift off after encountering a speed breaker with minimal judders. If you are someone who is buying this as a second car within the city, the Kwid it should be..

Out on the highway

I haven't exactly tested the car on open stretches yet and I don't think I will do that either. However, one thing I did notice with the AMT is that it doesn't like sudden throttle inputs or aggressive ones either. Predictable and linear ones work best and the AMT rewards you with acceptable shift quality.

However, treat the AMT as if it's a DSG, and you are punished for it. The gearbox gets confused and there is a noticeable amount of lag when it comes to dropping a cog or even two. Even after the AMT has decided the gear to be chosen, there is a nasty head nod and the whole car jerks hard on gear shifts. The lack of manual mode further amplifies this effect and complicates matters, especially when it comes to overtaking. IMO, the best thing to do is to plan the overtakes in advance and get the car upto speed first and then try the overtake rather than gunning the throttle at the last moment.

All in all, I would still suggest the manual when it comes to highways. The 1.0 SCe seems to have good potential, buuut that potential has been zapped by the AMT to an extent.

On basement slopes and Inclines

Coming back to the test drive, you might remember that the Kwid didn't exactly pass this test with 'flying colours'. To put it simply, here's what happened.

- My dad started off with a light foot for the first few feet of the slope itself. Noticing that the power won't be enough, he mashed his foot down hard

- The kwid made it halfway up the slope, when the dim-witted AMT suddenly realises that the gear it has chosen (2nd IIRC), is wrong and the car comes to a standstill exactly in the middle of the incline

- The gearbox lags, and there is an eery lag for 2-3 seconds where the engine is being laboured hard! The nasty 3 pot thrum becomes glaringly obvious

- The AMT finally decides to switch to 1st; there is a nasty jerk as the it drops a cog and the Kwid finally manages to make it

Although my dad gave it a PASS, it did leave a bitter taste in my mouth. This problem can be overcome to an extent, if you start of with a heavy foot when climbing inclines.

Ride and handling

Renault is known for offering some of the best suspension setups in its cars. Starting off with the Duster first and then the Fluence. Even the Scala and pulse offered excellent ride quality for the segment that they competed in. To put is simply, the Kwid is no different.

Low speed ride is slightly stiffer than the Alto, but the suspension has a healthy amount of travel. The smallest of bumps and potholes are dismissed off with arrogance. Even when it comes to high speed stability, the Kwid remains fairly able at legal speeds of upto 80 Km/hr, although I haven't tested it after this. To put it simply, the car seems to have the best Ride vs Handling balance in the segment.

There is a bit of body roll when pushed hard, but it isn't excessive. The JKs actually performed better than I expected at first. Grip is also fairly predictable although you should take into account that there is no ABS to cover your back when braking late.

The steering is light enough for city use, but doesn't do well at high speeds. There is a very prominent vagueness associated at dead centre to it. My dad found this a bit annoying, coming from the EPS of our Jetta. Additionally, it is very easy to induce wheel spin in 1st, mostly due to the lack of mass on the front axle.

Braking isn't what you buy an A-segment hatch for. The kwid is no different. The brakes are very mediocre and are not calibrated properly either. The pedal does nothing for the first 1-2 inches of travel and the brakes suddenly grab on thereafter. Factor in the puny 600Kg weight of the car itself, and you know that the braking system is anything but competent.

Bonnet gets an insulation sheet underneath:


The mechanism to hold the bonnet in place or strut:


Rubber dampers for the bonnet. Good to see them on a budget car again:


Suspension mounts seen here. Don't wear a cladding as expected:


Larger than life tank for the windshield washer fluid:


The pipe which carries the washer fluid itself:


The Fuse box is a seperate unit and isn't integrated with the ECU as...


The ECU sits right next to the battery:


The OEM battery is an Amaron. The Jetta uses a Varta:


The cap for the coolant is properly old school:

[vishy76]

Verdict

Starting off first, I would like to stand up and applaud for Renault has done something which few European manufacturers dare to do. As I have already mentioned, creating radical cars is something very difficult for a company like Renault.

I am further impressed by the fact that the auto giant has been a dynamic one for the most, especially when I see Fiat and Volkswagen standing like a stagnated pond with mosses and dead lizards growing on them.

The Kwid is definitely a car that has stirred up its segment. Hell, Maruti itself is now looking to create an SUVish hatch to replace the Alto, and that shows just how much effort Renault has put in. Yes, there are shortcomings to the car. The general methods of cost cutting, some glitches here and there, but overall I am a satisfied chap.

As it stands today, the car has covered 2.1K Km and is due for the first service. This is what I think Renault needs to improve on:

- A better crash worthy structure with 2 Airbags+ABS as standard

- Sort out a few minor niggles: Exposed underside of the headlamps, paint quality et all

- Give the AMT a manual mode. I won't mind if Renault ditches the Gear selector switch for a proper functional gear lever

- Offer a larger engine or turbo charge this one. This one is a personal wish though

That would be it folks. I sincerely apologise for the delays, and the poor picture quality in general.

Until Next time,
Ciao

[Aditya]

Thread moved from the Assembly Line to the Initial Ownership Section. Thanks for sharing!

[dailydriver]

Originally Posted by vishy76

Until Next time,
Ciao

There is a kind of poetic justice to this review. Let me elaborate.

The Kwid follows, borrows and carries forward the DNA of its elder sibling - Duster. No marks for guessing that it does this with distinction. Likewise, you are the teambhp equivalent of the Kwid to the Dusteresque reputation established by our moderators. A simple glance at the ownership report will certainly draw comparisons with the Official Reviews on the forum.

Each new initial ownership report brings with it a distinct perspective that only an owner can present. Your reports go a step further. In addition to the impartial/objective analysis of facts, they also bring in that sense of wonder and awe that only a person of your mentality and curiosity can muster.

Hats off to you on a wonderful writeup. Congrats to your parents on purchasing the new car: and for being your parents . I wish, like I did earlier, that all boys of your age could write like you!

[GTO]

All of 15 and a review that reads like an official review . Man, you'll give us a run for our money once you grow up. Your ownership report is better than my first official review, compiled when I was 32 (link).

Congratulations on the Kwid AMT & wish you many years of driving convenience. This report is going straight to our homepage.

Bet you can't wait to get your driving licence, eh? Do read through our archives - we have some awesome threads with detailed driving tips (start here).

Thanks for sharing this comprehensive & unbiased review!

[PrasannaDhana]

Wonderful review, coming from a kid half my age! Wow!

Congrats on the kwid 1.0 AMT!

I own a white Kwid 1.0 MT, I would say it is a perfect value for money package! For a guy who is used to driving 4.7m Safari anf 4.5m ciaz, the 3.6m Kwid is a delight to drive in city limits. Even on the highway it manages to do good speeds, thanks to the light weight.

Kwid in white stands out well, and the 1.0 liter is quite fuel efficient too(AMT still more fuel efficient).

I have wrapped my roof matte black, and it does look sweet.

[dailydriver]

Originally Posted by GTO

All of 15 and a review that reads like an official review. Man, you'll give us a run for our money once you grow up. Your ownership report is better than my first official review, compiled when I was 32 (link).

GTO, please accept my heartfelt appreciation for being so candid in your praise of the young talent.You should run a pilot project grooming these youngsters. They sure manage to give us a complex sometimes.

I won't be surprised if there could soon be a book titled The Wonder That is Teambhp (apologies to A L Basham!).

I was disappointed that this awesome report had remained unacknowledged for a full day after being published. Now that it has found its rightful place on the homepage, it will surely get its due.

[2000rpm]

Originally Posted by vishy76

[i]

I am only 15 years old, and hence might have made both technical and grammatical errors due to lack of time. Do excuse them

Attachment 1669894

Great thread from a 15 year old. Keep up with the writing and you could be our next official reviewer!!

[srivatsahg]

Hey Kwiddo..Yes we can call you this!

Can't believe for one second that you're 15 and reviewing it like a Pro.
@GTO must admit you guys have a some serious competition in the coming days !

Nevertheless brilliant observations indeed and Keep them coming. Do drive only after you obtain a Driver's license once you are legally allowed to.