The Renault Kwid has managed to pave its way by being one of the most popular cars in the budget hatchback segment ever since it was launched way back in 2015. Now Renault seems to be all determined to bask in the glory of Kwid’s success for as long as it can by launching the Kwid Climber in India, a funkier version of the standard.
The new Renault Kwid Climber is, however, priced much higher than the base variant of the original Kwid. The car has been given the tag of being in sync with the disposition of all the youngsters out there. And at first glance, the new model definitely looks quite feisty and a perfect car to go on an adventure with.
But should we judge a book by its cover? Now that would not be a wise thing to do. So without further delay, let us delve right into what the car has to offer. The KWID has sold more than 90,000 units since it went available in India before the end of last year.
Renault Kwid Climber: Things to know
- The Exteriors
The Renault Kwid Climber is quite a looker which is the first and foremost thing that will grab the attention of the young individuals, who hate compromising with style. The new Kwid comes with front bumpers that match the colour of its body while the fog lamps have been given plastic covers. It looks absolutely chiseled and tough with black cladded borders on its sides, dual-toned electric blue and orange coloured ORVM’s, faux matte-silver skid plates, arched metal roof rails and bean shaped taillights. The car has also been given alloy wheels which was not found in the normal Kwid.
The Climber measures 3,679mm in length, 1,579mm in width and 1,513mm in height. The wheelbase is 2,422mm long, making it quite a comfortable car.
The three colour schemes in which the Kwid Climber is being offered are Electric Blue, Outback Bronze and Planet Grey.
- The Interiors
The insides of the Renault Kwid will have an orange theme going on, which is quite appealing than the interiors of the normal Kwid. The cabin of the Climber remains the same when it comes to having proper legroom and headroom, which is quite good considering its small size. The boot space can accommodate the same 300-litres found in the normal Kwid. In fact, the Climber has the same 7-inch touchscreen MediaNAV system and a digital instrument cluster. The additions include a one touch lane changer, and the orange and black theme implemented beautifully to give the car a very young and fresh feeling. The seats are done up in black with orange piping, while the dashboard has been given just the orange piping. The manual variant of the car has an orange-coloured gear knob, whereas the AMT variant has orange surround on the gear rotor. The steering has orange perforators, which looks very eye-catching making it quite unnecessary to buy separate upholstery for the car. The Climber Insignia can be found on the steering wheel and on the seat upholstery.
- Engine and Transmission
The Kwid Climber has not seen any mechanical or performance related changes. It is powered by the same 1.0-litre SCe all aluminum DOHC three-cylinder petrol engine which churns a maximum power output of 67 bhp at 5,500 rpm and 91 Nm at 4,250 rpm. The engine is coupled with a five-speed Easy-R AMT which sends power directly to the front wheels for the top model. The base model is only given the five-speed manual transmission. The AMT gearbox comes with Innovative Shift Control Dial that offers three modes – Reverse, Neutral and Drive
Though the original Kwid and for that matter the Kwid Climber cannot be categorized as powerful cars, but the main quality of the Kwid has always been its smooth riding capabilities. The same has been maintained for the Kwid Climber as well. The light steering wheel is easy to handle, making both the cars secure a position which is a notch higher than other cars belonging to the same range in terms of handling.
- Economy and price efficiency
The Kwid has been a car famous for being economical by providing a mileage of over 25kms per litre, and the Climber retains this very positive point about it as well with very slight difference. The MT edition of the Climber has been tested to return 23.01kmpl by ARAI, while the AMT version provides 24.04kmpl.
Renault Kwid is available in a choice of RXe, RXL, RXT, RXt(O) trims whereas the Renault Kwid Climber will be available in a choice of only top variants which includes the RXT and RXT (O) trims.
Though the original Kwid is much more pocket friendly, the Kwid Climber will not burn a huge hole in your pockets either. The AMT models of the Climber is being priced at Rs 4.60 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi) whereas the MT variant retails for Rs 4.30 lakh.
- Conclusion
The Renault Kwid Climber has been made keeping in minds the preference of the young achievers as stated by Renault. This is quite true considering that the Climber has undergone changes in terms of looks majorly. The SUV look-alike has been embellished to look more macho and thrilling. The colour scheme given to the car plays a significant role in making it the kind of vehicle which attracts the youth instantly.
Though the original Kwid is a much economical option, it lacked the charisma that the Climber portrays. Also, the Climber has been given several new enhancements which make the car much better at operating. So if you are one of those who likes to ride in style, the Kwid Climber should be added to your list right away. It comes with all the good qualities that made the Kwid sell out 90,000 units since it was made available in India, with the added benefit of being a looker.