2022 Renault Kiger review, first drive - small changes add up

The sub-four-metre SUV segment has been lively again with the new Maruti Suzuki Brezza and the Hyundai Venue as well as the Tata Punch from earlier. So if you are Renault who has a solid offering like the Kiger on their hands, you'll want to cover off the new competition promptly. The updates for the 2022 Kiger, over 50,000 of which have been built already, seem exactly to see this through.

2022 Renault Kiger exterior, interior changes

This is a minor update to the Renault Kiger, so small but useful changes have been made both inside and out. The generally chunky, expressive design remains untouched. You get a new black paint option which works quite well with the new silver skid plates. And another neat touch is this new red housing for the Renault lozenge in the wheel caps. You also get Turbo decals on the doors with more red highlighting, whichstand out much betterina lighter shade. At the rear you get a contrasting chrome trim on the bootlid which again contrasts nicely with the substantial cladding.

As for new feature additions, you get wireless charging. This was available as an option but now comes fitted as standard on higher models. This is useful since it ties in nicely with the wireless Andorid Auto/Apple Carplay function of this 8-inch touchscreen. Another new feature is cruise control, a big miss that has been corrected and you get a PM 2.5 air filter too across the lineup. Also, the seats now repeat the discrete red contrast from the outside with their red stitching. The red theme is further enhanced by the faded honeycomb pattern on the dash which does liven up the dark cabin a touch.

We wish Renalt had added cooled seats as well as auto-dimming inside mirrors but otherwise you still get a great view out front with the high seating position and a decent level of interior quality considering the price point. Most of the plastic feels tough if a bit hollow but a thoughtful use of materials and textures cover this well and the front seats are again comfortable and well-positioned. As before, space in the back is generous. The dark theme and high window line dilute this sense a bit but you have a fair amount of underthigh support, great legroom and the seatback is at the correct angle.

2022 Renault Kiger driving impressions

The 2022 Renault Kiger remains mechanically unchanged. So the base engine is the 1.0-litre naturally aspirated petrol with 72PS and 96 Nm, paring with a five-speed manual or AMT. The higher-spec engine is the 1.0-litre turbo-petrol, now also avaialble in the mid-spec RXT(O) variant.

As you would expect, the Kiger drives identically as before. and the turbo-CVT combination is still the highlight of the driving experience. While the motor isn't the most energetic turbo-petrol you will drive, it makes sure you always have a wide and liner powerband to play with. The CVT is especially intuitive and will always keep you in the powerband with little rubber band effect or indecision to get in the way of the smooth drive. The Eco mode continues to be a bit too conservative for our liking and the Sport mode is really only useful out on a highway maybe, with its sharp response. So sticking to the Normal modes is the best way to drive the Kiger. In our tests, the Kiger turbo-CVT has returned an overall fuel efficiency of 12.89 kmpl.

We would have liked to have seen the Kiger become a touch more pliant over badly broken patches at low speed and have better-controlled NVH levels at idle. But the steering is light yet still precise, the Kiger feels poised at highway speeds and quite sure-footed around corners so driving it is usualy not a hassle.

2022 Renault Kiger safety

The 2022 Renault Kiger continues with its safety proposition unchanged. The Kiger has good safety credentials with a 4-star NCAP safety rating, four airbags, ISOFIX seat mounts and so on.

2022 Renault Kiger verdict, prices

Prices for the 2022 Renault Kiger have increased by about Rs 5,000, now starting at Rs 5.99 lakh and going up to Rs 10.62 lakh. This isn't too much of a hit considering the fair number of feature enhancements to the compact SUV. The Kiger is still a choice you must seriously consider in the sub-four-metre space especially if you are on a tight budget.

Text: @tuhinguha
Images: @dreamcatcher_996

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