Large Hearted

The lightest car in the segment gets more power. should be fun, then

- Avishar Dutta

It comes as a surprise to no one that the Kwid has turned around Renault’s fortunes in India because it does have a lot going for it. Although it might be subjective, the squared-off SUV-inspired design was something fresh and distinctive in a segment that has, for a long time, been living on facelifts of designs that are a decade old. There was a bit of the French eccentricity in the interior design, too, with the digital speedo and a large touch screen infotainment system — the perfect weapons to take advantage of our weakness for fancy features. The interiors are also the most spacious of the segment and together with that enticing price tag, the Kwid’s monthly sales had hit the five-figure mark.

BUT, THERE IS ALWAYS A BUT

There were some issues. The 800cc engine, which was perfectly adequate for the power it made and the way it delivered it, had still some way to go before it could reach the refinement levels of its competitors. That, coupled with a gearbox which had a very notchy action across the gate, marred the driving experience a bit. And as I have seen from our long-term Kwid with the smaller 800cc engine, a couple of thousand kilometres has not made it any better.