Renault Kwid1.0

We say: Can a bigger heart, new deCals and new wing mirrors make an already sugary deal sweeter still?

- Devesh Shobha

Fill in the blank. Maruti Alto 800. Alto K10. Hyundai Eon 800. Eon 1.0-litre. Renault Kwid 0.8. Kwid ______?

Two points to all of you who answered Kwid 1.0-litre. Renault has taken less than a year to upgrade this three-pot motor, which made its global debut in India last month. Now, you may wonder how much of a difference could the additional 200cc make to the Kwid package, considering performance was its only weak link.

The answer to that isn’t straightforward. Yes, the additional cubic capacity does make a difference, but you will have to drive the Kwid 0.8 and the 1.0 back-to-back to be able to tell. To begin with, this isn’t an all-new motor, as Renault has used the existing 800cc unit as the base and increased the bore and stroke to pump the capacity up to 999cc. Then there are the numbers: 67bhp, 91Nm – an increase of 14bhp and 19Nm compared to the smaller unit. Plus, Renault hasn’t changed the five-speed manual’s gear ratios and the only minor change here is a strengthened driveshaft to handle the additional 19 Newtons. That’s it.