[johannskaria]

Went yesterday for a test drive of Renault Kwid at GenNext Motors, Vashi.
This is my personal take on kwid.
If there are any Kwid fanboys I request them to read the next post straight away.
I was one of them ,but not after today. An excerpt of my comments from Kwid hatchback unveiled thread

Other contenders considered were Brio (P), Bolt (P) & the new Ford Figo (P).
Tight Budget, no festive discounts, strong residual value outlook for Kwid and a good fuel economy helped to Zero in on Kwid.
95% it will be a Kwid booking rest 5% depends on the test drive and comfort factors which we will encounter on Monday.

My personal take

1. The car is built to q cost but the test drive car in showroom already had the glove box broken. (This was not surprising with the plastic quality I saw.)

2. Had gone to seriously see the vehicle and put down the deposit after a test drive and evaluation from my grandparents for whom the car was considered as an upgrade from 2006 Indica DLS.
They offered a 1.5kms test drive and treated my grandparents with no courtesy at all. I seeked no special treatment for them. But at least offer them a chair to sit. Renault very bad customer service, the worst I've encountered. GenNext guys/ladies , you know something called basic humanity right?

3. In the 1.5kms test drive on Palm beach road,vashi with 4 people onboard and 35 degrees of burning sun the A/C got cut off atleast twice. The cooling at the rear was negligible and my grandma felt the A/C on her Indica was much much better. The centre right air vent also kept automatically closing at highest fan setting.

4. The interior space was no more than a 2000 Maruti 800. The rear seat is similarly spaced. The front seat was 5-10% better. Space is way lower than an Indica and my grandparents was having difficulty in getting in and out.

5. Driving position is good , but the clutch is little springy (Engine noise is to be expected within the segment - is audible and bearable ). The drivability is a whole another story.
So here I was with full A/C and 4 people on board the power was refusing to come to wheels. (Have driven nano and never felt so)
In 2nd gear the car was barely pulling upto the speeds for the third gear.
Brakes were sufficient, nothing to write home about. Other things like Handling,Ride, road grip could not be assessed in the given test drive.

6. The finish of bumper felt like as if the just took a hit. (Comeon Renault you could've done a better job!)

7. The executive told that Outback Bronze, Red and Silver are the in demand colors and the delivery periods range to January 2016 for these colors and RXT/RXT(O) are the in demand variants. As for the other combinations you can get the delivery faster.

In conclusion , loved the form factor of the car when still or on display at showroom/Billboards.
But when it comes to real world it falls bit behind the segment leader Alto.
The Alto shows why it has been the segment leader for all this years.
If you want a hassle free experience and want something that serves as your first car just walk in a Maruti showroom and pick up an Alto.
This is because I'm pretty sure even though Renault spares cost 19% less than the segment leader . the dealers service capacity is much less.

My decision,
Kwid pricing gave me another problem.
So here I was looking at RXT/RXT(O) variants. (Maximum you get is the driver side airbag)
Pricing was Rs.4,41,263 / Rs. 4,51,912. (Depot charges Rs 6000/- + Essential accessories Rs 6500/-)

Figo on the other hand was costing
Rs 5,63,739/- for the Ambiente petrol variant which comes pre loaded with two airbags, which is built to a better quality , which handles good, which has better power,which has better interior in terms of space and quality, which has better ride, which has a better feel altogether and is much better to do highway miles. (Depot charges Rs 3000/- + Essential accessories Rs 5000/-).
Figo has a waiting period of no more than 4 weeks.
Had a test drive of it yesterday itself soon after the Kwid on a long straight with 4 people (me + my grand parents + Executive) on board and A/C at half the fan at 3 in the afternoon with 33 degrees outside.
And all three of us came back quite happy.

The extra lakh is worth every penny of that extra comfort, extra handling, extra wheel nut , extra airbag, extra width tyre, extra thigh support, extra highway stability, extra foldable OVRMs, extra soft-touch plastics and a good driveability.

Even if anyone is in the market for a 4lakh car I would tell them , if you want to drive buy an Alto but if you want to just park it in your garage buy a Kwid. On a serious note, just wait and watch because I think Renault has done a good job, but for me its not just there near the bench mark. A lot of fine tuning is still lacking and I'm sure Renault will improve the car in the months to come.



I had also dropped in to see and enquire about the Tata Bolt. To my surprise the Bolt on display which was the XM variant in white had rust under the wheel arches. When I brought it to the attention of the sales executive he was stumped and so was his manager. They decided to lecture me on the benefits of anti rust treatments. I quietly said thanks and walked out of the showroom.

[The Rationalist]

Originally Posted by johannskaria

Went yesterday for a test drive of Renault Kwid
They offered a 1.5kms test drive and treated my grandparents with no courtesy at all.But at least offer them a chair to sit. GenNext guys/ladies , you know something called basic humanity right?

Hi johannskaria, sorry to hear the bad treatment your grandparents was subjected to. My parents are super seniors and I was adamant that they upgrade to a safe car after started following team-bhp. They were having a Maruti 800 for 12 years and it was running fine, but the safety concerns made me get them Figo in 2010. I'm not advocating Ford, but don't compromise on safety, go for a car with airbags, be it Maruti, Hyundai or others. 1 lakh won't pinch much, because we had a budget of ₹4 lakh and bought one that costs ₹5.8 lakh. Now my Dad thanks me ( actually should thank Team-bhp, should start a thread for that !) for going overboard. He used to have back pain and used to get tired on journeys. Now he can travel 300 kms and all without much trouble. He is 76 now, so I feel our aged parents or grand parents need a comfortable car because they have sacrificed so much a care free generation like ours. Good luck for your search.

The Rationalist.

[viren83]

Great review of a great car!

With the initial response, it seems as if this would blow the competition away. The wheel arch, muscular bonnet and SUV looks all give this new product an imposing presence. Kwid should be the new benchmark in the segment of the puny 4-wheeler's.

It seems much of the design elements have been borrowed from the CAPTUR which in itself is a big hatch. Below.

The rear seat space of KWID is so much needed for the big Indian family which Maruti and Hyundai have ignored all these years(Perhaps giving more space in the higher segment is their mantra).

Kwid's blow will be harder to both Alto & Eon. Renault actually played a master stroke by not launching the Kwid against WagonR and Celerio. This way they will break customers of Alto, Eon and Nano on the one hand and lower variants of Celerio, WagonR, i10 on the other. The banks too play a major role in helping buyers with faster loan approval and low EMI's.

As many of us are assuming, ABS and dual airbags might pop-up sometime down the line but absence of internally adjustable ORVM and day-night IRVM is simply clueless. I guess, that in order to place Kwid as an entry level product, Renault deliberately missed out on ABS and dual airbags(to not give customer the feeling of a costly product).

Lack of safety features aside, the only minus points for this car should be the attitude with which Renault salesman handles the customer in the showroom.

Overall, I am amazed to see such a commitment by an automaker for the Indian market. My vote for the upcoming TEAM-BHP car of the year has already been decided [unless Nissan comes with a surprise ]

[teemus]

Originally Posted by SunnyBoi

What's the point of having leather in non-contact areas and call it a leather steering wheel? Instead of the top quarter, I'd have appreciated if the leather covered the thumb contour areas if not the whole wheel.

I had the exact same question to my Ford SA, who said the Figo's steering wheel is leather covered in the top area. I said, but we don't hold it here, what's the point? He just smiled sheepishly.

[Arjun Reddy]

Thanks Viddy,thread rated 5 star. Attention to detail immaculate. I only read your review after my test drive.

I walked into Renault JP Nagar Bangalore. It was 2 in the afternoon. Surprised that I was the only person in the showroom.

The Kwid looks really good and has a great presence in white. The test drive car was a maroon one.

Was offered a 2 km drive. My impressions.

The overall drive was ok. The engine does seem gruff. The Maruti 800 is much better.Felt some vibrations on the pedals at idle.

You sit really high and it was difficult to handle the steering which is set low compared to the seating. With this high seating and the hollow build, some how got an unsafe feeling in the 2 km drive. Was it only me?

The power steering refused to come back to the straight ahead position after a turn. Was this experienced by others or was this car specific.

Feels extremely light and tinny. The tailgate is a big give away in the build department. Not sure as to how the Kwid will behave if shunted from the rare. I see this as the biggest threat to passengers seated at the rear.

The glove box refuses to shut unless shunted hard. Decent storage space though. The overall interiors are decent but no where close to the Eon's fit and finish.

The huge wheel wells with tiny 13 inch wheels makes the Kwid look ungainly. This I think is where the Kwid looks built to a cost on the exterior apart from the mirrors which a straight out of the 90's.

Found the digital speedo a little distracting. Not much of an issue and I am sure we will get used to this.

Can't add more on the drive as it was just a 2 km run.

In short the car looks a million bucks when you see her for the first time, but not sure if you will be able to live with her. With Renault's snobbish service network it will only be a challenge.

Hats of to Renault to try and pull of this pricing which I am sure even a Hyundai or a Maruti would struggle, considering the LG touch screen unit with navigation could easily cost upto almost 10% of the Kwid's ex showroom price if sourced outside.
Overall a decent attempt from Renault. Not sure if I was expecting too much from a car at this price point. Suddenly the Figo at a lakh more for their base trim starts looking like great value in terms of safety and comfort.

Went with the intention to replace my mum's 8 year old Maruthi 800. Now I am not sure. I think the best way forward is to to pass my 3 year old Punto Emotion to her and buy a Creta for my daily commute. At least the safety bit is taken care off.

[poloman]

I think over expectation is becoming a drag on KWID. How else can you compare Kwid with Figo which is two segments higher? Has any one till now made a comparison of Alto and Figo ? For God's sake this is a A segment car. If safety is your prime concern I don't think you should be in A or B1 segment at all.

[Arjun Reddy]

Originally Posted by poloman

I think over expectation is becoming a drag on KWID. How else can you compare Kwid with Figo which is two segments higher? Has any one till now made a comparison of Alto and Figo ? For God's sake this is a A segment car. If safety is your prime concern I don't think you should be in A or B1 segment at all.

Agreed. That's exactly what I stated.Probably the over expectation got to me,am human after all. In no ways I am comparing the Figo with the Kwid. Was only looking at the value preposition for a lakh more and a lot of buyers have that flexibility. How else would a Creta would sell more than a lot of sub 10 lakh cars? Cheers.

[GLAD73]

Well the Kwid has certainly generated a lot of buzz for Renault with a combination of great looks and killer pricing.However most people who test drove it were unhappy over the engine performance.I feel that Renault have erred by targeting the Alto rather then the Wagon r. The typical Alto buyer will want to go with a tried and tested vehicle rather then experiment with an unknown entity.If Renault has plonked in a 1.0 liter engine , improved the interiors and undercut the Wagon r , I think they would have had a winner giving them steady numbers, which they would be equipped to handle at the dealer level and over the long run build up their brand as well.

[Mr.Hunt]

Great review. I was waiting eagerly for the detailed analysis you guys do and this review did not disappoint. I must say this review actually highlights the weak points of the car viz. Gear to power ratio, steering feedback at high speeds, exposed mechanicals at critical locations, plastic oil sump to name a few. Most other reviews are outrageously optimistic about this car with just a blanket statement for all cons ending in statement that this is a budget car.
After reading this review, I'm personally worried about the reliability of build on bad roads and in rainy weather which is still quite far away in our country. Also the in-effectiveness of AC as pointed by some members in their test drive impressions is a real cause for concern for me.
I actually see this car as something suited to a family of 2 on small budget who will not use the rear bench a lot. With 2 people the engine power will be ample, AC can be felt, front seats are good as pointed by many and car has many goodies for driver with steering being the highlight IMHO.

And although not fair comparing with Figo. But I agree with john. Figo has always been such a great value that it just comes into any discussion with 1 segment above or below. Given the new design and stress on safety by Figo and faster delivery schedules, it is a serious threat to these smaller cars.

BTW I could sense a tone of constructing criticism in this review. Looks like the k(w)id got even our unbiased reviewers swooned ever so slightly with its innocence begging for some repreive.

[PrideRed]

Originally Posted by johannskaria

In conclusion , loved the form factor of the car when still or on display at showroom/Billboards.
But when it comes to real world it falls bit behind the segment leader Alto.
The Alto shows why it has been the segment leader for all this years.
If you want a hassle free experience and want something that serves as your first car just walk in a Maruti showroom and pick up an Alto.
This is because I'm pretty sure even though Renault spares cost 19% less than the segment leader . the dealers service capacity is much less.

My decision,
Kwid pricing gave me another problem.
So here I was looking at RXT/RXT(O) variants. (Maximum you get is the driver side airbag)
Pricing was Rs.4,41,263 / Rs. 4,51,912. (Depot charges Rs 6000/- + Essential accessories Rs 6500/-)

Figo on the other hand was costing
Rs 5,63,739/- for the Ambiente petrol variant which comes pre loaded with two airbags, which is built to a better quality , which handles good, which has better power,which has better interior in terms of space and quality, which has better ride, which has a better feel altogether and is much better to do highway miles. (Depot charges Rs 3000/- + Essential accessories Rs 5000/-).
Figo has a waiting period of no more than 4 weeks.
Had a test drive of it yesterday itself soon after the Kwid on a long straight with 4 people (me + my grand parents + Executive) on board and A/C at half the fan at 3 in the afternoon with 33 degrees outside.
And all three of us came back quite happy.

The extra lakh is worth every penny of that extra comfort, extra handling, extra wheel nut , extra airbag, extra width tyre, extra thigh support, extra highway stability, extra foldable OVRMs, extra soft-touch plastics and a good driveability.

Even if anyone is in the market for a 4lakh car I would tell them , if you want to drive buy an Alto but if you want to just park it in your garage buy a Kwid. On a serious note, just wait and watch because I think Renault has done a good job, but for me its not just there near the bench mark. A lot of fine tuning is still lacking and I'm sure Renault will improve the car in the months to come.


[/i]

Originally Posted by Arjun Reddy

Agreed. That's exactly what I stated.Probably the over expectation got to me,am human after all. In no ways I am comparing the Figo with the Kwid. Was only looking at the value preposition for a lakh more and a lot of buyers have that flexibility. How else would a Creta would sell more than a lot of sub 10 lakh cars? Cheers.

Well agree,just spending a lac more and you get a B1 segment car, which is a better product. Similarly Another lac more over B1, you will get a Compact sedan and another lac more gets you a Compact SUV and so on. Its not about flexibility, its about what you want. If you want a car that is economical,cheap on pocket on a daily basis, cheap to maintain, it has to be A-Segment car.

Consider Figo and Kwid(I know comparison is not valid). Car to car Figo is definitely better product. But it costs minimum 1 lac more than top end Kwid. It does not end there. FE of Figo in real world is at least 3-5KM less. The service costs are more. The parts are more expensive. Insurance costs more. In case of accident the parts would definitely cost more. Plus again, the Base Figo doesn't come with Power Windows,Central locking,music system,another 50K to be added.

Now in Comparison to Alto/Eon, definitely Renault lacks number of showrooms what Maruti or Hyundai have and is a weak point.
Coming to the car itself,Space wise definitely you cannot compare the Alto or Eon. The pictures in the official review clearly indicates that Kwid has much more space be it in boot/back seat/front seat.
Coming again to power figures, Kwid does have the best power to weight ratio and even with official review it is quite clear that Kwid is definitely not underpowered in comparison to Alto/Eon.

That said Alto would still sell more, a lot more? simple reason-Maruti have a wider reach. For example in my home town, Maruti is the only dealer who has fully functional showroom and service.
P.S: I don't consider wider reach as better service. My personal experience with Ford/VW/Toyotoa/Chevrolet is any day miles ahead of Hyundai and Maruti.

[amit_snk]

Was it so bad? How is it in comparison to two pot motors such as Nano and Celerio? The review mentions once AC is switched on in idle, the vibrations are too much. Since most customers are going to be stuck in traffic using AC this will be important. Was it felt?[/quote]

Yes noise inside felt crude, not only the engine sound but Tyre noise also filters inside the cabin and i feel, for buyers it"ll be an irritant in the long term but it surely is better then Tata nano in terms of cabin noise as well as vibes on pedals. I haven't driven Celerio Diesel so cant comment on that. I drove the Car with AC off to check for the acceleration, couldn't check the vibes with AC on, while standing courtesy that Idiot sales executive who told me to get moving or i"ll be kicked out.

Originally Posted by poloman

I think over expectation is becoming a drag on KWID. How else can you compare Kwid with Figo which is two segments higher? Has any one till now made a comparison of Alto and Figo ? For God's sake this is a A segment car. If safety is your prime concern I don't think you should be in A or B1 segment at all.

Yes, it is unfair to compare Kwid with Figo. Only cars it should be compared with are Alto and Eon. Mechanically, it might be able to compete with both but on over all ownership experience, Kwid or i should say 'Renault' has a long way to go. Alto or Eon = Peace of Mind.

[Nempuguru]

Excellent review of Kwid. Rated 5 stars. You have pointed out in detail where exactly the cost cutting measures have been taken place. Truly a great effort from Renault, this will be a wake up call for Maruti/Hyundai for sure, if not Alto beater.

My cousin had booked a kwid last month from Mangalore showroom, was his first car booking. Then they quoted min 45 days waiting period for delivery. Yesterday he read this review, also been to showroom to check his delivery status. Now they are saying minimum 4 months waiting period, delivery somewhere in Feb 2016 (with 135+ bookings). Dejected now he is canceling his booking, time being considering true value or second hand car market for better options.

Looks like Kwid certainly did some damage to overpriced true value cars (Alto/Wagon R).

[Gosu]

Finally the much awaited review. Excellent and meticulously detailed as always . The Kwid has successfully impressed most of us with it's VFM proposition, fresh and unconventional design and ingenious pricing. I really want it to taste grand success in the coming months.

As a matter of fact I have added this to the shortlist of cars I'm considering for my new purchase next year.

[hybridpetrol]

Originally Posted by kashif_baig

I kind of agree and disagree to some extent. I think it will sell very well, even with uneven after sales support. After all, the Duster proved to be a big hit when Renault was in worse shape than it is now. That was because of it's USP as being the segment first soft-roader.

Similary, with it's unique design cues, large size and fuel efficiency, the Kwid too will click.

However, after the initial euphoria has subsided, it think it might end up as an ideal car for performing mods (offroad tyres, alloys, performance exhaust, etc).

Duster, having a USP as being the first soft-roader, created a new compact SUV segment in India.
"It was a huge success for Renault" - Let us review this a bit.

Duster was launched in July 2012, and initially was indeed a great success, with no one to contest. It sold roughly 5000 copies a month, reaching its peak in March 2013, selling 6313 units.
After a year, July 2013, the sales fell suddenly, by 40% - what happened? Ford Launched Ecosport!
Soon after, in Oct 2013 Nissan launched a rebadged Duster as Terrano, and the combine maintained about 6K sales for some time, the sales slowly decreased to 3K units Duster + 1.5K units Terrano as the time passed.
Once Creta launched, the sales fell suddenly to 1000 units of Duster and 500 units of Terrano.
While Duster has a good brand recognition in India, it could not sustain sales. That explains the news about so many unsold dusters in the plants and dealer lots.
Those who wanted a compact SUV, not specifically a Duster, immediately shifted their mind to Creta, when Hyundai launched it. What Hyundai offers is not only a good vehicle, but also a terrific after sales support!
Add to this the launch/update of a number of vehicles in the similar price band: Suzuki S-Cross, Ecosport facelift, TUV300.

This "fall of Duster" explains how a good vehicle can lose its charm, if the car is not well supported by a company of good reputation and good after sales support.
Compare this to the Toyota Innova - it costs upto 20L roughly, but still it has consistent sales, even after these many years of launch, though there are several 7 seater MPVs/SUVs available . That is the power of brand and after sales support.

I believe Kwid would face similar fate of Duster. Though Kwid is a competitive car in A segment, it would end up with fading sales after some time time, due to the horrifying support experiences passed on by the owners as WOM. Renault has to address this after sales part. At no point of time, they should take the customer for granted.

[RoadSurfer]

Thank you Vid6639 & S2 for the review. It deserves a 5 star. And so does the effort Renault has put on this product. Hope they invest similar kind of energy and time to better the dealership network. Time and again it has been proved that in our market it's not the car that decides its own fate but the sales and service factors in the long run.