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50,000 km in 5 years with my Renault Kwid 1.0

20th September 2021, 13:04 by Rahul Nagaraj

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Renault Kwid is a very good car for an individual/family with a limited budget (say Rs 5 lakhs) who want a car to replace their two wheeler.

BHPian PrasannaDhana recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

The Kwid turned 5 on 15th September 2021, coincidentally clocking 50,000 km milestone.

It has been a trouble-free little car all the while

After 5 years of ownership, my take on the car

Pros

1. Looks

Dashing and gorgeous. It's a cute little car which is beautiful to look at. The roof wrap was the best decision that I took, followed by de-chroming the front grille.

2. Handling and low seating position

While majority of people want a high seating position, I have been fed up sitting high up and driving (blame the Safaris, Sumos and Scorpio ownerships), I absolutely love to be seated low.

The Kwid's steering is also direct and it feels like a go-kart. I love pushing it through rural curvy roads, all the time.

While replacing the stock tyres, I did contemplate 175 mm wider sections. But then, I did not want to compromise losing on a little bit of performance from that puny engine and also a bit of fuel efficiency.

I also love how the glass area is small and gives a nice cocooned feel that a sedan would give (I absolutely loathe my Celerio for that massive glass area).

3. 1.0-litre engine is frugal and can also be fun

The low weight of the Kwid helps to do decent pave with the 1.0-litre engine. I have driven it extensively on the highways and have done some crazy speeds that many wouldn't even believe a Kwid could do.

While we keep in mind it's an unsafe car to be doing triple digit speeds, I can safely say it can do 110-120 km/h without much stress, for hours together (i.e. if you can ignore the NVH at those rpm)

It can also be terrifically fuel efficient if you are gentle. I have attained 26.25 km/l actual fuel efficiency in a tankful. It's pretty easy to get 24 km/l cruising at 80 km/h on the highways.

I have also gotten as low as 13 km/l driving spiritedly.

4. Low service costs and good reliability

I haven't had a service bill more than 4000 rupees all these years. The car hasn't failed even once. Everything works as it should (except the tailgate, which I will explain later). The engine, transmission and braking are all as good as it was new. It became harsh in the middle when the car was handled by a couple of different drivers of mine. But the last 4000 km it has been with me, I have witnessed the engine becoming much smoother and fuel efficient.

5. Good AC, seats, headlights and Ride quality

I have been accustomed to some of the most comfortable mass market cars, and I drive a lot every day. Comfort does get to the top of my priorities. The Kwid's front seats, though has no side bolstering whatsoever, still offers good support. In contrast, the Celerio has wider seats but offer no support at all.

AC is also a chiller. The suspension offers good ride quality. The headlights are surprisingly good.

6. Interiors hold up good

After all these years of usage, there is no rattle whatsoever. Every switch works, nothing has broken off. I was sceptical about the touchscreen durability. It still works perfectly.

7. Small Size is a boon in urban areas

Driving it or finding a parking for it, the Kwid makes life very easy. I have to plan parking in my Safari Storme, but with Kwid, I can just go anywhere and park it close to the walls and there will still be space left for other vehicles to pass.

Cons

1. Lack of some basic features

Like rear power windows, adjustable ORVMs, day-night IRVM, speed sensing auto central locking and a passenger airbag.

2. Safety

Less said the better. It's safer than a two wheeler and that's where the topic has to end.

3. Cost cutting is evident

No complaints here. You get what you pay for. Single wiper, pathetic rear seat belts, lack of proper headrests at the rear to name a few.

The tailgate struts have failed. It will hold in place for 30 seconds and slowly lose pressure and start closing.

4. Low end torque is poor

Especially when loaded with 4 on-board, you would definitely wish you had more torque to work with. The car does struggle to build up pace.

5. Space

I drive 90% times solo. 10% there will be another passenger at most. If you want to travel with 3 or 4 people, the legroom is just about ok. I am on the taller side and sitting behind me is impossible for adults. It's a 4 people car and not 5.

Conclusion

Renault Kwid is a very good car for an individual/family with a limited budget (say Rs 5 lakhs) who want a car to replace their two wheeler. It is very value for money, has great fuel efficiency, extremely cheap to own, run and maintain.

It can also be a great beater car, like in my case. A perfect urban runabout. You don't have to worry about parking nor about scratches and damages. It is fun to drive and also very easy to use.

But if you can spend a few more lakhs, I would suggest that there are better cars that are safer and more spacious. But at 5 lakhs OTR, Kwid makes a very strong case for itself, even today.

A few pics if my Kwid.

With my 16 year old Tempo