2015 Renault Kwid Review, First Drive

How do you take on the might of Maruti-Suzuki? Hyundai tried with the Eon, and didn’t quite succeed. Datsun attempted in earnest with the Go, but – well – couldn’t really make a go of it. Pun intended!

Now, Renault has built its brand in the Indian market virtually on the back of the Duster compact SUV. And it’s this segment – the compact SUV / crossover space – that has proven to be completely recession proof across the globe over the past few years. As a result of which, every car wants to be one – a crossover that is – and every car manufacturer wants one. The other trend in the automotive universe over the past few years has been the eagerness of manufacturers to look for niches within niches to appeal to a wider audience.

Well, in this case, it appears that Renault has thrown everything – including the kitchen sink and a 7-inch touchscreen – at the problem. They’ve sold 1.2 lakhs Dusters in India already and captured 2% of the market. And now that they’ve tasted blood, they want more – 5% market share to be exact. And this is the car to give it to them. The Renault Kwid is a brand new small car that’s built on a new architecture from the ground up. And its key differentiation, in Renault’s words, is ‘SUV-like’ styling.

2015 Renault Kwid Review, First Drive