Renault has launched a fresh attack on the entry-level market in South Africa with the arrival of the Kwid, priced from R119 900.

The India-made Kwid will slip in below the Sandero at the bottom end of Renault’s price table. Renault South Africa sells more than 500 Sanderos a month. Pricing for this model begins at R147 900.

As the domestic economy continues to struggle, consumers increasingly shop in the more affordable segments of the new-vehicle market. It is expected that South Africa’s new-vehicle sales market will shrink around 10% this year.

Renault South Africa (SA) CEO Nicholas de Canha told Engineering News in September that new-car price inflation of between 9% and 10% a year, compared with wage inflation of 4% to 5% a year, had managed to push the entry-level vehicles of ten years ago, such as the Yaris and Clio, out of range for the average wage and salary earner.

“Salaries can’t keep up with the rand’s deterioration,” notes De Canha.

This means car manufacturers, and especially local car manufacturers, have to continuously re-invent the budget car.

De Canha believes the Kwid will eventually sell volumes similar to those of the Clio and Sandero in South Africa. He remains wary of promising bigger numbers, owing to weak loan approval rates in the entry-level car market.

NEW KWID ON THE BLOCK
Renault’s new Kwid hatchback has a sports-utility-vehicle look, indicative perhaps of the growing popularity of this segment of the market.

It offers 180 mm ground clearance, with a wheelbase of 2 422 mm.
Boot space is 300 l.

The vehicle shares a platform with the Datsun Redi-Go, thanks to the global Renault-Nissan alliance. The Redi-Go is not available in South Africa. Until – and if it arrives – the Datsun Go will probably be one of the Kwid’s main competitors.

The Kwid comes in Expression and Dynamique variants, with both powered by the French manufacturer’s new 1 l Smart Control efficiency (SCe) naturally aspirated three-cylinder petrol engine, mated with a 5-speed manual gearbox.

The engine pushes out peak power of 50 kW at 5 500 rpm and maximum torque of 91 Nm at 4 250 rpm.

Renault promises fuel consumption of 4.71 l/100 km.

The fuel tank holds 28 l.

The Dynamique model also offers a 7-inch touchscreen with navigation, as well as Bluetooth, USB, AUX and MP3 playback functionality, which should prove popular, especially with younger buyers.

A driver’s airbag, front electric windows, air-conditioning and remote central locking come standard on both derivatives. The vehicle scored a one-star safety rating.

Storage space includes an open space facing the front passenger, lower glove box (plus upper glove box in Dynamique variant), driver and passenger in-door storage space with 1-litre bottle holder, and a rear parcel tray.

The Kwid comes standard with a 5-year/150 000 km mechanical warranty and a 6-year anticorrosion warranty.

Services take place at 15 000 km intervals.