Renault Kwid Climber long term review, final report

It’s time to say goodbye to the Renault Kwid Climber, which proved to be a flexible metropolis runabout.

The Renault Kwid Climber, our smallest lengthy termer, has been with us for a very long time. Nevertheless, when it was time for the automotive to depart our fleet, it’s not shocking that we didn’t wish to let it go. The hatchback wasn’t actually new for me, as I had different variations of the Kwid as lengthy termers earlier. The Climber, nevertheless, has fairly a couple of variations over its predecessors, aside from simply its seems.

Whereas the Kwid Climber was principally my staple trip for the each day workplace commute, it additionally grew to become a de facto selection for my colleagues for brief drives within the metropolis, and a assist car for our shoots, because of its large 279-litre boot that swallows a number of digital camera gear with no stress. Its utilization has been principally confined to the town, which is the important thing cause the automotive has run solely round 5,500km throughout its tenure with us.

The Kwid’s design is an efficient mix of hatchback and SUV cues.

The trendy mid-life replace on the Kwid was launched in India earlier than the remainder of world, and I’ve to provide it as much as Renault’s designers for making a funds hatchback look distinctive and extra SUV-like. The double-layer headlamp design, with its LED Daytime Working Lamps above and headlamps under, seems upmarket, and additional setting the Climber aside are its eye-catching orange exterior accents, darkish gray wheel covers and distinctive inside upholstery.

Its single-piece seats look fancy, have an ample quantity of cushioning and do a great job at transporting you in consolation throughout lengthy distances.

Helpful, comfortable and a shocking addition to a funds hatchback.

The rear seats are respectable, the legroom is ample, and the Kwid Climber is the one hatchback that comes with a centre armrest in a automotive of this class. My mother and father favored this characteristic. The cabin, nevertheless, is slim, and may solely seat two passengers on the rear, making the Kwid a four-seat metropolis commuter at greatest.

When the Kwid Climber joined our fleet, we have been again to working from residence because the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic was wreaking havoc. Throughout this time, the Kwid didn’t see many journeys to the workplace, nevertheless it performed its half in taking me round a number of COVID-19 centres as a assist car for a water distribution mission I used to be volunteering in. My time with the Kwid throughout these drives gave me a great perspective of its capabilities and shortcomings too.

The Kwid’s spacious boot can swallow a surprisingly great amount of bags.

Whereas the Kwid’s design makes it look SUV-like when seen from up entrance, I discovered it useful too; particularly the low-set headlamps, whose extensive throw lights up decrease corners of the road.

Throughout my drives, I observed how simple it’s to drive the Kwid within the metropolis, particularly in bumper-to-bumper site visitors. The refreshed Kwid’s 1.0-litre engine has been tuned even higher now, and because of good energy supply on the backside finish, it easily ambles together with only a slight faucet on the accelerator, not like different 1.0-litre engines of rivals. It, nevertheless, does sound gruff because the revs construct up, and that does make issues a tad disagreeable.

The Kwid’s engine lacks refinement and sounds gruff.

The Kwid Climber’s efficiency modifications drastically when there are greater than two folks within the automotive with the AC turned on; it takes off very slowly and also you typically find yourself revving the engine a lot increased in second gear to construct some velocity. The automotive feels joyful on the roads with the AC off and with two folks at greatest. Its AC has carried out nicely too, particularly in summer season. It cools the Kwid’s decent-sized cabin in a really quick time, particularly when the town witnessed loopy temperature surges this 12 months.

Rear energy home windows can’t be managed from the entrance.

What I additionally like concerning the Kwid Climber is its suspension set-up, which actually shines repeatedly in Mumbai, the place the roads have extra craters than the moon. The trip is supple, particularly on dangerous roads, nevertheless it does are inclined to get jittery at increased speeds. Whereas the bottom clearance is 184mm, the Kwid Climber’s delicate suspension does are inclined to backside out randomly on velocity breakers when you carry a bit extra velocity over them.

To sum it up, the lengthy termer will probably be missed for its city-friendly nature, an honest options record, together with a reverse digital camera, and supple trip high quality, which is a boon in pothole-ridden cities like Mumbai. On the finish of a long-ish tenure with the Kwid Climber, I’d certainly give it an enormous thumbs up. On to the subsequent one.