Auto car: 2019 Renault Kwid facelift vs rivals: Specifications comparison

Renault launched the Kwid in India in 2015 and, owing to its SUV-inspired styling and a competitive price tag, it soon became the brand's highest selling model in our market. In order to maintain its appeal in a competitive segment, the French automaker has been constantly updating the budget hatch over the years with minor improvements.

However, faced with growing competition, Renault has finally decided to give its entry level offering a major makeover and introduce a heavily reworked, facelifted version. The new Renault Kwid not only boasts of contemporary styling and more equipment, but also gets significant updates under the skin.

So, how does the Kwid facelift stack up against the likes of the Maruti Suzuki Alto, Alto K10, Datsun Redigo, and the recently launched Maruti Suzuki S-Presso, in terms of specifications? Read on as we pit the Renault against its competitors, on paper.

Dimensions

The new Renault Kwid gets a heavily updated front fascia with revised grille and bumpers, along with a split-headlamp setup. The more pronounced bumpers have resulted in a 52mm increase in overall length of the hatch to 3,731mm. While the 1,579mm width and 2,422mm wheelbase remain identical, the overall height has been reduced to 1,474mm (a decrease of 4mm compared to the predecessor) due to a slightly re-contoured roofline. This makes the updated Renault the longest and widest vehicle in the segment, though it trails behind all of its competitors in the height department.

The facelift also brings to the Kwid a set of 14-inch wheels that are a size up vis-à-vis the outgoing model. In comparison, all the competitors, barring the S-Presso, ride on smaller 13- or 12-inch wheels. The larger wheels and wheel wells on the Renault have also resulted in a bump in ground clearance to 184mm (from 180mm earlier) and a dip in boot capacity to 279 litres (from 300 litres before). While the Datsun Redigo manages to better the French offering in the first case, the Kwid still holds the promise of packing in the most luggage for those airport runs.

Renault claims to have used the opportunity of introducing the facelift to add structural reinforcements to the front and sides of the chassis to make the Kwid compliant with the October 2019 crash test norms, as well as the pedestrian safety norms that kick into effect a year after. Though this sees the kerb weight of the updated hatch go up by 35-40kg, it is still the lightest offering in the segment, save for the Redigo.

2019 Renault Kwid facelift vs rivals: Dimensions
	Kwid 0.8	Kwid 1.0	S-Presso 1.0	Redigo 0.8	Redigo 1.0	Alto 0.8	Alto K10 1.0
Length	3731mm	3731mm	3565mm	3429mm	3429mm	3445mm	3445mm
Width	1579mm	1579mm	1520mm	1560mm	1560mm	1490mm	1490mm
Height	1474mm	1474mm	1564mm	1541mm	1541mm	1475mm	1475mm
Wheelbase	2422mm	2422mm	2380mm	2348mm	2348mm	2360mm	2360mm
Ground clearance	184mm	184mm	180mm	185mm	185mm	160mm	160mm
Boot capacity	279-litres	279-litres	270-litres	222-litres	222-litres	177-litres	177-litres
Wheel size	14-inch	14-inch	14-inch	13-inches	13-inches	12-inches	13-inches
Kerb weight	705-732kg	738-754kg	726-767kg	645kg	685-700kg	730-850kg	740-757kg

Powertrain

All contenders in this entry-level segment are available with the choice of a 0.8-litre and a 1.0-litre petrol engine, except for the S-Presso, which only gets the larger displacement motor. The 800cc Kwid pushes out 54hp and 72Nm of torque. The Redigo 0.8 manages to match this output, though the Alto 800 comes off as a bit underpowered with figures of 48hp and 69Nm of torque. All three vehicles come with a sole 5-speed manual gearbox offering.

With regards to the larger 1.0-litre versions, the Kwid, S-Presso, Redigo and Alto K10 are evenly matched and sport near identical output figures of 68hp and 90Nm (or 91Nm) of torque. Moreover, all hatchbacks extend the convenience of an optional AMT auto transmission, in addition to a standard 5-speed manual gearbox.

Post facelift, the fuel economy of the Kwid is rated at 22.30kpl, 21.70kpl and 22.50kpl for the 800cc, 1.0-litre MT and 1.0-litre AMT variants. For a complete comparison of the Renault Kwid’s efficiency to that of its rivals, click here.

An important point to note is that, for the time being, only the S-Presso and Alto meet the upcoming BS6 regulations. While the rest of the models will get an upgrade for the same in the coming months, it could lead to a drop in their power, torque and fuel efficiency values.

	Kwid 0.8	Kwid 1.0	S-Presso 1.0	Redigo 0.8	Redigo 1.0	Alto 0.8	Alto K10 1.0
Type	799cc, 3 cyls	999cc, 3 cyls	998cc, 3 cyls	799cc, 3 cyls	999cc, 3 cyls	796cc, 3 cyls	998cc, 3 cyls
Power	54hp	68hp	68hp	54hp	68hp	48hp	68hp
Torque	72Nm	91Nm	90Nm	72Nm	91Nm	69Nm	90Nm
Gearbox	5-speed MT	5-speed MT/AMT	5-speed MT/AMT	5-speed MT	5-speed MT/AMT	5-speed MT	5-speed MT/AMT
Mileage	22.30kpl	21.70kpl (MT)/22.50kpl (AMT)	21.40kpl (Std & LXi), 21.7 (VXi, VXi+ & AMT)	22.70kpl	22.50kpl (MT)/23kpl (AMT)	22.05kpl	23.95kpl (MT and AMT)
BS6-compliant	No	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	No

Price

The updated Renault Kwid range has been priced at Rs 2.83-4.84 lakh, which is a slight mark-up compared to the pre-facelift version’s asking rates of Rs 2.76-4.76 lakh (all prices, ex-showroom, Delhi). As such, the 800cc Kwid is now positioned a little higher on the price charts compared to other 0.8-litre offerings. And while the 1.0-litre manual Kwid is also the most expensive amongst comparable options, the Renault manages to undercut the S-Presso in their respective automatic avatars. However, the situation could change closer to April 2020 when all the vehicles are available in BS6-spec and are consequentially at a more even footing.

2019 Renault Kwid facelift vs rivals: Price (ex-showroom, Delhi)
	Kwid 0.8	Kwid 1.0	S-Presso 1.0	Redigo 0.8	Redigo 1.0	Alto 0.8	Alto K10 1.0
Manual variants	Rs 2.83-4.13 lakh	Rs 4.33-4.54 lakh	Rs 3.69-4.48 lakh	Rs 2.79-3.62 lakh	Rs 3.90 lakh	Rs 2.89-3.67 lakh	Rs 3.61-4.07 lakh
Automatic variants	NA	Rs 4.63-4.84 lakh	Rs 4.68-4.91 lakh	NA	Rs 4.37 lakh	NA	Rs 4.39 lakh