2021 Renault Kiger small crossover debuts in India

A few weeks ago, Nissan launched their smallest crossover, the Magnite, to compete in India’s fierce sub-four-meter “Compact SUV” category. The segment is so lucrative that the Renault-Nissan alliance is not happy with just one product. So here comes the twin to the Magnite, the 2021 Renault Kiger.

The Renault Kiger is a tiny crossover, measuring only 3991 mm in length. Renault has positioned the Kiger between their minuscule Kwid hatchback and the Duster crossover in the Indian market. The design of the Kiger is classic Renault with slim LED lights up front, flowing out of the grill with a large Renault logo in the middle. The rear also gets LED taillights. The Kiger rides on 16-inch alloys, which should be big enough for a car of its size. Ground clearance of 205 mm is ample to ride over the battered roads in the countryside.

The interior is quite spacious as well, with a respectable cargo capacity of 405 litres, despite the car’s small dimensions. With the second row folded, it can be increased to 879 litres. The interior is spiced up by an eight-inch touchscreen infotainment system as well as a 7-inch digital instrument cluster.

The Kiger rides on the same platform as the Nissan Magnite and shares the same engines. The base mill is a puny 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol unit that produces 72 hp snd 96 Nm. This can be mated to a five-speed manual box or an automated manual transmission. A turbocharged 1.0-litre petrol engine is the upgrade with 100 hp and 160 Nm. This can be hooked up to either a CVT or the same five-speed manual box.

The Renault Kiger will go on sale in India soon and compete with segment leaders like Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza, Tata Nexon, Hyundai Venue, Kia Sonet, and a bunch of other small crossovers. The international launch of the Kiger (and whether it will come to the Middle East) is not confirmed yet.