SA Road Tests

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Intense: 2022 Renault Kiger 1.0 Turbo Intens CVT

More power and flash

Posted: November 26, 2021

The numbers
Price: R289 900
Engine: Renault H4Dt, 999 cc, 12-valve, three-cylinder turbocharged
Power: 74 kW at 5000 rpm
*Torque: 160 Nm at 1750 rpm
*0-100 km/h: 11.2 seconds
*Top speed: 155 km/h (estimated)
Real life fuel consumption: About 6.1 l/100 km
Tank: 40 litres
Ground clearance: 205 mm
Turning circle: 10 metres
Luggage: 405 – 879 litres
Standard tyre: 195/60 R16
Spare: See text
Warranty: Five years, 150 000 km
Service plans: See text
*Tested in India

You may have looked at Renault Triber as a possible family car but don’t need the additional seats. A touch more power and flash could be nice too, so how about the Kiger?  It’s practically the same size and uses the same engine in three of its models, yet offers the desired extra features and, if you want it, a more powerful engine option. It also offers a wider choice of automatic gearboxes.

The extra flash consists of ESP, LED headlamps, selectable driving modes and automatic air conditioning on top models. The more powerful engine is a turbocharged version of the Triber’s 1.0-litre motor, with CVT and five-speed manual as transmission choices.

Engine and gearbox choices are: Energy manual and Energy Easy-R AMT with the 52-kW motor, or Turbo manual and Turbo CVT using the 74-kW powerplant. Then, just to confuse you, there are three spec’ levels; Life, Zen and Intens.

Life spec’ offers two airbags, ABS with EBD, rear parking distance sensors, speed sensing door locking, electric wing mirrors, digital instruments, steel wheels with caps, electric front windows, manual air conditioning with rear vents and a four-speaker DIN radio with USB port.

Zen adds two airbags, reversing camera, flex covers on the wheels, LED indicators on the wing mirrors, rear window wiper and washer, height adjustable driver’s seat, second glove box, powered back windows, vanity mirror on the passenger’s visor, eight-inch touchscreen audio with smartphone replication via USB, push-button starting, and remote controls on the steering wheel.

Intens ups the game with a silver rear skid plate, power-folding mirrors, LED headlamps and DRLs, 16” diamond-cut alloy wheels, digital 7” multi-skins TFT cluster, smarter seat cloth, anti-pinch window with “one-touch up” for the driver, automatic air conditioner, Eco, Normal and Sport driving modes, vanity mirror for the driver, rear window defogger, wireless smartphone replication and 3-D sound with four extra tweeters.

Now that you’re thoroughly confused, the six-model line-up looks like this:
Kiger Life 1.0 manual, Kiger Zen 1.0 manual and Kiger Zen AMT. These have two-year, 30 000 km service plans.

Turbo models include Kiger Zen 1.0T manual, Kiger Intens 1.0T manual and Kiger Intens 1.0T CVT. These have three-year, 45 000 km service plans. The only optional extra is metallic paint at R2522.00.

Driving impressions:
•    HVAC controls and trip meter are rather complicated but workable,
•    The only manual override option is an L position that holds lower gears for hill climbing or towing,
•    Of the three driving modes, ECO is wussy and best ignored, Normal adds some pep so will probably become your daily go-to and Sport adds a decent amount of energy. It is the only mode in which you’ll see a rev counter,
•    Because our test car had the turbocharged engine its CVT worked rather well. While urgent demands for “kick-down” didn’t result in any noticeable drop in gear ratio, it did provide a steady surge of acceleration without flaring,
•    Long upward inclines posed no threat, with the little turbomotor handling them easily,
•    Made-in-India usually means the suspension is well set up for gravel roads. This one provided no exception.

Static impressions:
•    The cargo bay loads at about 85 cm which is higher than most, into a space 28 cm deep. The only convenience fittings are a pair of bag hooks. The rear seatback splits 60:40 and both parts feature top tethers for ISOFix. They fold after lifting knobs that can be reached from behind and leave quite a substantial step. The spare is a steel item fitted with a 185/65R15 tyre marked “temporary,”
•    Back seat head-, knee- and foot room are comfortable for six-foot passengers seated behind a driver the same size who has the seat cranked down. Repeater vents on the centre console, a 12-volt socket, an armrest with cup holders, a pair of map pockets, a second courtesy light, grab handles and bottle bins add convenience. Safety kit consists of two head restraints, two full belts and a lap strap. The floor is almost flat, so a middle passenger should be reasonably comfortable,
•    There’s generous storage in front with a big armrest box and an extension covered by a rolling top, a big main cubby supplemented by a smaller upper box, medium-sized door bins and two open trays. Electrical bits include a USB socket and a second 12-volt power point,
•    A substantial conventional handbrake, with a firm action, is placed for LHD and requires a slight stretch,
•    The steering wheel adjusts for height only,
•    The front seatbelt receiver clips are buried deeply between centre console and seats, making them difficult to get at,
•    Doors lock and unlock automatically as the key fob is moved out of, or into, range.

As a compact “tribe” carrier the Kiger is economical, spacious, comfortable and offers good luggage space for its size. It’s worth a second look.

Test unit from Renault SA press fleet

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This is a one-man show, which means that every car reviewed is given my personal evaluation and receives my own seat of the pants judgement - no second hand input here.

Every test car goes through real world driving; on city streets littered with potholes, speed bumps and rumble strips, on freeways and if its profile demands, dirt roads or goat tracks as well. As a result, my test cars do occasionally get dirty. It's all part of the reviewing process.

I do my best to include relevant information like real life fuel economy or a close mathematical calculation, boot size or luggage space, whether the space is both usable and accessible, whether life-sized people can use the back seat (where that applies), basic specs of the vehicle and performance figures if they are published. In the case of clearly identified launch reports, fuel figures are of necessity the laboratory numbers provided with the release material.

If ever I place an article that doesn't cover most things, it's probably because I have dealt with a very similar vehicle already, so you will be able to find what you want in another report under the same manufacturer's heading in the menu on the left.

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