First ride: Renault Kadjar

Renault presents a “new one” in the SUV segment!

Chic and with modern convenient features, the Kadjar will be starting in mid-June at the start in Germany. His origin from the house Renault wants to conceal the compact SUV with the rhombus in the brand logo. On the contrary: his front leads him visually to Twingo, Clio, Megane and Espace. However, not only as a chic compact SUV, but also as a vehicle with high utility value. The price list starts at 19.990 Euro.

The Kadjar is what is commonly understood by a compact SUV. Its attractive appearance shows the vehicle in the sporty look of the Renault family. The LED daytime running lights of the Kadjar are also very distinctive in the shape of a "C". The compact SUV offers a completely sovereign driving feel with a completely new developed suspension and very good and precise steering.

At the first tests of the Energy dCi 130 with 96 kW (130 PS) around the Nürburgring, we found that the Kadjar potholes and bumps on the road is very good, overall very stable and offers a comfortable ride. The increased ground clearance of 200 mm qualifies him just as well for driving on dirt roads and gravel roads. Even motorway routes, he copes comfortably and so gives us the vehicle a worry-free package.

The engines are quite clear with a gasoline engine with 96 kW (130 PS) with six-speed manual transmission and front-wheel drive and two diesel units. The diesel generators with power levels 81 kW (110 PS) and 96 kW (130 PS) are available both as front-wheel drive vehicles and as four-wheel drive vehicles. A six-speed manual transmission, a six-speed automatic transmission and a six-speed dual-clutch transmission are used.

All units comply with the Euro 6 emissions standard, with the 130 PS diesel version with six-speed manual transmission that we drive consuming only 4,3 liters per 100 kilometer, which equates to just 113 grams of carbon dioxide per kilometer. The details of the manufacturer we come very close during our test drive. The diesel engine delivers powerful 320 Newton meters of torque from as little as 1750 revolutions per minute.

When it comes to optics, the designers have transformed the silhouette into fluid, sculptural forms and precisely designed details into the characteristic Renault design philosophy. The front with its elegant headlights and the distinctive rhombus are very nice to look at. The highly visible taillights and horizontal lines stretch the rear visually and make the vehicle visually wider on the road.

Inside, a vehicle length of 4,50 meters can accommodate up to five people. The cabin convinces with good material and workmanship. The clearly designed cockpit with elongated horizontal lines and the already familiar R-Link 2^®Navigation system (7 inch display) as an eye-catcher and control center also ensures a generous sense of space. The interior variability of the Kadjar is the same as that of a station wagon. We experience this with the removable and height-adjustable variable trunk floor. In the lower position, the maximum trunk volume of 472 liters is available when loaded up to the edge of the window. In the upper position, when the rear bench rests are folded down, it enables a consistently flat loading floor. With these tight seating arrangements, the load volume reaches 1.478 liters when loaded up to the roof. The variable luggage compartment floor consists of two parts and can also be used as a luggage compartment divider. Individual pieces of luggage can be fixed more easily here. In addition, the front passenger seat back can be folded down so that objects up to a length of 2,50 meters can be transported.

A broad array of radar- and camera-based driver assistance systems increases active safety in the Kadjar. These include the lane keeping warning and the traffic sign recognition with speed warning and high beam assistant. Optionally, blind spot warning and emergency brake assist are also available. An Easy Park Assistant will also be optional. The driver only has to accelerate and slow down while the Easy Park Assistant takes over the steering.

And finally ...

With a starting price of € 19.990 the Renault Kadjar sets a clear sign that recreational vehicles are also available with moderate prices.

Renault Kadja ENERGY dCi 130, 4 × 4:

Photos in the article: Stefan Beckmann Cover photo: Stefan Beckmann