The Renault Kwid is the benchmark when it comes to the entry level hatchback in India. With over 2.5 lakh units sold, the feature rich car with a crossover like design has really taken the imagination of the Indian car buying public by storm. And now in order to continue with their sales success, Renault has updated the Kwid and just in time for the upcoming festive season. The new Kwid gets even more features as compared to the one available currently and more importantly also gets a few updates that make it safer. A few new features include a rear view camera, an updated front grille and a fold down handrest for the rear seats, all of which are first in class features. And all of these additional features come at no extra cost as Renault have not hiked prices on the updated 2018 Kwid. Refer to the table below for the current price range for both the manual and the automatic Kwid.
| RENAULT KWID 2018 PRICES | PRICING (ex-showroom, Delhi) |
|---|---|
| Standard - 0.8L SCe | Rs 2.66 lakh |
| RXE - 0.8L SCe | Rs 3.09 lakh |
| RXL - 0.8L SCe | Rs 3.35 lakh |
| RXT-O (MT) - 0.8L SCe | Rs 3.82 lakh |
| RXT-O (MT) - 1.0 L SCe | Rs 4.04 lakh |
| RXT-O- (AMT) - 1.0 L SCe | Rs 4.34 lakh |
| KWID Climber MT- 1.0 L SCe | Rs 4.29 lakh |
| KWID Climber AMT- 1.0 L SCe | Rs 4.59 lakh |
Also Read: Renault Kwid AMT - Detailed Review
(Renault Kwid now gets a rear view camera)
So lets get to all the updates on the new car in a little more detail. In terms of infotainment and features, the Kwid will now get a reverse camera on the RXT (O) variant. Other added features on the top variant will include a rear 12-volt socket along with a new chrome festooned gear knob. The higher variants will also get a chrome front grille. The lower spec RXL will also get updates with power windows and central locking now as standard. The Kwid will also get a rear arm rest in selected variants.
Also Read: Renault Kwid 1-litre Detailed Review
(Renault Kwid Climber gets rear seat fold down arm rest)
The Renault Kwid had come under severe criticism for its lack of safety features, especially for rear passengers. Renault has addressed this issue too by providing rear seat passengers with updated seat belts that are equipped with pre-tensioners and load limiters. This will help restrict the movement of passengers in case of an impact and can be life saving. However, the Kwid still isn't up to scratch in terms of overall crash worthiness in terms of a basic structure as shown by the recently conducted ASEAN NCAP tests. While the new seatbelt pre tensioners do help, there is no word on whether the basic body structure has changed from the Indian version to the one available in Brazil.
(Renault Kwid gets a new Chrome Grille)
The 2018 Renault Kwid has not been updated or upgraded mechanically and gets two engine options. The standard car gets an 800 cc, 3-cylinder petrol engine that makes 53 bhp and 72 Nm of torque. There is also a more powerful 1-litre engine on offer that makes 67 bhp of peak power and 91 Nm of peak torque. The new 2018 Renault Kwid will also be offered with a manual gearbox, which will be available on both the 800 cc and 1-litre engines. There will also be an AMT gearbox that Renault calls 'Easy-R', which will be available exclusively on the 1-litre option.
