Renault has launched a new sport utility vehicle (SUV) specifically for the Kenyan market. Dubbed Kiger, the new five sitter SUV strengthens Renault’s offering that already includes Kwid, Duster, Koleos, Kangoo and Triber in Kenya.
It is fitted with a three-cylinder turbocharged one-liter petrol engine, with a power output of 100 Ps and a torque of 160 Nm. The SUV’s engine has been tested for reliability and longevity and offers the latest technological innovations already featured on the Clio and the Captur in Europe.
It boasts the best fuel economy of its category with five-liter/100KM (20 KM/litre) consumption. Speaking during the launch in Nairobi on Saturday, Renault MD Pedro Campos said Kiger is all about creative and practical innovation inside its smart cabin combined with practicality.
“Following Duster, Kwid and Triber, we are now introducing a new modern SUV, the Renault Kiger, that is a perfect fit for the Kenyan market.
He added that its long wheelbase promises great habitability for Kenyan roads. The Kiger SUV combines urban modernity with agility, whichever road it takes. It has muscular bodywork that exudes sturdiness and dynamism, to escape the urban jungle and experience a new kind of driving.
The design was inspired by the Kiger show car that was unveiled at the end of 2020. A sculpted bonnet that enhances the car’s personality sits at the front above an impressive bumper. The wings boost the design with their pronounced shoulder lines, while the black sills and wheel arches provide further protection.
The high ground clearance (205 mm) and functional roof bars heighten the vehicle’s silhouette and complete its bold SUV look. The vehicle’s interior is called a “smart cabin” as it combines technology, functionality and roominess.
Kiger is just under four meters long and falls into the compact SUV category. Thanks to the CMFA+ platform DNA, just like Triber, it offers segment-leading roominess, cabin storage and cargo space.
The interior has been designed to perfectly combine the sturdiness of an SUV with a focus on sophistication and technology. With a high centre console, eight inches (20.32 cm) floating touch screen with wireless smartphone replication, Kiger interior has been specially designed to encourage sharing and convenience.
Furthermore, the vehicle boasts of a brand new, well-tuned quality sound system: the Auditorium 3D sound system by Arkamys, with a technology that diffuses 3D sound tailor-made to suit the materials and shape of the passenger compartment.
The system also automatically adjusts the sound volume according to the speed of the vehicle at higher trim levels. The system can be activated and adjusted on demand to ensure the best sound quality whatever the route.
With the modern hands-free card for everyday convenience, doors can be opened and closed automatically, and the engine started without a key. Sensors in the card allow drivers to lock and unlock the doors without having to take the card out of their pocket or press a button.
They can also start the vehicle without having to insert the card. The hands-free system also includes a door auto-lock function when drivers walk away from the vehicle. Although the French automaker remained tight-lipped on the cost of the new SUV, it is touted as one of affordable in the market.
