French car maker, Renault has launched its highly awaited Kwid hatchback in India at a starting price of Rs 2.56 lakhs. It will compete with the Maruti Alto, Hyundai Eon and Datsun Go, among others. The biggest differentiator – and perhaps what could be its biggest selling point – of the Kwid is its SUV like stance. Despite being a small car, it has 180mm of ground clearance, with black plastic cladding on all four sides for increased road presence.
The Kwid gets a brand new 800cc, petrol engine that develops a modest power output of 53bhp and 72Nm of torque. Its claimed fuel efficiency figure is rated at 25kmpl, making it the most fuel efficient petrol car in the country. This is partly down to the fact that the kerb weight of the Kwid is only 660kg – same as a single-seater Formula 1 car, which extensively uses carbon fibre. On the inside, the Kwid has a segment first 7-inch touchscreen that comes with satellite navigation. The instrumental cluster has also been borrowed from the highly successful Duster and there is also a special app that allows prospective buyers to get full details of the Kwid and get their queries answered by Renault personnels.
