A year after Renault had unveiled the production-ready Kwid, the city car-sized crossover now gains a more powerful engine in the form of the 1.0 SCe. The N/A unit is good for 67 bhp (68 PS).
The Kwid, which happens to be in the top 10 best-selling vehicles in India and the most awarded passenger car of 2016 in India, now boasts with 96 horsepower (97 PS) per tonne (2,204 pounds).
In other words, the 1.0-liter three-cylinder unit helps the small crossover get a better power-to-weight ratio than its rivals. The 0.8 SCe of yesteryear is good for 53 horsepower (54 PS) and a stint to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 16 seconds.
Priced from Rs 3.83 lakh ($5,699 at current exchange rates), the Renault Kwid 1.0 SCe comes as standard with a 5-speed manual transmission, as well as a dual-airbag system and anti-lock brakes. An automated manual transmission is slated to be added to the range as soon as November.
During the presentation of the Kwid 1.0 SCe, Renault India chief executive officer Sumit Sawhney let it slip that the automaker had sold 80,000 units of the Kwid so far. The addition of a more powerful engine and automated tranny will up the appeal of the cheeky little Kwid.
In terms of fuel economy, the 2016 Renault Kwid 1.0 SCe is not as fuel efficient as its main rival. Whereas the Kwid with the 1.0-liter engine and manual is good for 23.01 kmpl (4.34 l/100 km or 54.2 U.S. mpg), the Maruti Suzuki Alto K10 makes do with 24.07 kmpl (4.15 l/100 km or 56.6 U.S. mpg).
Regarding cosmetic changes, the biggest difference between the 0.8-liter Kwid and the recently launched 1.0-liter model comes in the form of chequered flag decals instead of black plastic body side moldings.
Just like its less powerful sibling, the 2016 Renault Kwid 1.0 SCe retains the 180 mm ground clearance and 300-liter (10.59 cuFT) cargo capacity. The upper of two trim levels (RXT and RXT Opt) adds a few frills to the menu in the form of power windows, a touchscreen infotainment system with satellite navigation, USB, and AUX input. Driver side airbag and seat belt pretensioner, however, are optional extras on both Kwid 1.0 SCe trim levels.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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