There’s no doubt about it: the Kadjar, basically Renault‘s interpretation of the Nissan Qashqai, is a much better looking thing than its predecessor, the Samsung-based Koleos.
Now, the vehicle has debuted in at the Geneva motor show with accompanying details.
Firstly, the engine range will be comprised of three units at first: two diesels and a petrol, all turbocharged. The oil burners are the familiar DCi 110 1.5-liter (promised 3.8 l/100km average) and newer DCi 130 1.6-liter, while the gasoline one is the TCe 130 1.2-liter.
Judging by the way the press blurb is written, it would seem only the larger diesel can be had with all-wheel drive, while the six-speed EDC (standing for Efficient Dual Clutch) gearbox only seems to be available on the DCi 110; the TCe 130 seems to only be available as a front-wheel drive manual.
All-wheel drive versions come with ETC (or Electronic Traction Control) which works in conjunction with the system to maximize traction; it’s operated through a rotary dial in true Renault-Nissan fashion.
Front-wheel drive Kadjars come with a traction enhancing Extended Grip system which is supposed to use the traction control to help pull you out of tight spots. Don’t be fooled, though, these systems don’t really work and will let you down when the going gets tougher – if you plan to take it outside of town on a regular basis, just go for the 4×4.
Safety is at the top of Renault’s list of priorities; the press document mentions this and the fact that the car looks sporty first, relegating engines and actual tech data further down. This means it’s relying on gadgets, tech, safety and design to sell it, instead of focusing on how well engineered and capable it is… it’s actually quite suggestively arranged and shows their priorities.
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