Business Car trailblazers Renault Kadjar Renault’s stylish crossover speaks with a Qashqai accent. Martyn Collins
What do you do if you want a slice of the growing crossover market, and your sister company makes the most popular model? You get them to collaborate of course! As a result, Renault’s stylish Kadjar crossover has more to do with the Nissan Qashqai than you might think at first look.
Whilst it shares the same platform as the Nissan and drives very similarly, thankfully Renault put its own stamp on the exterior and interior and the Kadjar had the more practical interior. Launched in 2015, the Kadjar was available with a choice of petrol and diesel power. The 140hp and 160hp, 1.3-litre TCe turbo petrols – which were willing, refined, and torquey and probably our pick of the engines. Then there’s the 110hp, 1.5-litre diesel, again a smooth performer – but performance is only modest. Another better diesel option was the refined and punchy 1.6- litre DCi 130.
Four-wheel drive was available on selected Kadjar models, but most owners wouldn’t choose to take this Renault off-road. Two-wheel drive most of the time, power is only sent to the rear wheels when slip is detected. It seems odd then, that our first introduction was on the international launch, which was held in the rural Bardenas Desert in Spain, where most of the routes were tracks rather than roads. Still, the Kadjar acquainted itself well with its surroundings, proving to be fun to
drive with its responsive steering and tidy handling.
Outside, the Kadjar shared Renault’s family look of the time, with a big Renault logo in the centre of a curvy grille and large, swept-back headlamps. The side was perhaps less engaging, but it had some interesting surface detailing at the bottom of the doors and around the
arches with the 17in wheels filling them. Move to the back, and there are high-set clusters which spread across the boot, with another large Renault diamond logo and bold ‘KADJAR’ badging. Inside, sadly the Kadjar was even less radical. The only excitement provided by the digital instruments and the touchscreen for the infotainment and sat
nav. However, overall quality was good, with soft-touch plastics on the top half of the car, with harder, more brittle, and generally less impressive plastics below. Still, the Kadjar felt robust. This Renault’s interior might not have been very interesting, but it was suitably practical, with head and legroom good in the Kadjar’s front and rear. The 472 litre boot is bigger than the Qashqai’s, too. The Kadjar was such a well-thought-out Crossover, it even managed to eclipse its established sister car, in terms of sales and took away some awards from the Nissan Qashqai.
Facelifted in 2019, the Kadjar received new headlights, bumpers, and alloy wheel designs on the outside. Inside, this Renault was fitted with a new centre console, with improved infotainment and simplified air- conditioning controls. There were also new air vent surrounds, door handles and door panels. Mechanically, there were changes to the diesel engines, too. The Kadjar carried on for another year when it was quietly retired. With its replacement, the Austral Hybrid launched this summer.
Still popular second-hand, cheapest Kadjars start from £6,000 for high-mile diesel models, to £20,000 for the newest 2020 versions.
50 | August 2023 |
www.businesscar.co.uk
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