Positives:

Excellent consumption and little environmental impact
Superb and reliable French design/engineering
If you want space inside (which is not the case for the Renault Captur) this is the vehicle for you!

Negatives:

A little low from the ground - not that great for off-road

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Final thoughts:

Buy it if you'd like to save fuel and look great
You will love the space, looks and performance

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After taking the Renault Kadjar for a test drive in Tuscany (Italy), I would say that it competes reasonably well within it’s range. Here are my thoughts in the form of a review:

At first sight, the Renault Kadjar seems like a smaller version of a Porsche Cayenne – and for anyone who’d like to drive a vehicle like that without polluting the environment, driving a Kadjar with a 1.2 petrol engine seems to be the way forward. Make no mistake, that with competitors like the Opel Mokka and Audi Q3/Q5 range, the Mazda CX5, the Nissan Qashqai and others, this is a tight space to compete

The Renault Kadjar is good to drive, with a range of powerful yet efficient turbocharged engines in Diesel and Petrol.
We can start by looking at performance metrics: This is not an off-road vehicle since it has limited ground clearance without a low ratio gearbox, so yes, it competes well on looks against other 4X4 vehicles, but not on off road performance.

Now taking it onto the road though is where you will be impressed. It has an excellent view with an elevated position for the driver. You can go really fast without experiencing any roll going into the corners. The only thing I’d say is take it slowly over the speed humps or any other bumps that may occur in the road!

When I compare it to the Ford Escape and Kuga, the Kadjar runs more quiet, yet since it is a turbo charged engine, you will hear an occasional whistle – but it is quite good to feel the powerful result of that whistle when it pushes you back into your seat as you step on the fuel peddle.

The Renault Kadjar can be purchased with a variety of engines. The 1.2-litre TCe turbo petrol develops 128bhp, and can do 119mph and 0-62mph in 10.1 seconds, with maximum pulling power from just 2,000rpm. Around town the 1.2 is nippy enough and feels pretty sprightly up to moderate speeds. You may want the Diesel (I don’t fancy it due to the impact on the environment) But if you so wish, there is a choice  between the 109bhp 1.5-litre dCi, which is now  the top seller, and the 1.6-litre dCi with 128bhp – which is remarkably fast.  What is impressive about the 1.6 is the 320Nm of torque resulting from just 1,750rpm. so it’s extremely flexible and perfect for those wanting to tow. This engine is also available with all-wheel drive – and the system can send up to 50 per cent of the power to the rear wheels for added traction. Drivers can manually select between front and four-wheel drive with the option to lock the centre differential for an even 50/50 torque split in really slippery conditions.

The interior of the vehicle:

To me, the Renault Kadjar offers a pleasing look: It talks the talk! I would say it looks even better than the Nissan. The enhanced European design is impressive too, with curvaceous bodywork and creases in panels help give this tall vehicle a stylish swooping stance. The rear of the Kadjar has a futuristic design theme is maintained by some distinctive, with some cool shaped tail lamps. It has 17-inch alloy wheels, or you can have 19-inch diamond-cut wheels that really makes it look like a Cayenne.

Overall, if your budget for fuel and an initial purchase is within a particular range – and you care for the environment, I’d say the Kadjar is a really good pick: Well done to French engineers and designers for dreaming up this vehicle!

Great statistics across 18 variations of the Kadjar:

The consumption statistics, when compared to engine sizes and performance, is perhaps the most appealing and was certainly explained to me in depth by the sales team who understood the points of difference the vehicle offers, after all, it is about unique positioning and the Renault brand knows how to compete. Take a look at the options:

0–62 CO2 BHP MPG Price
Renault Kadjar 1.5 dCi Expression+ 5dr 11.9s 99.0g/km 110 74.3
Renault Kadjar 1.5 dCi Expression+ 5dr EDC 11.7s 99.0g/km 110 74.3
Renault Kadjar 1.5 dCi Dynamique Nav 5dr 11.9s 99.0g/km 110 74.3
Renault Kadjar 1.5 dCi Dynamique S Nav 5dr 11.9s 103.0g/km 110 72.4
Renault Kadjar 1.5 dCi Dynamique Nav 5dr EDC 11.7s 99.0g/km 110 74.3
Renault Kadjar 1.6 dCi Dynamique Nav 5dr 9.9s 113.0g/km 130 65.7
Renault Kadjar 1.5 dCi Dynamique S Nav 5dr EDC 11.7s 103.0g/km 110 72.4
Renault Kadjar 1.5 dCi Signature Nav 5dr 11.9s 103.0g/km 110 72.4
Renault Kadjar 1.6 dCi Dynamique S Nav 5dr 9.9s 117.0g/km 130 62.8
Renault Kadjar 1.6 dCi Dynamique Nav 5dr 4WD 10.5s 126.0g/km 130 58.8
Renault Kadjar 1.5 dCi Signature Nav 5dr EDC 11.7s 103.0g/km 110 72.4
Renault Kadjar 1.6 dCi Signature Nav 5dr 9.9s 117.0g/km 130 62.8
Renault Kadjar 1.5 dCi Signature S Nav 5dr 11.9s 103.0g/km 110 72.4
Renault Kadjar 1.6 dCi Dynamique S Nav 5dr 4WD 10.5s 129.0g/km 130 57.6
Renault Kadjar 1.5 dCi Signature S Nav 5dr EDC 11.7s 103.0g/km 110 72.4
Renault Kadjar 1.6 dCi Signature Nav 5dr 4WD 10.5s 129.0g/km 130 57.6
Renault Kadjar 1.6 dCi Signature S Nav 5dr 9.9s 117.0g/km 130 62.8
Renault Kadjar 1.6 dCi Signature S Nav 5dr 4WD 10.5s 129.0g/km 130 57.6

Counties where the Renault Kadjar is popular:

United States, France, Spain, Italy, Germany, South Africa, Australia, Brazil, Austria, New Zealand, Cyprus, Greece, Mexico, Canada.

 

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About The Author
Adriaan Brits