The hugely successful Renault Kwid has come in a yet more attractive avatar in the form of its recently launched AMT version. The French car maker has named the Kwid AMT (Automated Manual Transmission) as the Renault Kwid Easy-R. The Kwid AMT was first introduced at the 2016 Auto Expo in the month of February. Renault had promised to offer two great things with the Kwid AMT; firstly, taking the advantages of the Kwid to the next level, and secondly, offering the AMT system sans a gear lever. The Renault Kwid has already arrived in a more powerful 1.0-liter variant, and now the AMT version or the new Renault Kwid Easy-R is here to charm the Indian first time car buyers with all its great advantages.
Renault launched its entry-level hatchback model, Kwid in 2015. Owing to its SUV-like styling, class-best interior space and class leading ground clearance, the Renault Kwid went on to become a runaway success and make Renault brand name shine once more in India after the phenomenal success of the Renault Duster compact SUV. The Kwid brought everything with it that were not expected in an entry-level hatch model in India and it brought about a mini revolution in its own segment and deserved all the attention that it received. The Kwid is also a very feature-rich model in its own class and offers even a touchscreen infotainment system along with navigation on its very affordable top of the range model trim. The Kwid also quickly garnered rave reviews about its class-best ride quality. To put it in a nutshell, the Renault Kwid quickly became a hot favorite with both the customers and the market experts, and went on receiving a number of accolades. This widely popular Kwid has recently become all the more fascinating and desirable in its new AMT avatar that definitely takes the car’s appeal even further.
The recently launched Renault Kwid Easy-R model further enhances the car’s benchmark positioning in the Indian entry-level hatchback segment. As per Renault, it has designed the AMT system of the Kwid Easy-R in-house, although Bosch has provided the hardware for the gearbox and the system’s software has been supplied by FEV. The Renault Kwid Easy-R’s AMT system’s calibration and fine-tuning have been all taken care of Renault’s in-house engineers. Renault has named the hatchback’s AMT version as the Renault Kwid Easy-R to make it sound similar to the Renault Duster AMT variant. However, as the Easy-R is essentially the AMT gearbox, we like to call it mostly as the Renault Kwid Easy-R.
Now, if we consider the most important factor of the Renault Kwid Easy-R; that is the AMT gearbox, then the first thing that is most noticeable and remarkable is the car’s lack of gearstick. Renault has again bid to be different with the Kwid and has given a miss on its AMT variant and instead has settled for a premium rotary knob. This rotary dial is the biggest USP of the Renault Kwid AMT variant, which allows the driver to change gears by simply rotating the dial. The rotary knob has also freed up some space on the car’s center console and has offered a neater and more premium appeal to the cabin. This kind of rotary dial is not only totally unexpected in the Indian entry-level car segment, but also in many upper segments, as similar rotary knobs are only available in the likes of the Jaguar luxury car models.
This simple rotary knob offers three drive options, namely – R for reverse, N for neutral and D for drive. Another great feature in the Renault Kwid Easy-R is the Brake Hold feature that comes as a standard equipment in the Kwid AMT. The brake hold feature keeps the car from automatically moving forward even in D mode. Thus, unless the driver presses the accelerator pedal, the car will not move. This feature is especially helpful when the car is frequently stopped in slow moving traffic and the driver doesn’t need to shift to the Neutral gear or keep on holding the brake pedal to keep the car from moving ahead. This innovative feature from Renault has come from the company’s market research that showed that users don’t like the creeping function of the AMT models. Thus, with the Renault Kwid’s Easy-R system, this disadvantage of AMT has been removed, offering more convenience and easier driving experience.
Coming to the Renault Kwid Easy-R’s driving experience, it is widely accepted that one can’t ever expect the refinement and smoothness of a conventional automatic transmission in the much affordable AMT variants. However, the Kwid AMT is a really impressive model. Although there is slight hesitation in the 1st and 2nd gears which offers a bit rough feel, the rest of it is really smooth and effortless. Thus, in our opinion, the new Renault Kwid Easy-R offers the best driving experience that can be expected to be offered by an AMT equipped car model. The Renault Kwid Easy-R or AMT variant come equipped only with the more powerful 1.0-liter petrol motor and not the smaller 800 cc engine option. The 1-liter petrol engine of the Kwid is good to churn out a max power figure of 67 Bhp and a peak torque of 91 Nm of top torque and offers a more spirited drive experience than the 0.8-liter engine powered version.
The Renault Kwid Easy-R has also been introduced in the top of the range model, RXT. And being the top model trim, the AMT variant also offers the best of features that this small hatchback has to offer. Design-wise as well, the new Kwid Easy-R remains exactly the same as that of the Kwid 1-liter version, with no cosmetic changes whatsoever, excepting the Easy-R badge to announce its AMT status.
Renault has priced the new Kwid Easy-R model at Rs. 4.25 lakhs (ex-showroom, New Delhi), which makes the AMT version 30,000 dearer as compared to the Renault Kwid 1.0’s top RXT manual model trim.