CANBERRA: Renault has pulled the wraps from its small new Kadjar SUV today, ahead of a world premiere at next month’s Geneva Motor Show.
Described as the new Captur crossover’s “big brother”, the Kadjar will fill the space between that compact SUV and the next-generation midsized Koleos.
As expected, the Kadjar’s styling builds on Renault’s still-new styling language, which debuted in production form with the new Clio and has quickly spread across the company’s wider range.
Renault promises a premium feel to the interior, with soft-touch surfaces and and foam-backed materials.
Built on the same Renault-Nissan platform that underpins the Japanese brand’s Qashqai, the Kadjar debuts as Renault’s first-ever ‘C-segment’ SUV.
Measuring 4.45mm long and 1.84m wider, the Kadjar is slightly larger than the 4.37m and 1.8m Qashqai.
The Kadjar’s larger dimensions also give it a 42-litre larger boot space, at 472 litres with the rear seats upright.
Depending on the market, the Kadjar will be offered with small petrol and diesel engine options. These will likely be shared with the Qashqai, although full specifications are still to be revealed.
If shared, buyers can expect 106kW 2.0 petrol and 96kW 1.6 diesel engines, and a smaller 1.5 litre unit is also believed to be on the cards.
Renault has also confirmed front- and all-wheel-drive configurations for its new small SUV, including an ‘Extended Grip’ system for improved traction with the front-wheel-drive models.
Although not true 4×4 material, the Kadjar boasts 190mm ground clearance and 18/25-degree approach and departure angles, contributing to a small amount of off-roadability.
Other features will include a reversing camera, hands-free parking, idle stop-start, emergency brake assist, lane departure warning and road-sign recognition with speed limit alerts.
Renault has yet to confirm any Australian plans for the Kadjar, although it is understood that the carmaker’s local arm is reviewing its potential.
The all-new Captur compact SUV launches in Australia this week. Watch for TMR’s first-drive review.
