Renault Kwid AMT Road Test Review

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS OF RENAULT KWID 1.0 LITRE AMT

French auto maker Renault has launched an automatic variant of their popular entry level hatchback – Kwid which promises to make commuting in traffic an absolute cinch. The new AMT has been mated to the 1.0 litre engine on the Kwid.

When the Kwid was first unveiled in India by Carlos Ghosn, Chairman & CEO, Groupe Renault, he said, "This is a car for conquest". The conquest was to have the highest selling cars in the entry level hatchback segment, which is currently being led by Maruti Suzuki. The latest contender from the stables of Renault is here to challenge the AGS (Automatic Gear Shift) variant of the Alto K10. The AMT variant of the Kwid comes with a 5-speed automatic transmission mated to the 1.0 litre, 3 cylinder, petrol motor. The engine puts out a healthy 91Nm of torque and 68bhp. Peak power comes in at 5500rpm while torque output peaks at 4250rpm.

Unlike traditional automatics this vehicle does not come with a gear lever, instead it has a knob placed conveniently on the dash, to change between reverse, neutral and drive. Gear shifts on the 5-Speed AMT feel seamless and smooth if you are cruising around in city traffic. But if you floor the accelerator pedal a slight lag is witnessed between gear shifts, the shift time is not too long and the Kwid AMT gets moving rather quick. The hatch however does not get a dead pedal which should be a basic addition to any automatic vehicle. The Kwid also does not offer the option of shifting gears manually which is available on the Alto K10 AGS. Considering the usage of the hatch as a city smart car, the automatic Kwid makes a lot of sense thanks to the ease of operation while shifting between forward and reverse.

The 5-speed transmission performs well on highways as well, the Kwid moves through the first three gears rather quickly, post that the fourth and fifth gears offer longer shift intervals in which you can easily cruise at speeds in excess of 100kmph. The automatic transmission combined with the maneuverability of the Kwid caters to a very easy and hassle free drive through congested city streets and even on road trips. The smart hatch also offers features like a touch screen infotainment setup with navigation and inputs for USB, AUX and bluetooth. The hatch gets almost everything one wants in their first car and offers a lot of space for 4 adults to travel. To sum it up, the Renault Kwid AMT is indeed a city smart hatchback with just the right amount of frills and fancies to suit the needs of urban dwellers and all at a the right price of Rs. 4.25 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi).