Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/604914
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 22 NOVEMBER 2015 IV Motoring IV Motoring CHRIS MANGION WITH fluid lines, an aggressive grille and ath- letic shoulders, the Renault Kadjar claims to be the incarnation of boldness. One can easily say that the Renault Kadjar is another mid-sized crossover similar to the Nis- san Qashqai. However one should say that fol- lowing the partnership of Nissan and Renault, the Kadjar is the Qashqai's sister from a differ- ent mother. Not only is the size similar but the car is actu- ally an improvement on its sister when it comes to comfort, space, style and economy. While taking on a large part of Nissan's mechanics, the Kadjar kept a lot of its Renault bloodline. The front V-shaped grill is reminiscent of oth- er family members, whilst the back end vaguely resembles that of the Clio. It also has sculpted and enveloping rear lights and a C-shaped LED light guide on daytime running lights. Whilst the absence of a low ratio gearbox and limited ground clearance helps owners steer away from off-roads, it is on the tarmac carpet that the Kadjar shines. This crossover provides its riders with a comfortable ride yet stays stuck to the road surface and shows no incli- nation towards much rolling. Its light steering and raised driving position allow for precision driving, particularly when parking, making it the ideal family ferry vehicle. The Kadjar is available with three engines - a DY1.2 Turbo giving 115BHP, a DY1.5DCI and a 130 BHP DY1.6DCI. All of these can be mar- ried to either a manual or automatic gearbox. The diesel engines are smooth throughout the rev range, and this does not change when the car is pushed. The 1.5 DCI diesel, is the most economical of the three, claiming a return of 74.3mpg. Meanwhile the 1.6-litre claims 65.7mpg and 113g/km of CO2. The Kadjar is also available as a 4x4 Once through the door, soft-touch surfaces adorn the interior. The local base model – the Dynamique Nav - comes with Bluetooth, DAB radio, air conditioning, electric windows satel- lite navigation, climate control, hands free en- try, and dual-zone climate control. One step up sits the Dynamique S spec mod- el, adding a set of 19-inch alloys, part-leather seats, front and rear parking sensors and a one- touch easy folding rear seat release. Renault has also redesigned the interface of their R-Link navigation system, resulting in a very responsive and intuitive touchscreen me- dia system. The BOSE sound system turns the cabin into a theatre. Seven speakers and a sub- woofer provide panoramic sound, with clear tones and a rich sound. Seating is comfortable with good leg and headroom. The rear seats fold for a total of 1478-litre boot space. Yet even with the seats up, the Kadjar's 472-litre boot is bigger than that of its sister the Qashqai. The Dynamique S version adds a false boot floor but the high boot lip does not make loading heavy items easy. Whilst not perfect, the Renault Kadjar sits not too far from the Nissan Qashqai. In some areas it actually shames its sister, offering a more spacious and versatile vehicle. It offers the same reliability of the Nissan while offering a less common look, a great drive and lots of functionality. The Kadjar is available from Autosales Ltd, starting from €24,500 for the BY1.2 Turbo Dy- namique Nav version. CHRIS MANGION el, adding a set of 19-inch alloys, part-leather seats, front and rear parking sensors and a one- A sister from another mother – Renault Kadjar PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHRIS MANGION