Renault Kiger : Renault has breathed fresh life into its compact SUV offering, the Kiger, with a comprehensive mid-life update that brings sharper styling, enhanced features, and a retuned turbo-petrol engine. The 2025 Kiger, which arrives almost four years after the model’s initial launch, aims to recapture buyer interest in an increasingly crowded sub-4-meter SUV segment.
Bolder Exterior with Distinctive French Flair
The refreshed Kiger immediately distinguishes itself from its predecessor through a redesigned front fascia featuring a more prominent grille with flowing chrome elements that extend into the reshaped LED headlamps. The bumper gets a more aggressive treatment with larger air intakes and a silver skid plate that enhances its SUV credentials.
“We’ve given the Kiger more road presence without compromising its distinctive French design DNA,” explains Pierre Loing, Vice President of Design at Renault, during a virtual media roundtable. “The flowing lines and muscular haunches remain, but now with added sophistication and maturity.”
The side profile retains the coupe-like roofline that has been the Kiger’s styling trademark, though new 16-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels add a touch of premiumness. At the rear, the tail lamps get revised LED elements with a 3D effect, while the bumper incorporates dual exhaust finishers on the turbo variants – a subtle nod to the enhanced performance under the hood.
Upmarket Interior with Enhanced Connectivity
Step inside the 2025 Kiger, and the improvements are immediately apparent. The dashboard layout remains familiar but now features soft-touch materials on the upper surfaces and leatherette inserts with contrasting stitching. The previously all-black color scheme has given way to a more inviting dual-tone black and beige combination on higher variants.
“Customer feedback highlighted the need for a more premium cabin experience,” admits Venkatram Mamillapalle, Country CEO & Managing Director, Renault India Operations. “We’ve addressed this while maintaining the practical elements that made the Kiger popular in the first place.”
The 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system has been replaced by a more responsive 10.1-inch unit supporting wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. A fully digital 7-inch instrument cluster now features customizable displays and more intuitive graphics. Other noteworthy additions include wireless charging, an air purifier with AQI display, and a premium 8-speaker Arkamys sound system.
Retuned Powertrains with Enhanced Efficiency
Under the hood, the Kiger continues with the same basic engine options – a 1.0-liter naturally aspirated petrol and a 1.0-liter turbocharged unit – but both receive meaningful updates. The naturally aspirated motor now puts out 74bhp (up from 72bhp) thanks to revised engine mapping, while fuel efficiency improves by approximately 5 percent, according to company claims.
The turbo-petrol engine gets more substantial upgrades, with output increasing to 120bhp (up from 100bhp) and torque rising to 178Nm through the use of a larger turbocharger and revised intake system. This engine can be paired with either a 5-speed manual or a 7-step CVT automatic, the latter replacing the previous X-Tronic CVT.
“The retuned turbo engine transforms the driving experience,” notes Rajesh Khatri, a veteran automotive journalist who attended the media drive. “There’s noticeably less turbo lag, and mid-range punch is substantially improved. It feels like a completely different car to drive, especially on highways.”
Enhanced Safety Suite and New Top-End Variant
Safety gets a significant boost with the 2025 Kiger, which now offers six airbags as standard across the range – a move that puts pressure on competitors still offering dual airbags on lower trims. Electronic stability control, hill-start assist, and ISOFIX child seat anchors also become standard across all variants.
The range-topping new ‘Iconic’ variant adds even more safety features, including a 360-degree camera, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert – features typically found in vehicles from a segment above.
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Renault Kiger: Competitive Pricing Despite Enhancements
Despite the comprehensive updates, Renault has managed to keep price increases relatively modest. The 2025 Kiger range starts at ₹6.49 lakh for the base RXE variant and tops out at ₹11.25 lakh for the fully-loaded Iconic turbo-CVT (ex-showroom, Delhi).
“We’re committed to offering exceptional value despite rising input costs,” emphasizes Mamillapalle. “The Kiger continues to be one of the most affordable compact SUVs in the market while offering features that would satisfy even premium segment customers.”
With bookings now open across all Renault dealerships and deliveries scheduled to commence next month, the French carmaker hopes the refreshed Kiger will help reverse its declining sales trend in a market increasingly dominated by Korean and Indian manufacturers.