Renault KWID: Who all does it compete with in the Indian Market

Renault, the French carmaker is currently gearing up to launch its much ambitious small car KWID next month in India. Likely to be launched by mid-September, the KWID is already creating a lot of buzz in the market. On paper the KWID hatchback truly looks like an amazing car, with stylish exteriors and smart interiors, making it the ideal car for Indian market. However in India it will have compete with market leaders like Maruti Suzuki Alto 800 and Hyundai EON, who have practically been top-sellers ever since their entry into the market.

Maruti Suzuki Alto 800: The Maruti Suzuki Alto 800 has been on the top 3 best selling cars ever since its launch in India. Launched to replace both the Maruti 800 and the A-Star the car comes with exterior features of both. Under the hood the car packs a 796cc petrol engine producing a maximum power output of 48 PS and a peak torque of 69 Nm, paired to a 5-speed manual transmission. The car is priced in India in the range of INR 2.4 – 3.3 lakhs (ex-showroom Mumbai).

Hyundai EON: After Alto 800 the Hyundai EON is probably the most popular entry level car sold in India. Offering a lot more stylish exteriors and stylish interiors, the EON hatchback is also the most powerful of the lot. The car packs a two petrol engine 0.8 litre and 1.0 litre Kappa engine offer power outputs of 56 PS/74.5 Nm and 95 PS/94.1 Nm respectively. Both the engines come mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox. The Hyundai EON is priced in the range of INR 3.1-4.3 lakh (ex-showroom Bengaluru)

Talking about the KWID itself, Renault’s upcoming small car comes with a crossover SUV-like styling along with exteriors features that really make the car look premium. Under the hood, this new small car will get a new 800cc, three-cylinder petrol engine, which is likely to produce about 50.7 PS of power and 90Nm of torque. Transmission duties are taken care of by a 5-speed manual gearbox. Renault will also launch the Kwid hatchback with 1.0-litre petrol engine, which will be paired to an AMT (Automated Manual Transmission) gearbox, though the car will miss out on a diesel version.

 

Apart from the Duster compact SUV, none of the other Renault cars have been able to achieve any significant success and Renault plans to change that with the KWID by targeting the entry level market. While this is a very logical move, competitors like Alto 800 and EON, already have an upper hand thanks to their trusted after sales service, low maintenance and wide distribution of spare parts. If the Renault plans to succeed in the market than the carmaker will also have to consider these factors as the customers it plans to cater seek these offerings.