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New Renault Kadjar SUV Hits Irish Roads – GT Line On Test.

Latest Renault Kadjar Hits Irish Roads.

Since it first launched in late 2015, the Renault Kadjar quickly established a strong position in the popular compact SUV segment. With over 5,700 models sold in Ireland since its first appearance, the recently launched new ‘facelift’ Kadjar is set to dramatically increase this figure, and attract many more conquest customers to the brand.

New Engines & Improved Spec;

The new Kadjar benefits from efficient new petrol and diesel engines, while equipment levels are more generous than ever, with each version coming with climate control, a 7” touchscreen with Android Auto™ and Apple CarPlay™, stylish alloy wheels, parking sensors, and automatic lights & wipers. The exterior of the new Kadjar is more sleek, and the body coloured area of the front and rear bumpers is now larger, lending to a more premium feel. The grille is wider, giving a more imposing appearance, while the C-Shaped LED lights now incorporate the front indicator, which gives a high-tech and impressive look. The new Kadjar is available with stylish new 17-inch and 19-inch alloy wheels, along with three new colours – Oural Green, Iron Blue, and Highland Grey.

Trim Levels, Engines & Transmission;

Four generously-equipped trim levels are available in the new Renault Kadjar – Play, Iconic, S-Edition, and GT Line, while engine options consist of a 1.3-litre turbo-petrol (TCe) unit with 140bhp or 160bhp, and a turbo-diesel (Blue dCi) with either 115bhp (1.5-litre), or 150bhp (1.7-litre). A six-speed manual gearbox is standard across the range, with a dual-clutch 7-speed automatic available with the 140bhp petrol engine, or the 115bhp diesel, as a €2,300 cost option. The new 1.3-litre TCe GPF (Gasoline Particulate Filter) engine is one of the finest petrol engines in the segment, and it meets the highest standards in performance and drivability. Customers looking to make the transition from diesel back to petrol will be impressed by its performance and real-world fuel consumption. The upgraded 1.5-litre Blue dCi 115bhp engine is more powerful than before, but still the most economical engine in the line-up, and with AdBlue, is cleaner than ever too. For even more performance, the all-new 1.7-litre Blue dCi engine is now available with 150bhp, and comes in two-wheel-drive and four-wheel-drive formats.

Test Car;

My test car was a new Renault Kadjar GT Line Blue dCi 115bhp and was finished in stunning Iron Blue metallic paint. This new colour in the Kadjar range perfectly compliments the dramatic lines of Renault’s revised compact SUV, and is very reasonably priced at just €575. Standard GT Line specification includes stylish 19” alloy wheels, AEBS (Autonomous Emergency Braking System), full leather seats, blind spot warning, front & rear parking sensors, rear parking camera, hands-free parking with 360-degree sensors, LED headlights & LED front foglights, heated driver’s seat, 7” touchscreen with satellite navigation and Smartphone replication, panoramic roof, puddle lamps, leather steering wheel, Visio system with lane departure warning, traffic sign recognition, and automatic high/low beam, along with many more comfort, convenience and safety features. Thanks to a low emissions figure of 117g/km, annual road tax is just €200, while fuel consumption as low as 4.87-litres/100km’s is achievable on an extra-urban driving cycle.

On The Road;

The Renault Kadjar is based on the same platform as the Nissan Qashqai, and the fact that it feels pretty much the same to drive as the Qashqai will not come as a surprise. Thanks to 115bhp and a healthy 260Nm of torque, the 1.5-litre diesel engine in my test car pulled strongly from a standing start, delivering its power in a smooth and refined fashion. An overboost function on this engine means that there is a healthy extra dose of torque on offer when overtaking. Uneven road surfaces don’t pose a problem for the new Kadjar, as the car’s supple suspension set up is able to absorb road undulations impressively. From a safety point of view, the Renault Kadjar earned a five-star rating when it was tested by Euro NCAP in 2015, just like its close relative, the Nissan Qashqai.

Cabin Quality & Boot Space;

The cabin of the Renault Kadjar was upgraded in 2018, with the old car’s fiddly air-conditioning controls replaced with big, simple-to-operate, rotating dials each inset with individual display screens. At the same time, the car’s infotainment screen became integrated into the dashboard in a neat and modern fashion. Overall cabin quality is very good, with soft-touch materials used in the places that are on view to the occupants of the car, while a general feeling of robustness is evident throughout the cabin. Boot space in the new Renault Kadjar is generous, with a minimum of 472-litres available with the rear seats in place, and up to 1,478-litres on offer when the rear seats are folded for extra practicality.

Verdict & Pricing;

 Overall, the new Renault Kadjar’s winning blend of desirability, quality, practicality and low running costs make it a deserved family favourite. Ex-works prices start at just €26,995, with my test car specification priced at €35,995 (excluding metallic paint). All models in the new Renault Kadjar range come with a spare wheel as standard, along with a 5-Year/200,000km warranty, and a 5-Year Renault Assistance package for the ultimate in peace-of-mind motoring.

Visit www.renault.ie for further information.

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