Renault Kadjar 2019 Review

An all-new entrant in packed market segment must surprise and delight if it’s to stand a chance of success. In the case of the 2019 Renault Kadjar we find a mid-size SUV that’s delightful enough but does little to surprise… but that might just be a good thing.

Medium SUV buyers are a demanding lot. They want good design, quality, space, features, value for money and performance. It’s a market where a family car must stack up, not just stand out; and one where dependable service and day-to-day functionality take precedence over gimmicks or novelty.

In this way the Australian SUV buyer understands the market far better than many of us suppose. In turn, Renault had better hope it understands the market it’s launching the Kadjar into; especially if it’s to mix it with myriad trusted mainstream models.

First released in Europe in 2015 and then confirmed for Australia in facelifted form in 2018, the Kadjar slots between Renault’s Captur small SUV, which will be renewed by mid next year, and the larger Koleos – a facelifted version of which also arrives this month.

Taking a walk around the new Renault Kadjar and it’s a relief to see there’s little to dislike. The styling doesn’t draw that ‘love it or hate it’ kind of provocation that French cars often can, and the quality of the fit and finish is, in a word, impressive.

Tight, uniform shut-lines meet lustrous paint (metallic paint costs $750 extra) and well-finished plastics to imbue a sense of solidity – and it’s a theme that continues inside the cabin.

The doors close with a solid ‘thunk’ and the noise of the outside world quickly melts away. The Renault Kadjar feels calm, spacious and – again – well screwed together. Well, except for a squeaky centre console.

Yes, it’s a mid-size SUV that’s made to a price and, yes, that’s reflected in the selection of materials and décor. But given the standard of its contemporaries, the Renault Kadjar ranks at the pointy end of the quality game, and that should be enough to get discerning buyers queuing for a test drive.

As should the Kadjar’s long list of standard safety inclusions and its zesty 1.3-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine developed in conjunction with Daimler and Nissan (and also seen under the bonnet of the new Mercedes-Benz A-Class and CLA-Class locally), matched solely to a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.

Locally, the Renault Kadjar is front-wheel drive only and requires 95 RON premium unleaded, which Renault says should return average consumption of 6.3L/100km on the combined cycle.

It’s also the first Renault model – and the first SUV, period – available in Australia with a petrol particulate filter, which was pioneered here only recently by the Peugeot 308 GT and 508 Fastback.

The Renault Kadjar name combines the made-up words ‘Kad’ and ‘Jar’. Renault says the word ‘Kad’ is inspired by ‘quad’ and represents a ‘go anywhere four-wheeled vehicle’ while the word ‘Jar’ recalls the French word for agile (ajel). So, literally, the Kadjar is an agile, four-wheeled vehicle.

Priced at $29,990 plus on-road costs, the entry-grade Renault Kadjar Life offers low-speed autonomous emergency braking (AEB), front and rear parking sensors, a reversing camera, cruise control with speed-limiter, and hill-start assist.

It also offers 17-inch alloy wheels at a price point where many rivals ride on steel wheels with plastic wheel covers. The Kadjar Life includes a 7.0-inch touch-screen infotainment array backed with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, densely cushioned seating for five, air-vents in the first and second row, and USB ports for just about every passenger (four).

Stepping up to the mid-tier Kadjar Zen (from $32,990) and highlights include parking sensors (for 360-degree coverage), lane departure warning, blind spot monitoring, leatherette upholstery, 17-inch alloy wheels, and keyless entry with push-button start.

Finally, the top-spec Kadjar Intens (from $37,990) offers 19-inch alloy wheels, auto parking, auto lights and wipers, dual-zone climate control, a BOSE premium audio system, leather upholstery and steering wheel, a fixed glass panoramic roof, and heated and power-adjustable front seats.

Unfortunately, the Renault Kadjar doesn’t offer high-speed autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control or a powered tailgate.

It’s also offered with only one interior hue in a segment where coloured upholstery is really beginning to take off, and nor are there any all-wheel drive, turbo-diesel or hybrid versions, which are also offered by an increasing number of competitors.

It seems every new medium SUV that arrives must bring more space than its predecessor. Look at the Toyota RAV4, for example. What started life as a fun little SUV with commendable off-road ability is now little more than a bloated wagon on stilts.

In fact, it’s nearly as big as the first-generation Toyota Kluger, which itself was originally a large family SUV with up to seven seats and is now the size of a small apartment.

So by sitting at the smaller end of the medium SUV market – competing more closely with the likes of the Nissan QASHQAI than the X-TRAIL, to use one example – the Renault Kadjar might at first seem to be doing itself a disservice; or at least it does if you look only at the exterior dimensions in the brochure.

Step inside the cabin, however, and a different story evolves. The Kadjar has extracted the very most it can from its small(ish) footprint to present a cabin that’s spacious, and even somewhat flexible.

The rear seats recline fore and aft to bolster cargo space slightly, while handy storage cubbies and bottle holders punctuate the monotone trim to accommodate the flotsam and jetsam that accompanies our modern-day lives.

Device charging is well sorted and the R-LINK 2 infotainment interface easy to understand. It’s the kind of SUV you can just hop in and use without the need for a weekend TAFE course, and for me that’s a really welcome trait.

In fact, all of the Kadjar’s switchgear and controls are pretty easy to wrap your head around. Sure, they’re not all positioned in the typical fashion and the steering column-mounted audio controls won’t be to everyone’s taste. But after a few hours at the wheel it all becomes second nature – as does the cabin’s sense of serenity.

It wasn’t until after I hopped out of the Kadjar and back into a competitor’s mid-size SUV that I realised how quiet the Renault really is. It’s a hushed cabin that is free of the mechanical clatter and tyre hum we accept as par for the course in same-priced rivals.

In fact, I reckon only the Skoda and Volkswagen brigade are as quiet as this French-built rival, and considering the price difference that’s quite a compliment.

The dual-zone climate control is pretty hushed once it’s up to temperature and adds to the quiet of the Kadjar’s cabin when you really want to, err, Zen out (sorry!). If you need a relaxed commute or want a place to chill before picking up the kids, the Kadjar ticks the ‘shush’ box, underlines it, and frames it for prosperity.

The Renault Kadjat offers a decent 408 litres of cargo space with the two-tier boot floor in its lowest setting. Fold the 60/40-split rear seats flat and there’s a generous 1478 litres of area at your disposal – which can be accessed without the need to unplug the roof-mounted centre seatbelt found in some mid-size SUVs.

It is longer, wider and taller than the Nissan QASHQAI on which it’s based. In its most basic Life form … the Kadjar measures 4449mm long (+125mm), 1836mm wide (+30mm) and 1607mm high (+12mm). It offers 200mm ground clearance and can tow up to 1500kg (braked).

Engine downsizing was all the rage for a time and, while many car-makers have reverted to what they knew best and called it ‘all-new’, a few manufacturers have stuck with the practice.

The Renault Kadjar might be powered by the smallest capacity turbo-petrol engine in its class, but it delivers numbers that (nearly) shame most 2.0- and 2.5-litre normally-aspirated opponents.

Renault’s Energy TCe160 engine makes 117kW of power at 5500rpm and 260Nm of torque from 1750rpm. It’s the highest of three tunes Renault offers from its 1.3-litre mill and the only one offered Down Under.

It’s said to accelerate the 1362kg (kerb) Kadjar to 100km/h in 9.6sec, which feels about right, and combines Nissan GT-R inspired Mirror Bore Coating, dual variable valve timing and direct-injection to sip just 6.3L/100km on the ADR Combined cycle.

As mentioned earlier, all Renault Kadjar models in Australia drive only the front wheels via a seven-speed EDC (or Efficient Dual Clutch) transmission. Developed by Magna PT (formerly Getrag), the 7DCT500 wet-clutch unit is a progression of the six-speed unit offered in previous Renault models including the Captur, Clio and Megane.

There are no paddle shifters in the Kadjar but the selector can be used manually in the traditional -/+ range. Realistically, though, the transmission is capable enough in Drive to make manual shifting redundant.

Like most of its contemporaries, the Renault Kadjar has electrically-assisted steering and four-wheel disc brakes. It rides on an all-coil suspension – MacPherson struts up front and a relatively cheap torsion beam set-up at rear -- and the same 2646mm wheelbase as the Nissan QASHQAI.

The result is a chassis that feels secure in a straight line, but never really goes beyond that as you wind up the tempo on a twisty country road. The stable but unexciting handling character is exacerbated by the Kadjar’s ligneous steering feel that’s now quite standard in this style of car, with only a few exceptions

It might be a Sports Utility Vehicle in name, but the Kadjar’s feel at the wheel is hardly what I’d call sporty.

In its defence, the Kadjar’s speed-sensitive variable power steering makes the tiller nice and light at parking speeds. With a tight 10.7m turning circle – and all the aforementioned parking aids – it’s a joy to twirl into tight parking spaces.

It’s also impressively comfortable in terms of ride quality, especially on the smaller 17-inch alloy wheels, which complement the serene cabin well.

At the top of this review we questioned whether the Renault Kadjar has what it takes to mix it in the mainstream, or whether it will be another peripheral French model – this time in the sea of mid-size SUVs.

Perhaps that depends not on the Kadjar but Australia’s perception of the Renault brand – a giant European marque that, on a global scale, sells millions of safe, capable, reliable and often segment-leading cars, SUVs and commercials.

Yet in Australia – where its top-seller is the Koleos, closely followed by the Trafic and Master vans, with cars a distant fourth – Renault remains a bit player that’s more than 20 per cent down this year and in danger of being outsold by Skoda.

Look beyond the badge and the Kadjar is one of Renault’s best offerings yet; a worthy competitor to any of the current crop of mid-size SUVs, with strong levels of refinement, performance, efficiency and technology.

It’s also got terrific after-sales back-up, with a solid five-year warranty, roadside assistance and capped-price servicing – and longer service intervals than any of its more popular contemporaries.

So the answer to both questions is yes, the Renault Kadjar has what it takes to mix it with Australia’s top-selling SUVs, yet it’s unlikely to ever become a mainstream model in Australia’s biggest and busiest vehicle segment.

That’s a pity, because the Kadjar deserves to do better.

How much does the 2019 Renault Kadjar cost?
Price: from $29,990 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 1.3-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 117kW/260Nm
Transmission: Seven-speed dual-clutch
Fuel: 6.3L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 134g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety: Five-star (Euro NCAP 2015)