Renault Kangoo diesel to gain dual-clutch trans

Renault Australia has announced its six-speed EDC dual-clutch transmission will be offered as an option for the Kangoo van before the end of 2017.

At this stage the importer is not advising what premium will be payable for the 'automatic' transmission coupled to the 1.5-litre diesel, but it has revealed that the EDC unit – with dry-plate clutches – will change gear in just 290 milliseconds, saves more fuel than the manual transmission and comes with both creep control and Hill Start Assist.

Renault is claiming fuel economy improved by up to 10 per cent for the EDC variant, measured against the manual Kangoo.

The transmission also features sequential shifting, with a tip forward of the lever for downshifts. And and Eco mode helps the powertrain consume less fuel by lowering the transmission's shift points and taking optimal advantage of the 81kW diesel engine's 240Nm torque rating.

While pricing is yet to be released for the Kangoo diesel EDC, Renault has confirmed that the standard three-year/200,000km warranty will apply – along with three years of roadside assistance – and 12-month/30,000km service intervals will be subject to $349 capped-price servicing.

"We've been looking to add an auto diesel powertrain to the Kangoo range for a while now, and I'm pleased to say that the specification we want has now gone into production, and we should receive the first vehicles prior to Christmas," says Lyndon Healey, Senior Model Line Manager at Renault Australia LCV.