Kwid’s fuel consumption is easy on your wallet
What you need to know:
Being one of, if not the car with the smallest engines, one litre of fuel in a Kwid covers 25km for urban drives and 30km on the highway.
The Renault Kwid has been available in Uganda for approximately 13 years, a period in which Renault Uganda that sells Renault brands under Merca Limited was birthed.
The Renault Kwid, a hatchback, is one of the smallest cars with sport utility vehicle physical characteristics, compared to other vehicles of its category. It is manufactured with a 1,000cc automatic and an 800cc manual transmission engine.
Being one of, if not the car with the smallest engines, one litre of fuel covers 25km for urban drives and 30km on the highway, with a full fuel tank capacity of only 28 litres, for both the 1000cc and 800cc engines. In some cases, depending on the weight of your acceleration foot, a litre can cover 33km on the highway.
“The mileage per litre makes it one of the most economical, reliable and fuel efficient cars of its generation. Its consumption gives you the productivity you expect,” says Fred Wambi, the brand manager, Renault Uganda.
Good ground clearance
With a raised ground clearance of 180 millimeters, the Kwid can manoeuvre through our potholed and bumpy roads. And, it is not only affordable to maintain, it is also easier to drive and park in smaller spaces. It is also a practical vehicle. For example, for companies or individuals whose work involves making service or product sales mobility errands, the Kwid is the vehicle to go for because of its pocket-friendly consumption, especially in urban areas with slow moving traffic jam.
Interior
It is a basic car but with the required accessories. For instance, the interior has four wide air conditioning vents for maximum air circulation in the vehicle, a 17-inch multifunction screen, as well as a hard plastic dashboard and a leather coated steering wheel that make it easy to clean. The advantage to the plastic dashboard is that it prevents cracks caused by exposure to hot temperatures by the sun, on top of keeping the dashboard immaculate.
Service cost
The Kwid is a five-gear vehicle that was fitted with a digital speedometre, and a 55-horsepower engine, powerful enough to move at the needed driving speed with stability. Like any other vehicle, major service for the Kwid where you replace the air filter, oil filter, engine oil, transmission fluid, engine coolant, refilling of the AC, spark plugs and fuel filter, will cost you between Shs200,000 to Shs300,000, depending on what is to be replaced.
Like most cars, some of the driving habits that could expose the Kwid to fast wear and tear include driving recklessly. When maintained well, it is a durable car.
However, it does not have many safety features, except safety belts and the front airbags. The automatic version (the one with a 1000cc engine), has the rear camera to guide while reversing.
Boot space
A five seater by capacity, the Kwid uses a three-cylinder engine. It also has bluetooth system that allows you connectivity to your phone. When it comes to luggage, it has a sizeable trunk for light luggage, with the rear passenger seats able to flip to create space for more luggage. It also has C-shape lights and plastic fenders and wide storage pockets on all doors that can accommodate files. The maximum speed it can go for is 180km/hr.
Cost
According to Fred Wambi, the brand manager, Renault Uganda, the Renault Kwid 2020 model costs $15,000, which is equivalent to Shs57m.
