After last year’s launch of the Renault Kadjar – the French version of Nissan’s Qashqai – Renault South Africa has designed to sweeten the deal and thicken the local product offering with a new limited edition model, the Kadjar XP Limited Edition.
The new model variant will be available in limited numbers for a price of R364 900, matching the price of the entry level Expression model. But just how many there will be is a mystery… even to Renault SA if their twitter response is anything to go by:
Hi @Roger_TCR the #KadjarXP is limited by number not time 🙂 We can’t confirm the exact number at this time.
— Renault South Africa (@Renault_SA) February 10, 2017
So what exactly do you get for your R364 900? Well the Renault Kadjar XP is based on the 1.2 Expression, featuring as standard a range of safety aids such as ABS, EBD, as well as hill start assist, rear PDC, tyre pressure monitoring, and cruise control.
The Kadjar XP adds to that a range of options available on the standard model, but at no extra cost. Features added are 17-inch alloy wheels, swan neck towbar, chrome side steps, front cornering fog lamps, additional 12v sockets, and roof racks – all to the value of R40 000. Renault SA claims the upgrades add to the outdoor appearance of the Kadjar XP, in line with their launch tag of #DareToLive.
With the exception of the roof racks and towbar, the rest of the kit is all for aesthetics on the Renault Kadjar XP – and it arguably does make the SUV look quite special.
But while the notion of speccing up a base model to create an affordable limited edition variant is a novel one, certain areas are left lacking as a result. The infotainment system for example, isn’t the touch screen unit found in other variants, and is a major exclusion. If a Renault Kwid, at R124 900, can get a touch screen, surely the limited edition Kadjar XP can get one too?
Beneath the surface it all remains bog standard for the Renault Kadjar XP. That means you get the 1.2-litre turbocharged 4-cylinder petrol engine, driving the front wheels through a 6-speed manual gearbox. Healthy outputs of 96kW and 205Nm look good on paper, but in reality the engine needs some work to get going, particularly from standstill uphill, where it’s easy to stall unless you’re revving it out quite high on pull off.
Once on the boil the engine is fairly punchy – and consumption claims are ample at 5.7l/100km – but is overall an unmemorable powertrain. It does what it needs to but without fizz or character. The 6-speed manual gearbox is a good one though, fluid shifts and an easy action – just as well as you need to swap gear regularly to find the power band.
The 17-inch alloys, despite being predominantly a visual upgrade, are a huge positive for the Renault Kadjar XP. The standard expression rides on 16s, and the higher specced variants on 19s – the former of which look too small and the latter of which stiffen up the ride quality. These 17-inch alloys, in addition to looking good, strike the perfect median between style and comfort and are the perfect pairing to the Kadjar’s suspension setup.
Lumps and bumps are noticeable, but fail to upset the Kadjar XP. Off camber corners interrupted by mid-corner corrugations are absorbed by the 215/60 profile rubber, and the overall ride quality is exemplary and far from jarring or uncomfortable.
With the addition of roof racks and a towbar, the Renault Kadjar XP expands on the already capacious 370-1478 litres of luggage capacity, whilst the various additions contribute to what is an already stylish crossover. At no additional cost over the standard Kadjar 1.2TCe Expression, the Kadjar XP offers good value for money in a complete all round package.
Renault Live Showroom
The launch of the Renault Kadjar XP coincides with the mass market launch of Renault South Africa’s new ‘Live Showroom’ – an online portal where potential buyers can view vehicles and ask questions in live, 20-minute streaming video sessions.
This new online showroom experience looks to broaden Renault’s reach, as it brings the dealership to your desktop computer or mobile device. Interested? Check it out at http://liveshowroom.renault.co.za/
