The curiously named Kadjar is Renault’s latest beefed-up hatchback crossover with its sights firmly set on attracting new customers, including company car buyers.
It will wade into a crossover market that in 2014 totalled one fifth of all new cars sold, and is already dominated by the Kia Sportage, Skoda Yeti, and Mazda CX-5.
It shares its platform with the almighty Nissan Qashqai, which was the sixth most popular company car of 2014, and the only crossover to make it into the top ten.
This means the Kadjar will benefit from the Qashqai’s strong reputation with fleet buyers, largely due to its sharp looks, quality interior and fuel efficient engines.
Although the finer details are still under wraps, Renault has promised a range of efficient engines that will position it at the forefront of the segment and appeal to fleet drivers looking for low BIK rates.
Kadjar equipment
Inside the car Renault has promised a design mix that is sporty and refined, with use of premium-looking materials and a close eye on finish quality.
The R-Link 2 multimedia system will also be available, offering voice recognition control over the navigation, telephone, apps and radio.
The Kadjar should be flexible enough for family use too, with either two- or four-wheel-drive, and rear seats than can be folded flat using handles in the boot, providing up to 472 litres of space.
Although the ground clearance of 190mm won’t take you too far off road, it is enough to head off the beaten track without worrying too much about scraping the underside of the car.
It also has a compact footprint of 4.45 metres long and 1.84 metres wide, which Renault says will make it easy to manoeuvre around town.
Available driving aids include ‘hands-free’ parking, reversing camera, emergency brake assist, lane departure warning, road-sign recognition with speed limit alerts and a reversing camera.
When can I buy a Kadjar?
The Kadjar will be unveiled to the public at the 85th Geneva Motor Show in March, and will go on sale this summer in Europe and Africa.
Parkers will be one of the first to drive the new Kadjar so check back with us for a full review.
