Despite its compact body, the Renault Kardian will offer the advantages of a larger SUV. It is of extraordinary importance for the car company.
The Renault Kardian is much more than just a new handsome SUV in the B segment. For the automaker, it represents the start of a gradual transformation of the entire model range in non-European markets. Specifically, Kardian is heading to Latin America with production at the Brazilian factory in Curitiba. Later, production will expand to the Casablanca factory in Morocco.
As the first non-European model, it stands on a newly developed modular platform and transfers the current design direction to other continents. The front is characterized by two-level lighting, where in the upper part we find LED daytime running lights with blinkers and below the main lights. One cannot fail to notice that it is a similar concept that Citroën has used for many years and is currently abandoning.
Are you familiar with the Renault Kardian? Of course, it is based on the well-known Dacia Sandero Stepway, with which it shares the basic features of the body and interior. From the side, it impresses with up to 17-inch wheels, plastic fender protection and a C-pillar that draws attention to the contrasting painted roof. By the way, the novelty will be available in five body lacquers. At the rear, a slanted window and C-shaped lights with a clear cover provide a dynamic impact.
A pleasant visual impression is accompanied by a high utility value. With a length of 4.12 m, a width of 1.75 m, a height of 1.54 and, above all, a wheelbase of 2.6 m, the Kardian offers plenty of space inside. The solid ground clearance in combination with large wheels is behind the approach angle of 20° and the descent angle of 36°. This is especially useful in areas with poor quality or unpaved roads.
Considering the segment, the compact SUV makes do with a liter turbocharged three-cylinder with an output of 96 kW (125 hp) and a torque of 220 Nm, which is connected to the EDC automatic. The Dacia Sandero also has a liter engine with a turbo, but with a maximum output of 74 kW (100 hp) and instead of a double clutch, it can have a CVT transmission (67 kW for the pure gasoline version).
The interior is modeled after the larger models, but as mentioned, it is based on the sander. The dashboard has a higher architecture with a digital instrument panel and an eight-inch floating screen of the multimedia device. This supports both wired and wireless smartphone mirroring and is also the center of the Multisense car settings management system. There are also four USB ports and an area for wireless phone charging.
Space is saved by the electronic parking brake and the titer selector of driving modes. Thanks to this, the Kardian has storage spaces with a volume of 26 liters, which is complemented by a luggage compartment with 410 liters. Objects can also be transported outside the cabin. The crossbars can be easily folded out of the roof rails and a load of up to 80 kg can be attached to them.
For a small SUV, the Kardian is also solidly equipped in terms of driver support. It can count on blind spot monitoring, a camera system around the entire car, adaptive cruise control, speed limiter, warning of a small gap in traffic and an active anti-collision system. When the worst happens, six airbags protect the crew.
