New Renault Kangoo: styling & technology enhancements for the leisure activity vehicle benchmark
- Following on from the Kangoo van in January, the leisure activity vehicle made in France (at the MCA Maubeuge plant) is getting an upgrade too. Both New Kangoo and New Grand Kangoo will be sporting Renault’s new brand identity, with its original front end, modernized dashboard and extensive perceived-quality improvements inside and out.
- There are two new versions: Extrem, a top-end car with go-anywhere looks, special two-tone (black and Dark Metal) bumper, 15’’ Dark Metal alloy wheels, tinted rear windows, roof rails and side striping; and Business (available in the form of a “Business Pack” in France), a mid-range version primarily addressing business users.
- New Renault Kangoo comes with a broad choice of petrol and diesel engines, including Energy dCi 75 and 90 and Enegy TCe 115 , all of which lead the field in fuel economy for this vehicle segment. The Energy dCi 110 is also highly efficient, emitting just 115 g of CO2 per km .
- New Kangoo also gets advanced equipment, with ESC (including Hill Start Assist and Extended Grip), Stop & Start, ESM (Energy Smart Management, deceleration energy recovery), the Renault R-Link multimedia system, and a new radio range with Bluetooth® and USB capability.
- The leisure activity vehicle can be ordered in France from February 28, at prices starting from €18,200 (see release on French pricing), and will be making its début public appearance on 7 March at the Geneva Motor Show.
Renault Kangoo, the benchmark in leisure activity vehicles, with sales topping almost 900 000 units in Europe since its launch in 1998, is getting a major upgrade in February 2013. The new front panel boasts Renault’s new brand identity, with a larger, verticalized badge.
The styling is more assertive and attractive, truer to the vehicle’s modern outlook and inherent reliability. Special bumpers create a more pronounced differentiation between passenger and LCV models. The radiator grille on the passenger model features a finish in gloss black and chrome, there are black headlamp inserts (on some versions), and the wing mirrors and rear lamp units have been redesigned. Renault Kangoo is now available in a choice of eight body colours, including a new Mineral White opaque finish, and Cassiopeia Grey and Silver Grey in metallic paint.
On the inside, the central console has been redesigned, with a smart gloss-black unit combining the air conditioning and radio controls (depending on version and equipment). The steering wheel, brought in from Renault’s C-range models, is identical to that on Scénic (for new petrol- and diesel-engined versions). The Celcius upholstery featured on the top-end models of the previous-generation Kangoo is now standard on mid-range versions, and on the new Extrem version.
Two new versions: Extrem and Business
In addition to the Life, Zen and Intens trims, Kangoo introduces two new versions (in some countries). And Grand Kangoo keeps two equipment levels for its 5- and 7-seat versions.
The top-end Extrem version boasts a go-anywhere finish, with two-tone front bumper in Dark Metal and mat black. The wing mirrors and 15’’ alloy wheels are also in Dark Metal. The rear windows are tinted. Roof rails are standard fitting. The body striping lends a sporting look.
Options include new technologies such as ESC with Extended Grip and Hills Start, and the R-Link multimedia system.
As its name suggests, the mid-range Business version (offered as a pack in France) primarily addresses professionals. Exterior styling features wing mirrors and front and rear bumpers in grainy black, for robustness, to minimize repair costs, and to facilitate the application of special colour schemes demanded by companies, by avoiding painted plastic parts. Along similar considerations, certain interior parts, such as the central armrest, are also in black plastic. The upholstery is in black throughout, for durability. These adaptations to the baseline Zen version lend added robustness for business usage.
Number-one for fuel economy (petrol and diesel engines)
Like its predecessor, New Kangoo excels in fuel economy. It is powered by powerful yet economic engines including three best-in-category units: Energy dCi 75, Energy dCi 90 (4.3 litres per 100 km over an NEDC combined cycle and 112 g CO2 per km ) and Energy TCe 115 (140 g CO2/km) . The Energy dCi 110 is also highly efficient, emitting just 115 g of CO2 per km) .
To keep fuel consumption down, Kangoos powered by latest-generation engines feature a gear-change indicator and an Eco Mode function that can reduce consumption by up to 10% (on diesel units). This system adjusts engine torque, the gear-change indicator (to help optimize gear selection) and the accelerator pedal response curve.
Lower fuel consumption also means lower running costs, lower company-car tax and lower TCO, all of which adds up to making Kangoo a highly attractive solution for company fleets, local authorities and government administrations. The servicing interval for mid-range models is extended to two years or 40,000 km, instead of two years or 30,000 km.
Constant improvements in perceived quality
Kangoo and Grand Kangoo address family and business users looking for high perceived quality and irreproachable reliability. They are based on the proven Scénic chassis, which ensures superb comfort and robustness.
Development work on New Kangoo put a strong emphasis on perceived quality. This involved close scrutiny of many points such as weld finish, panel crimp quality around door openings (radius, regularity), neat body mastic application, and acoustics (soundproofing, aerodynamic profile, engines).
Acoustic performance, a frequent shortcoming on earlier models of leisure activity vehicles in general, has seen steady improvements over the last 15 years. To achieve substantial improvements in Kangoo’s passenger compartment acoustics, Renault engineers paid special attention to soundproofing, with the application of additional padding. In addition, the new design brings an improved aerodynamic profile, and the new engines minimize spurious noise.
New equipment, including Renault R-Link and new ESC
New Kangoo gets a full suite of modern, upmarket comfort and safety technologies, including the R-Link multimedia system with TomTom® Live satnav for optimum journey planning, along with special functions such as voice command, danger zone warnings and speech-synthesis email read-out.
In-car-entertainment is also upgraded, with a choice of three sound systems: radio with USB connector and Bluetooth; radio with CD player; and radio with CD player coupled with the Renault R-Link system, with full voice control of R-Link on the move.
New Kangoo also offers new-generation ESC with Hill Start Assist and Extended Grip, for enhanced drive under difficult road conditions. Extended Grip improves drive to the front wheels under difficult conditions (mud, snow, sand, etc.). When switched in by the driver, it optimizes the ESC system to facilitate pull-away and low-speed driving in this kind of situation.
Hill Start Assist holds the vehicle at standstill on a slope to prevent backsliding through to pull-away (when the driver accelerates).
Renault’s new leisure activity vehicles introduce further innovations and features fully in keeping with their family car vocation, such as innovative roof rails (which can change direction without the need for tools), the asymmetrical fold-down rear bench, and the fold-down front seat that frees up additional loading space to give a loading length of up to 2.50 m on Kangoo and 2.85 m on Grand Kangoo.
Grand Kangoo accommodates handicap conversion by Renault Tech, into a vehicle with five seats plus wheelchair.
