What’s Coming In 2022 From Renault South Africa As Told By MD
Renault South Africa's managing director, Jaco Oosthuizen, spoke to the Wheels24 team about all things Renault SA, the automotive industry in today’s times and what consumers can look forward to in 2022.
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Here is a Wheels24 exclusive interview with Renault South Africa managing director Jaco Oosthuizen.
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1. Would you mind sharing insights on Renault's recent business operations from a global and local perspective and how 2021 has treated the local market in terms of new car sales?
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"2021 saw the implementation of the global repositioning of the Renault brand with the launch of the 'Renaulution' introduced by the Renault Groupe Global CEO Luca de Meo late in 2020, centred on building brand value over time and driving the company to be a technology-forward organisation.
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"Our new corporate identity and the brand shift has brought a fresh look and feel to the Renault brand, in a bid to create a more iconic brand. 2021 presented several challenges further to the pandemic, such as the semiconductor shortages and supply chain challenges. Despite the issues faced, we forecast the overall local passenger and light commercial vehicle market to end between 435 000 to 445 000 units this year. A strong recovery from 2020, exceeding most initial forecasts.
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"At Renault SA, we are targeting a market share of 5 per cent up 0.4 per cent from 2020 but still 0.3 per cent down from 2019, our best year ever. The launch of the all-new Renault Kiger in September has served to reinvigorate sales, enabling record sales months over both September and October. We were limited to retailing five models only for the first eight months of 2021, with one in the run-out phase. The biggest challenge for us was to ensure dealer viability and to keep customers loyal to the brand. Our marketing and sales teams did a great job, and we managed to sell 1400 units per month up until August."
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2. You've introduced some exciting new models during the lockdown, such as the Kiger; however, many of your new models were delayed. Can you tell us why?
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"Renault SA should have launched both the new Clio and Captur models towards the end of 2020. Initially, the delay was due to a pricing issue because of the unfavourable exchange rate, followed by the global semiconductor shortages.
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"But I am happy to announce that we will launch the new Clio V in February 2022, followed shortly by Captur in May 2022. New Trafic models will join the local line-up later on in 2022, and there are some model enhancements in the planning phase for both the Kwid and Triber models."
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3. Renault has been teasing South Africans with the idea of a pick-up (bakkie) for some years. Is this going to happen in 2022?
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"Accurate prediction of the arrival of Oroch has proved challenging. Since joining the brand in 2017, our forecast has always been "next year", but in all honestly, Oroch is manufactured as a left-hand drive vehicle in Brazil and will have to be converted to a right-hand drive vehicle and homologated for the SA market."
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4. As RS Performance cars are now part of Renault's Alpine division, is it true that we won't be able to buy the next-generation Clio RS?
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"The Clio RS F1 limited edition that we launched in 2019 was the last of the Clio RS models. Fortunately for our RS customers, there are plans in play to source Megane RS within our market. Timing for this yet to be confirmed."
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5. Megane has moved into the all-electric space, and Renault is no newcomer in this electric car race. Can we expect a more significant push into hybrids and EVs with the new Megane in 2022?
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"Yes, but not yet in 2022. As you know, Renault has been number one in Europe for electric vehicle (EV) sales throughout 2021. Globally, the brand has a strong EV line-up, ready for import if we can achieve the correct value proposition for both our clients and dealer network."
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6. What are some of the critical areas you plan to address in the Renault SA businessin the coming year?
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"We have developed an established and strong dealer network, with continued expansion planned to increase our footprint, coupled with a strong focus on customer retention and growth.
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"We will continue to focus on nurturing our relationships with our current corporate fleet clients to retain the existing contracts that we hold and ensure that these are extended into new replacement cycles.
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"Furthermore, we will be focusing on expanding our business with the government. We have worked hard on improving our after-sales proposition to our clients over the last five years, and this will remain a strong business priority as we advance. The success of our ongoing efforts is evident in the "Inaugural AA Spare Parts Pricing Guide" released in September and the last Kinsey report. 'Fixing cars the first time' when things go wrong is a critical strategic drive. We still have our brand challenges but have made great strides in countering these."
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7. Finally, what's been your greatest challenge and opportunity as the managing director at Renault SA in 2021 and what have you learned from this experience to make you a more robust business responder?
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"As I'm sure is the case with all managing directors, managing a brand through the three Covid-19 waves to date has been the most formidable challenge of my entire career, especially with the onset of the 1st wave, with no previous experience or understanding on how to manage an ongoing business within pandemic times.
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"Maintaining positive staff morale has remained my top priority, and as much as we have strived to keep all staff healthy and safe, we, unfortunately, lost two Renault DealerNetwork staff to Covid-19, with 12 staff in total have lost their lives to Covid-19 within our independent and multi-franchise network. It's been a challenging time, and we learn new things every day. I'm looking forward to 2022 and the challenges and opportunities it brings."
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Blog source: https://joiedevivrevehicles.tumblr.com/post/677889299808731136/whats-coming-in-2022-from-renault-south-africa-as
Posted on March 5th, 2022
Renault’s Duster SUV Offers Charm And Value
Practical, capable and oozing with a no-nonsense appeal, the Renault Duster 4x4 is a great option in the over-populated and over-specced SUV market.
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Old-school charm
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The charm of this SUV lies in its no-nonsense appeal and off-road capability. And while its original boxy shape was criticised when it debuted, there have been impressive developments in both exterior and interior design since 2013.
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The all-new Renault Duster comes with a choice between petrol and diesel and three engine options – the 1.6L 16V and two versions of the 1.5 dCi turbo engine – available in 4×2 and 4×4.
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I recently got to test drive the latest 4×4 1.5-litre turbocharged diesel manual Duster SUV (there’s no auto in the 4×4), producing 80kW of power and 260Nm of torque. (The 4×2 derivative sits at 66kW and 210 Nm.)
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There’s nothing overly fancy or confusing when it comes to the Duster’s drive and tech. In many ways, it reminds me of an old Landie or Pajero, which do what they do without any pretensions. There aren’t 150 gazillion options to confuse you when it comes to setting up your drive. The seats aren’t heated and there are no shiatsu lumbar massage options. There’s no gesture control or call-on-demand courier services. It doesn’t take you 25 minutes to set up a phone from layers of different touch screens. However, that’s not to say this SUV doesn’t have what you need. There’s SatNav, phone mirroring and it’s Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatible.
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Driving the Duster is a straightforward affair. You get in. You adjust your seat, check your mirrors, pair your phone, pull on your safety belt and drive. And with the Renault Duster price ranging between R327,900 and R374,800, it’s one of the best value propositions around.
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The drive
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The engine is responsive and torquey and on highways and open roads pretty good on the overtake once you get into the swing of gear changes. I did a few hours of not too hectic off-roading and got to play with the hill descent control function, which kicks in when you take your foot off the brake so that the vehicle can descend a steep decline in a slow and controlled fashion. Along with the usual safety and driver tech like EBD, ABS and blind-spot monitoring, there are a few handy new off-road features, like a 4×4 monitor and a multi-view camera that allows you to keep track of challenging terrain.
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Via a drive-mode selector, one can choose between front-wheel drive, four-wheel drive and off-road drive modes. It’s 210mm of ground clearance is class-leading and useful when scaling city kerbs. The approach angle of 30 degrees and departure angle of 34 degrees gear the Duster up for some tough all-terrain driving. Boot space is plentiful and with rear seats folded down, there’s a whopping 1,623 litres available. Fuel efficiency is seriously good at a claimed 4.8 l/100km – I got about 5.8.
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The Duster, with its practical hard plastics and not overly premium surfaces and finishes, is not trying to be some plush diva. Rather, it’s an SUV that can be driven and used: dogs, kids, gardening equipment… and no one’s going to have a cadenza if there are a few scratches and scuffs left behind.
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So, you’re probably not going to turn heads when you park, you aren’t going to get massaged in your heated seats or be the first out of the stalls when traffic lights change, but if reliability, capability and good value for money are what you’re after, the Duster is a seriously impressive proposition.
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Pricing:
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New Duster 1.5 dCi Dynamique 4×4 R361,900
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Standard five-year/150,000km mechanical warranty and six-year anti-corrosion warranty. Services at 15,000km intervals, with a standard three-year/45,000km service plan.
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Article from https://devotedtorenaultautomobiles.weebly.com/blog/renaults-duster-suv-offers-charm-and-value
Posted on December 30th, 2021
Renault Sandero Stepway Takes On The Urban Jungle
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A small, affordable, economical and tough yet comfortable compact urban crossover, the Renault Sandero is an ideal and uncomplicated daily driver engineered with developing markets in mind. A rebadged version of Renault’s Romanian subsidiary Dacia’s high riding Sandero Stepway and its base hatchback sister, the Renault version is virtually indistinguishable bar the French manufacturer’s iconic diamond-like badge.
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Introduced in its first generation in 2008, the Stepway is already in its third generation for some markets, but for others, like SA, the second-generation Sandero model is still going strong.
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Wide stance compact
A junior sister model to Renault’s and Dacia’s popular Duster crossover, with a more distinctly urban appeal and less emphasis on off-road ability, the second generation Stepway was first launched at the 2012 Paris Motor Show. A smaller proposition than the Duster, the Stepway is noticeably shorter and more condensed in design. Compact and road-oriented as it may be, the Stepway nevertheless has a rugged SUV-like appeal owing to the black cladding along its lower wheel-arches and sills, faux front skid plate and roof rails.
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With similar width and height, and short wheelbase and rear overhang, the Stepway looks as agile and manoeuvrable as it is on the road, and seems to sit on the road with a greater sense of width than its demure dimensions suggest. With its lower cladding, subtly pronounced wheel-arches, broad bonnet and browed grille and headlights, the Stepway’s sense of width is further accentuated, despite compact actual proportions. Meanwhile, the Stepway features discretely bulging rear haunches and an arcing roofline tapering to a concise rear treatment.
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A step-up successor
A compact and comparative lightweight at an estimated 1,055kg, the Stepway develops 66 kW at 5,250rpm and 135 Nm at 2,500rpm, which allows decent estimated headline performance figures including 11-seconds 0-100km/h acceleration and approximately 170km/h top speed. Confident and responsive to throttle input from a standstill, the Stepway is progressive through revs and in power and torque delivery.
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Playful yet predictable
The Sandero’s "slingshot" style of operation as a speed build-up while ratios seamlessly alter and revs are held in a high torque range lends the Stepway what seems like a more versatile and confident mid-range for overtaking and incline. Driving the front wheels, the Stepway meanwhile feels more predictable and eager through corners than with the added weight of a front-biased all-wheel-drive system.
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Smooth and stable on road for its compact crossover class, the Stepway drives much like a keen and light front-drive hatchback through corners, despite sitting higher off the ground than the regular Dacia Sandero hatchback it is based on. Turning tidily into and leaning slightly through corners, the Stepway’s wide track lends good stability. Meanwhile, the lack of sudden power diversion to the rear makes the Stepway predictable and consistent in road-holding, and with its lightweight and small wheelbase, it is agile and adjustable through corners.
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Well-packaged and practical
Refined for its segment, the Stepway is comfortable and settled over most imperfections, with its modest 16" FLEX wheels providing good absorption, durability and help with steering feel. A decidedly urban-oriented crossover, the Stepway should be capable of better than expected but moderate off-road ability, if past experience with other front-drive Renault-Dacia vehicles is to go by. With front-drive, short wheelbase and overhangs, low weight and usefully high 173mm ground clearance the Stepway would be expected to make short work of many dry, unpaved dirt roads.
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Tall, compact and with a relatively big glasshouse, the Stepway is well-packaged with good visibility and is pleasant but unpretentious inside, with large uncomplicated controls, buttons and instrumentation, and seems well put together. The driving position is good and accommodates taller drivers, while rear space is decent for its class. Well equipped with useful mod cons, safety and infotainment features, if not advanced high tech equipment, the Stepway meanwhile provides easy boot access and 320-litre volume, which expands to 1,200-litres with its 60/40 split rear seats folded down.
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TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
Engine: 3-cylinder turbo
Gearbox: 5-speed manual, front-wheel-drive
Power: 66 kW @5,250rpm
Torque: 135 Nm @2,500rpm
0-100km/h: approximately 11-seconds (estimate)
Top speed: approximately 170km/h (estimate)
Fuel capacity: 50-litres
Length: 4,089mm
Width: 1,994mm
Height: 1,555mm
Wheelbase: 2,589mm
Overhang: F/R: 846/654mm
Kerb Weight: 1,055kg (estimate)
Ground clearance: 173mm
Steering: Power-assisted rack and pinion
Brakes: F/R: Ventilated discs/drums
Tyres: 205/55R16
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Original article source: http://www.jordantimes.com/
Posted on October 28th, 2021
Renault Triber AMT Offers SA Drivers More Convenience And Driving Pleasure
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With the eagerly awaited turbo model poised for introduction next year, Renault has announced the availability of an automatic version of the popular Triber.Introduced in India back in May, the self-shifter comes in the shape of the same five-speed automated manual (AMT) as used in the Kwid, but with an EDC-like gear lever instead of the rotary dial which also comes with a sequential shifting manual mode. Only available on the range-topping Prestige, the inclusion of the ‘box has not affected the outputs of the three-cylinder normally aspirated 1.0-litre engine, which still stands at 52kW/96Nm. The claimed fuel consumption is 5.5 L/100 km.
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Also unchanged from the manual is the specification sheet, which includes the eight-inch MediaNav touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Voice Recognition and satellite navigation, keyless entry, a separate air-conditioning panel for the second and third rows, a digital instrument cluster, push-button start, a reverse camera with rear parking sensors, six airbags and ABS with EBD.Still offering seven-seats in four configurations; the two-seater Camp, four-seat Surf, five-seat Life and seven-seat Tribe, the AMT, like with the rest of the Renault Triber range, comes standard with a five year/100 000 km warranty as well as a two year/30 000 km service plan and is priced from R226,900 at Group 1 Renault.
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Posted on October 28th, 2021
In-Depth 2021 Renault Captur Review
Renault, like its French rival Peugeot, didn't quite nail the first attempt at a compact SUV. The first Captur was a Clio with some ride height and a new body and didn't quite make the cut for buyers. Partly because the original engine was borderline anaemic but secondly, it was really small.
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When you're French, you have more work to do in other markets.
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With more market-appropriate pricing, more space, a better interior and lots more tech, the second-generation Captur even rolls on a whole new platform, promising more space and better dynamics.
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Safety rating 5 stars
Engine Type 1.3L turbo
Fuel Type Unleaded petrol
Fuel Efficiency 6.6L/100km
Seating 4 seats
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Does it represent good value for money? What features does it come with?
The range comes with 17-inch wheels, a cloth interior, auto headlights, air-conditioning, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto on the 7.0-inch landscape-oriented touchscreen, full LED headlights (that’s a nice touch), front and rear parking sensors, a reversing camera and a space-saver spare.
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Step up to the higher-spec Captur to get extra safety gear, walk-away auto-locking, a heated leather steering wheel, auto wipers, two-tone paint option, climate control, keyless entry and start (with the Renault key card) and wireless phone charging.
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Then there's a big jump to the top model Captur. You get 18-inch wheels, a bigger 9.3-inch touchscreen in portrait mode, sat-nav, BOSE sound system, 7.0-inch digital dashboard display, LED interior lighting, 360-degree cameras and leather seats.
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The new Renault touchscreens are good and include Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, but I can only speak for the bigger 9.3-inch system which is similar to the Megane's.
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The new interior is a vast improvement over the old one. The plastics are way nicer and they have to be because hardly anyone has plastics as bad as that old car anymore.
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The new one has more comfortable seats, too, and I really like the revised dash. It feels much more modern, is better-designed and the little paddle for the audio controls has finally been updated and is way easier to use. It also clears the steering wheel of buttons, which I quite like.
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How practical is the space inside?
You get a massive boot to start with - bigger even than the fabled 408 litres of the Honda HR-V. Renault starts you with 422 litres and then adds underfloor storage. When you push the seats forward and include the hidey-hole under the false floor, you end up with 536 litres.
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Of course, that sliding will affect the rear legroom. When the rear seats are all the way back, this is a lot more comfortable than the old car, with more head and knee room, although it's no match for the Seltos or HR-V in that respect. Not far off, though.
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Fold the 60/40 split rear seats down and you have 1275 litres, a not-quite-flat floor and 1.57m long floor space, 11cm more than before.
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The French approach to cupholders continues. There are just two in this car, but they are at least useful rather than the frustratingly small ones in the outgoing model.
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Rear seat passengers don't get cupholders or an armrest, but there are bottle holders in all four doors and - joy of joys - air vents in the back. Bit weird to have no armrest even in the top-spec, though.
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What are the key stats for the engine and transmission?
All Capturs run the same 1.3-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine delivering a mildly impressive 113kW at 5500rpm and 270Nm at 1800rpm, which should make for some reasonable speed.
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Both numbers are slightly higher than the original Captur, with power up by 3.0kW and torque by 20Nm.
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Weighing in at a maximum of 1381kg, this enthusiastic engine will push the Captur from 0-100km/h in 8.6 seconds, over half a second quicker than before and a touch quicker than most of its rivals.
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How much fuel does it consume?
Renault says the Captur's 1.3-litre engine will drink unleaded petrol at the rate of 6.6L/100km.
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That's a more sensible baseline figure than the previous car's sub-6.0 official combined cycle figure and after some web sleuthing appears to be the more accurate WLTP testing number.
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As we had the car for a brief time, the 7.5L/100km is probably not representative of real-world fuel use, but it's a good guide nonetheless.
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From the 48-litre tank, you should get 600 to 700km between fills.
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What safety equipment is fitted? What safety rating?
You get six airbags, ABS, stability and traction controls, forward AEB (up to 170km/h) with pedestrian and cyclist detection (10-80km/h), a reversing camera, rear parking sensors, forward collision warning, lane departure warning and lane-keep assist.
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If you want blind-spot monitoring and reverse cross-traffic alert on the entry-level, you have to step up to the higher-spec model or pay in to add the package.
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Given the marginal rear visibility and the ordinary resolution on the reversing camera, the omission of RCTA is annoying. I know Kia and various other rivals offer safety as extra, but this is an important feature.
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What does it cost to own? What warranty is offered?
Renault sends you home with a five year/unlimited-kilometre warranty and a year of roadside assist. Every time you return to a Renault dealer for service, you get a further year, to a maximum of five.
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The capped-price servicing runs for five years/150,000km. That suggests you can cover up to a massive 30,000km per year and only have to service it once, which is exactly what Renault reckons you can do. So yeah - service intervals are genuinely set at 12 months/30,000km.
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What's it like to drive?
Straight up, I will remind you of my fondness for French cars and the way they go about their business. Renault has been in strong form for some time now in the ride and handling department, even on tiny cars with rear torsion beam suspension.
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Where the previous Captur was let down was a common French failing - weak engines that work fine in the European market but don't go down so well in other markets.
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Even though I quite liked the old Captur, I got why nobody bought it (relatively speaking). This new one feels good from the second you park your bum in the driver's seat, with good, comfortable support, great vision forward (less so back, but that was the same in the old one) and the steering wheel even has a subtle flattened edge at the top if you have to set the wheel high.
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The 1.3-litre turbo is a bit grumbly and gristly on start-up and never really loses a slightly odd, reedy harmonic coming through the firewall, but it's a strong performer for its size and works (mostly) well with the seven-speed dual-clutch.
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Renault's old six-speeder was quite good and the seven works just fine except for a slight hesitation from step-off and is sometimes reluctant to kick down.
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I blame fuel-saving rather than a ham-fisted calibration because when you punch the weird flower button and switch to Sport mode, the Captur comes good.
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With a more aggressive transmission and a slightly livelier throttle, the Captur is much happier in this mode and so was I. The steering is light and direct and there's no real presence in the suspension for off-road use which is fine by me because it means it's great fun on the road.
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And despite being fun to drive, the ride is almost uniformly excellent. Like any car with torsion beams, it's unsettled by big potholes or those horrible rubber speed bumps, but so is an air-suspended German car.
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It's also fairly quiet except when you've got your foot to the floor and even then it's barely an inconvenience rather than a genuine problem.
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Verdict
The second-generation Captur's arrival coincides with the brand's transfer to a new distributor and a fiercely competitive market still bruised and battered from a shocking 2020.
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It certainly looks the part and is also priced the part. Without a doubt, the mid-spec (higher spec) is the one to go for unless you want the extra electro-trickery available on the top model, which is quite a lot more expensive.
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Setting aside my fondness for French cars, the new Renault Captur looks and feels more competitive in the compact SUV market. If you cover a lot of ground every year - or want the option to do so - you should really take a second look at the servicing structure, too, because in the Captur 30,000km in a year means a single service rather than three in turbo-engined rivals. That might be a bit niche, but even over the life of a car where you average 15,000km per year, it will make a difference.
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Original article from https://www.carsguide.com.au/
Posted on September 30th, 2021
Cheapest Automatic Renault in SA (2021)
Looking for a chilled drive on a shoestring? We discuss the cheapest automatic Renault car available in South Africa.
If you are looking for the cheapest automatic Renault car in SA - sit back, relax and let the car do the work! Automatic cars have much to offer, especially if you live and travel within the confines of the city. Not only are automatic cars easier to drive but they also take the stress out of changing gears continuously, particularly if you crawl through traffic jams on a regular basis. Advances in transmission technology have also led to improvements in fuel efficiency, to the point where some automatic cars are actually more efficient than their manual siblings.
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Renault Kwid 1.0 Expression Automatic / Dynamique / Climber
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Renault introduced a revamped Kwid to market in 2019 and buyers now have the choice between 3 automatic Kwid derivatives and Renault has priced them all under R200k. The Kwid automatic is offered in either Expression, Dynamique and Climber guise. The Kwid is powered by the familiar 3-cylinder, 1.0-litre petrol engine that offers 50 kW and 91 Nm of torque and is equipped with an Automated Manual Transmission (AMT). Renault claims that the AMT version is more fuel-efficient than the manual with a claimed consumption figure of 4.4 L/100 km, making it the most fuel-efficient (claimed) car on this list.
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Key features
- Safety: Driver and passenger airbag, ABS
- Interior: 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Android Auto/Apple CarPlay, Bluetooth and USB support
- Space: Boot space measures 279 litres
- Service and warranty: 5-year/150 000km warranty
- Pricing from R181,900 or R2,199pm*
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*Pricing accurate as at August 2021.
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Article sourced from https://www.cars.co.za/motoring-news
Posted on September 17th, 2021
Discussing The Expressive Exterior Design Of The Renault Clio
We take a look at the Renault Clio's exterior design and sources of inspiration. Laurens van den Acker, head of Groupe Renault’s Corporate Design, and Pierre Sabas, Head of External Design, explain how they based their work on the lines of the previous version to create a new Clio with modern, more expressive and dynamic features.
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Inspired By The Previous Generations
For several years now, design has become the primary factor in purchasing a Renault, a trend that has been particularly noteworthy with the Clio. Based on this success the sensual lines of the fourth generation of this icon have been preserved as the basis for those of the fifth, which has just been revealed.
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Our designers, however, were not satisfied with just one reference point, and have taken the best of each of the previous generations to create the best Clio ever.
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"The new Clio has "tout d’une grande" from the first generation, the habitability and comfort of the second, safety and performance from the third and finally, from the fourth, the design DNA of the Renault brand. " - Laurens van den Acker, Senior Vice President, Corporate Design, Groupe Renault
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Work began around the proportions of the new model - the Renault Clio has revised ratings and is more compact (-14 mm in length), lower (up to -30 mm in height), making it both sportier and more efficient.
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But it was also necessary to modernize its design to make it more expressive and dynamic. For that, a few details make all the difference.
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"We visually enhanced the car with a chrome signature on the bottom and around the windows. We also added more precision to the front wing with a graphic design that tightens the volumes and gives more precision to the overall line." - Pierre Sabas, Exterior designer
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Modernity And Expressiveness
The extensive work done on the front of the car gives more expressiveness and quality. The enlarged grille, enlarged logo, bumper air scoops, C-shaped headlamps, etc. have been designed and integrated with extreme precision.
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"The headlamps are ‘full LED’ from the first trim. They incorporate Renault's own C-shaped light signature; with extremely precise treatment, like jewellery." - Pierre Sabas
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In this quest for modernity, there are also some new colours with the Clio's symbolic Orange Valencia to the fore. It is the first tint in the world to be based on an Orange coloured varnish but it is unique in the automotive industry, bringing depth and a new shine to the bodywork.
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By combining this evolution of the exterior design with its revolution in interior design, the Clio is the pioneer of a new generation of Renault.
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Posted on September 17th, 2021
Next-Generation Renault Duster - SA-bound Oroch
It is unlikely to be a rebadged version of the Dacia Duster pick-up sold exclusively in Romania.
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Renault’s President and CEO for Argentina has confirmed that the brand will be introducing a second-generation version of the Duster Oroch reportedly next year.
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Last month, Renault South Africa confirmed that the Oroch had been delayed till 2022. At least the value-for-money current Renault Duster is still available at Group 1 Renault!
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In an interview with Autoblog Argentina though, Pablo Sibilla confirmed that the marques will be unveiling a new Duster later year, whose changes will be passed on the Oroch still derived from the first generation that bowed out globally in 2017.
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"We are working on the renovation of Oroch, but at the moment we have nothing to announce about it," Sibilla said of the newcomer that is expected to rival not only the segment-leading Fiat Toro in South America but also the incoming Ford Maverick, higher-spec versions of the Fiat Strada/Ram 700, Nissan’s supposed successor to the NP200 and Volkswagen’s reported replacement for the Saveiro and the Tarok.
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On sale since 2015, and with Renault having given the pre-facelift Navara-based Alaskan the thumbs down for South Africa, the Brazilian made Oroch will allegedly be offered solely as a single cab when it comes to market as opposed to the current double cab only model. Although unconfirmed, it is not expected to be a rebadged version of the open-deck Romania exclusive Dacia Duster unveiled last year.
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Measuring 4 700 mm in overall length with a wheelbase of 2 829 mm, the height of 1 694 mm and width of 1 821 mm, the Oroch, in Brazil, is motivated by a choice of two flex-fuel normally aspirated petrol engines; a 1.6 delivering 87 kW or 88 kW and 158 Nm and a 2.0-litre outputting 105kW/198Nm or 109kW/205Nm, the latter again obtained when using ethanol.
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A five-speed manual gearbox is standard on the former with the latter offering the option of a six-speed manual or a four-speed automatic. Regardless of the drivetrain, the Oroch is only available, in Brazil at least, with front-wheel-drive in spite of other markets having the option of all-wheel-drive. Payload is rated between 650 kg and 680 kg. Compare this to the current generation Renault Duster…
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Article from https://citizen.co.za/motoring/
Posted on August 29th, 2021
Renault Duster TechRoad Features Discussed
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Faulting or improving on a winning package often rates as something of a daunting task, especially with an offering that seemingly ticks every box with absolute ease. Enter, once again, the Renault Duster for sale.
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Never out of demand or in the spotlight as far as La Régie is concerned, it continued to surprise when the TechRoad derivative, fitted with the six-speed EDC gearbox and 1.5 dCi turbodiesel engine, arrived for the weeklong stay last year. Practical, well-kitted out and even trouncing Renault’s claimed fuel consumption figure, it rated, here it comes, as a hard to beat package.
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It was therefore an unexpected and very confusing surprise when a glistening white Duster TechRoad arrived for a second seven-day stay, as nothing, at first glance, had seemingly changed on the outside or the inside. In fact, it was initially thought that the flagship Prestige model had been dropped off as the notion of it being the four-wheel-drive Dynamique soon disappeared as evident by the lack of 4WD badges on the front wings and the presence of the EDC box as opposed to the six-speed manual.
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On quicker inspection, it was established that the only changes had been the removal of the TechRoad decals from the wings and a switch from red to blue wheel caps with the interior inserts on the cloth seats also being blue instead of red, the same applying to the detailing on the air vents and the Duster embroidered seatbacks.
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Contrasted much better by the satin silver front skid plate, roof rails and the 17-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels than its Dune Beige coloured ‘predecessor’, the exterior still outshines the interior.
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Arguably the Duster’s biggest black mark, the cabin is otherwise spacious with excellent rear head-and-legroom, the basic but still user-friendly seven-inch MediaNav touchscreen infotainment system and a capacious boot that measures between 478-1 623-litres. Aside from the colour, Renault has opted to keep the TechRoad’s specification and safety sheet unchanged.
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As already mentioned, the TechRoad’s continued standout is its drivetrain. Producing 80kW/250Nm, the engine, once past the initial turbo-lag stage, shrugs the 1,276 kg kerb weight off with ease by pulling strong from low down in the rev-range while being matched perfectly to the smooth-shifting dual-clutch box. However, the combination didn’t manage to match the fuel consumption of last year which came to a best of 5.2 L/100 km as opposed to 4.7 L/100 km, which in any book still rates as mind-blowing after 592 km, seven days and with an indicated distance-to-empty of 550 km.
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As small as the changes have been, it has not compromised the Duster in any way as it still rated as all the small SUV you will always need. Renault’s are notoriously reliable and choosing to buy a used Duster is an extraordinarily good idea, because you can find a great quality Renault Duster at Group 1 Renault at a great price!
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Original article from https://citizen.co.za/motoring/
Posted on July 1st, 2021
How Reliable Is Renault?
An honest assessment of the car brand
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In 2015, Renault was the tenth biggest automaker in the world by production volume. One of the most well known brands in the UK, Renault is known for making affordable city and family cars that are great to drive and are well built. Furthermore, you can often get a really good deal on a car, thanks to the Renault specials offered by Group 1 Renault.
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But, how reliable are Renault?
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In this article, we look at how reliable Renault cars are, and how this compares to rivals.
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How reliable are Renault?
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Renault are pretty dependable. In the Telegraph reliability survey of 2017 they placed Renault 14th out of 20 for dependability. It was reported that there were 116 problems per 100 vehicles, which is above the industry average.
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AutoExpress placed Renault 11th in their reliability table, with a reliability score of 93.72 out of 100.
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ReliabilityIndex places Renault in tenth on their reliability table. They also give them a reliability index of just 89, which is pretty good compared to the industry average of 118 (the lower the score the better). They also put six Renault models in their top 100 cars for reliability, including the Megane and the Scenic.
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How reliable is the Renault Clio?
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If we look at individual models, Renault fare pretty well. The Renault Clio has a reliability index of 63 which is very good, and has a low average repair cost. It appears that the main problems with the Clio come down to the electrics and axle and suspension, both accounting for 32.76% of problems.
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Why are Renault reliable?
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The fact that Renault are so reliable might come as a surprise to some. But, why is Renault so reliable?
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One of the reasons they are reliable is that they don’t cost too much to repair when they do go wrong. And, they also aren’t off the road for very long when they are being repaired. Because Renault specials are popular and their cars are quite common, it means that their parts are more common and therefore take less time to source. They are also more affordable and therefore this keeps the repair costs low.
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Also, Renault cars are designed to be affordable, which means that they don’t necessarily have a huge amount of new technology in them. This is by no means a bad thing, it means that there is less to go wrong with this modern technology. One of the issues many luxury brands face today is that the modern technology they put in their cars can often go wrong, and can be expensive to repair and replace. This can bring down their reliability.
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However, Renault doesn’t have that problem, and therefore their dependability is considerably better. You tend to find this is the case with the more affordable car brands, and Renault is no different.
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So that could be a reason why Renault are more reliable than other car brands.
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How reliable are surveys?
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We’ve established that Renault cars are reliable, but how reliable are the surveys we use to determine that reliability?
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Surveys such as the ones carried out by the Telegraph and AutoExpress are a pretty accurate way of determining how reliable a car brand is. They often use owner reviews and information from the likes of WarrantyDirect, who provide extended warranties for a range of makes and models. When a customer makes a claim, they can record the information about that claim. They then use this information to determine the longevity of a car make or model. One of the advantages of this is that they can see how things have changed over time.
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ReliabilityIndex is also very accurate, and it is also good for comparing brands because they have a huge amount of makes and models on there to compare reliability.
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One of the issues that you may come across when looking at consumer surveys is when it comes to new cars. You can’t always determine the reliability of new cars because they aren’t old enough to have any form of long term dependability. That said, you can often use predicted reliability as a way of telling how reliable a car will be, particularly if you have an older brand such as Renault, where you have a lot of previous models to draw your information from.
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So overall, consumer surveys are an accurate way of determining how reliable a car is.
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In conclusion, Renaults are a pretty reliable car brand. They have been consistently dependable over the years and their repair costs are low. When their cars do go wrong, they are also off the road for a short period of time, which further improves their reliability. One of the reasons this may be is because their affordable models don’t always have the advanced technology more luxurious brands have. This modern technology can be unreliable if it does go wrong, then it is more expensive to repair or replace. If you are undecided between Renault, Citroen and Peugeot then Renault is a good choice, but all three of them are good manufacturers in terms of their longevity. Ultimately, if you are looking for a brand that is affordable and builds models that are well-built and are reliable, then Renault is a good brand to look at.
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Article from https://bonjourrenault.wordpress.com/2021/06/25/how-reliable-is-renault/
Posted on June 25th, 2021