A lot is riding on Kiger facelift as it taps into the vastly popular, highly lucrative and massive volume B SUV segment. To really set itself apart, Renault could consider putting extra effort and carve out something special. Company’s latest “rethink performance” teaser made us wonder whether Kiger facelift might get a 125 PS engine as Kardian. Let’s take a closer look.
Renault Kiger Facelift 125 PS Engine
There used to be a time when Renault used to have a diverse portfolio starting from Pulse hatchback to Koleos premium SUV. However, not all vehicles stuck like Duster did. Duster too, was discontinued and Kiger is now Renault’s flagship SUV till Duster makes a comeback sometime in 2026.
Sales hasn’t been very kind to Kiger in the highly competitive Sub 4m SUV segment. Since calendar year 2025 has started, Renault has sold 755 units in January, 433 in February, 762 in March, 606 in April, 551 in May, 755 units in June and 323 units in July 2025. There is a good probability that Renault Kiger facelift is likely to pack much more sauce than current model packs.
Renault’s recent teaser of Kiger facelift read “rethink performance”. This has sparked speculations suggesting the company may offer more performance. If we “think” about Kiger’s performance today, it offers a 1.0L 3-cylinder Turbo Petrol engine with up to 100 PS of peak power and 160 Nm of peak torque. If Renault wants us to “rethink performance”, could there be more horses under the bonnet?
How much more performance?
All fingers point towards Renault Kardian, which features an engine of similar nature (1.0L 3-cyl Turbo Petrol), but packs up to 125 PS of peak power and 220 Nm torque. Even if Renault managed to eke out 120 PS and 200 Nm, it would boost Kiger facelift’s appeal significantly by offering a 0-100 km/h sprint in around 9 seconds. Exact details will be revealed at launch on 24th August.
As Kiger was built around price constraints it did not appeal to masses as there were many cost cutting measures. Now, these shackles may be broken with Kiger facelift. Expected gain in features include LED fog lights, leatherette seats, ventilated seats, auto-dimming IRVM, 360-degree cameras, rain-sensing wipers and other features.
Where design is concerned, Renault Kiger facelift spy shots have suggested Kardian-inspired design cues with a new fascia and rear appearance. LED fog lights have been seen with test mules and new alloy wheels are expected too. Teasers have revealed slightly revised LED tail light signatures as well.
