Renault Becomes First Automaker To Take Entire Car Line Up To Umling La – World’s Highest Motorable Road

Renault India has made history by becoming the first car manufacturer to drive its entire lineup to Umling La, the world’s highest motorable road. This remarkable feat showcases the endurance, performance, and adaptability of Renault vehicles. The manufacturer’s Indian lineup consists of the Kwid, Triber and Kiger, with just the last being an SUV. The experiential drive spanned 1000+ kilometres and traversed the beautiful landscapes of Leh and Ladakh before culminating in Umling La.

The journey was flagged off on 29th August 2024. Kwid, Kiger and Triber travelled through some seriously demanding terrains. The participants enjoyed breathtaking views of iconic locations like the Chang La pass, Pangong Tso, and Hanle, and finally reached Umling La top. The journey had a stop at Hanle Pass as well. This place offers epic stargazing opportunities with almost no light pollution and with vast, clear skies. Hanle Pass offers a surreal visual experience to travellers.

Venkatram Mamillapalle, Country CEO & Managing Director of Renault India Operations, expressed his pride in this achievement, stating that it demonstrates the true spirit of adventure that defines Renault. He emphasized the robustness and versatility of Renault’s vehicles, highlighting their ability to handle demanding terrains and deliver unparalleled driving experiences.

Renault’s Indian Portfolio

All three Renault products offer unique value propositions. The Kwid is a hatchback that packs ample value. The Triber is probably the most affordable 5+2 seater sold in the country. The Kiger could be the current best-seller for the manufacturer here. It is roughly a badge-engineered cousin of the Nissan Magnite. Let’s discuss each of these in detail …

Renault Kwid hatchback is available in four variants- RXE, RXL (O), RXT, and Climber. Even the second variant- RXL(O), gets an 8-inch touchscreen Media NAV, becoming the most affordable care to get one. The top-spec Kwid also comes with features like keyless entry, manual AC, dual front airbags, a tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS), rear parking sensors, and hill start assist.

It is powered by a 1.0L, 3-cylinder petrol engine producing 68 PS and 91 Nm. 5-speed manual and 5-speed AMT gearboxes are available. In the Indian context, the key rival to Kwid is the Maruti Alto and S-Presso. The Renault hatchback has its price in the range of 4.70 lakh- 6.45 (ex-showroom, Delhi). Potential rivals of the top-spec Kwid Climber also include the base variants of Tata Punch and Hyundai Exter.

The Triber is an MPV based on the CMF-A+ platform. It comes in 6 and 7-seater avatars. Powering it is a 1-litre NA petrol engine producing 72 PS and 96 Nm. 5-speed manual and 5-AMT gearboxes (India’s most affordable automatic 7-seater) are available. The Triber is fairly popular among families and offers features like an 8-inch touchscreen, a 7-inch digital driver’s display, a wireless phone charger, electrically adjustable ORVMs (outside rear view mirrors) and push-button start/stop. On the safety front, the MPV offers four airbags, rear parking sensors, a rearview camera, and TPMS.

Renault Triber has its ex-showroom prices ranging from 6 to 9.98 lakh. There are not direct rivals by body style and price. However, it can be considered as a pocket-friendly alternative to the Ertiga and Carens. The top variants could also face competition from B-segment SUVs.

Renault Kiger is currently in high demand. It is a sub-compact SUV that competes with the Hyundai Venue and Maruti Brezza. Five variants are available- RXE, RXL, RXT, RXT (O), and RXZ. There are two petrol engines and two transmissions on offer. The 1.0L NA petrol engine produces 72 PS/96 Nm, while the 1-litre turbo-petrol churns out 100 PS/up to 160 Nm. Both manual and automatic gearboxes (AMT and CVT) are available.

The Kiger offers a comfortable cabin experience, offering features such as a 9-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, a 7-inch digital driver display, auto AC, a wireless phone charger, and cruise control (in turbo variants only). Safety equipment includes four airbags, hill start assist, rear parking sensors and camera, and TPMS. Renault Kiger has a price of 6 – 11.23 lakh range (ex-showroom, Delhi).