Welcome to Renault’s take on the popular Nissan Qashqai – the equally intriguingly named Kadjar. Available with a 1.2 petrol, and 1.5 or 1.6-litre diesel engines, the latter of which is also offered with four-wheel drive, the Renault Kadjar is a mid-sized family car that’s mostly SUV with a dash of swoopy hatchback styling recognisable from the smaller Renault Captur. Seating is the usual five-seat layout (there’s no seven-seat version) and there are four trim levels to choose from. You can have a dual-clutch automatic gearbox on the 1.5 diesel, or from April next year on the petrol, too.Renault Reveal Full Details All-New Kadjar

So, it all looks quite similar to the Qashqai lineup, then – no surprise given that the Kadjar shares its key mechanical parts with the Nissan. The Renault even looks similarly priced at first glance, but actually the better equipment offered on the Kadjar means you can get a model with sat-nav and some luxury comforts for around £2000 less than the cheapest equivalent Qashqai model with nav. Given that the Renault matches the Nissan’s emissions, it promises to be cheaper for company car tax on a spec-for-spec basis, too.
What’s the 2015 Renault Kadjar like inside?

The Kadjar represents a huge step forward in terms of perceived interior quality for Renault. The switchgear is well damped, looks good and is straightforward to use, while most of the dashboard finish is soft-touch and nicely textured (although entry-level models that don’t get a leather steering wheel are unlikely to impress so much).Renault Reveal Full Details All-New Kadjar

The broad driver’s seat is also comfortable, and there’s plenty of head and legroom even for very lanky drivers, although those who go for top-spec Signature trim with its electric adjustability might wish the seat could drop a bit lower. The colour touchscreen, which comes as standard with sat-nav on all but entry-level Expression+ trim, gets USB input, Bluetooth and digital radio across the range. However, it is a bit of a faff to use at times (particularly for more advanced settings) but it is easy to see and responds fairly quickly.

There’s loads of room in the back, too, and the outer seats are very comfortable, although the panoramic roof that you get on top-spec models does cut into available headroom enough that it might bother very long-bodied passengers. A middle passenger will find the raised floor and flat seat base a bit uncomfortable, too.

The boot is a good size, and at 472 litres actually betters the Qashqai by 42 litres, although it’s a shame that you have to go for pricey Dynamique S to get the adjustable boot floor that irons out the step in the load bay that the seats leave when folded. A high boot lip might make loading heavy items quite a chore, as well.
What’s the 2015 Renault Kadjar like to drive?

Relaxed and unflappable, which is precisely what most buyers will want. We drove the 1.2 petrol and four-wheel drive 1.6 diesel, and it’s worth avoiding the petrol if you value sprightly performance. While it’s smooth-revving and fine to drive in town driving, the turbo doesn’t kick in early enough, so you have to work the engine quite hard through the slightly notchy six-speed gearbox to make snappy progress.Renault Reveal Full Details All-New Kadjar

The diesel is a better bet for motorway drivers – it picks up more eagerly from low revs and delivers a more satisfying surge of power, offering flexible response when you need it.

The Kadjar is no sports SUV, but nicely weighted steering that offers good bite around the straight-ahead makes it easy to place the car precisely, and body lean isn’t overly bothersome even through fast corners. Don’t bother with the four-wheel drive unless you regularly struggle with icy weather, as in all other conditions the front-wheel drive car will be just as stoic on-road. Add to all this the easily modulated pedal responses, and the Kadjar is simple to drive smoothly even in stop-start traffic.

Refinement is good in the Kadjar, especially the petrol, although at a cruise you’ll be noticing wind flutter over the windscreen and fairly boomy tyre noise more than you’ll pick up on any engine noise from either version.

Our only sticking point is the ride comfort, which on 19-inch wheels of the Dynamique S and Signature trims felt quite brittle over town roads, if perfectly well settled over faster, undulating roads. It’ll take a full UK test to see how that translates to British roads.
Should I buy one?

The Kadjar is very well-priced, the interior quality feels up there with the Qashqai’s (in mid or high-spec trims, at least) and while not flawless, it’s spacious and versatile enough for most families. Resale values are also predicted to be very competitive, Renault’s four-year warranty and roadside assistance pack adds further incentive, and company car users benefit from really good tax rates. Just avoid the entry-level trim, which misses out on some key stuff, and step up to Dynamique Nav, which gets parking sensors, climate control, alloy wheels, better interior finish, auto lights and wipers and loads of safety kit, as well as nav for a reasonable price.

Is it good enough to end the Qashqai’s reign? Quite possibly, but until we drive the 1.5 diesel (likely to be the most popular engine) in the UK, we can’t be sure. As it stands, you should definitely consider it before making any buying decisions in this class.

Leasing deals on the new Renault Kadjar from Car Lease 4 U will be available here but you can register your interest in the new model by contacting us here