Renault Kadjar review

Lofty economy is claimed for the Kadjar’s engine range. Officially, the TCe 160 (158bhp petrol, in English) can return up to 65.7mpg. The lower powered ‘BlueDCi’ diesel is good for 62.8mpg. Neither seem particularly realistic. And you can expect your heavier, less aerodynamic crossover to use at least ten per cent more fuel than an equivalent hatchback.

Equipment levels are a strong suit. Basic Kadjar Plays get 17-inch rims, tinted glass, foglights, auto lights and wipers plus the 7-inch touchscreen – Apple and Android-ready at last –  and rear parking sensors. There’s a simple £1,500 gap between each trim level.

One trim level up lies Kadjar Iconic. This adds TomTom nav (uncessary as CarPlay can just stream your phone’s Google Maps), Bluetooth (same again) and DAB radio. Front parking sensors appear up front, door mirrors fold electrically and there’s a rear parking camera, useful in a car of this size although the image quality isn’t great. You get keyless entry and go, plus the cumbersome Renault keycard that hasn’t been copied across the industry for good reason. The exterior sports 19-inch alloys, roof rails, and for this you pay from £22,095.

New to the line-up is S-Edition – basically you pay £22,595 and are rewarded with leather seats plus blue stitching, a sunroof, LED headlights and ‘skidplates’ to dubiously hint at off-road ability. Not our choice, this one.

Top of the tree is GT-line. Prices start at £25k, but you ought to be able to find one on a 36-month lease for sub £400pcm, which makes the amount of kit look tempting. Full leather seats heated in the front, a leather steering wheel, a 360-degree parking camera, puddle lights, and blind spot monitoring arrive. We think the sweet spot of this workhorse’s range is still around the Iconic models (the kids will ruin the leather) but if you’re buying once the kids have flown the nest or company fleet management is footing the bill, the GT-line Kadjar is the one that does the most convincing impression of a premium contender.

A £299 ‘EasyLife’ Pack guarantees inflation-proof servicing, and backs up a two-year-unlimited mileage / three-year-60,000 mile warranty.