Renault’s Kiger and Triber are among top cars in SA
South Africa’s car market is dominated by SUVs. South Africans love the style and flexibility, the practical dimensions, and the ability to fit in at the mall or out on the country roads. We love our hatchbacks as well, but not as much as an SUV. The result is a very crowded market with fantastic newcomers added almost monthly. Yet in this crowded space, two new Renault SUVs are solidly in the top ten seller list.
The Renault Kiger and the Renault Triber are both in the most popular B-segment, SUVs under 4m in length and both are exceedingly well priced. Both are very safe, and offer all the luxury features as standard. Both are new on the market and feature modern good looks and well-appointed interiors. Yet for all their similarities, the Kiger and the Triber are totally different cars that offer specific lifestyle benefits and will appeal to different buyers. So let’s have a look and compare the Renault Kiger and the Renault Triber.
Renault Kiger
The Kiger is a spacious five-seater with three trim levels, naturally aspirated 52kW or turbo 74kw engines and manual or CVT transmission – giving you six options in all. Boot space is a very generous 405L that will extend to 879L with folded rear seats. The most affordable option starts at under R220 000 while the top trim turbo CVT is still just above R314K. It comes with a 5-year/150 000 mechanical warranty and 6-year corrosion warranty.
Model dependent, the Kiger will give you LED DRL, Parking sensors, ABS and EBD, 16” wheels, steering wheel controls, 8” touchscreen, rear view camera, front and side airbags, and much more.
The Renault Triber is a spacious, funky, fun SUV, ideal for a young professional or a young family.
Renault Triber
Although more or less the same dimensions as the Kiger, the Triber is an entirely different car and will be bought for different reasons by people with different needs. Although it has an equally impressive range of features as the Kiger, there is a more utilitarian feel to it, probably because of its incredible flexibility.
The basic Triber is a 5-seater with a massive 625-litre boot. Click in the easy-fit seats and it becomes a seven-seater for the school run or to cater for a larger family. Or fold everything in the back flat to make a two-seater with a massive flat space you can literally camp in or carry really bulky stuff. Or fold down the seats on one side of the back to make a four-seater that can carry something awkward like a surfboard.
The Triber starts at a slightly lower price point than the Kiger and even the top of the four options are well under R250K. It comes with a naturally aspirated 1-litre petrol that gives you 52kW. It comes with a 5-year/150 000 mechanical warranty and a 5-year corrosion warranty.
Spoilt for choice
These are two great cars, and each offers several trim levels and different lifestyle solutions. Best have a look at what is what and book a test drive of the one you like.
