Renault Kangoo origins and updates
Did you know that they have sold more than 4 million Kangoos in 50 countries? This makes the Renault Kangoo somewhat of a legend in its own right and a unique success story. In this article, we take a closer look at the history of the Renault Kangoo and how it has turned into a popular car across the globe.
Renault Kangoo Represents The Best of Both Worlds
Not only are there 350 utility versions but the Renault Kangoo is also available in a family leisure vehicle and a longer Renault Kangoo Maxi. It certainly represents the best of both worlds with elements of a passenger car showing off attractive design and room, plus that of a commercial vehicle with loads of cargo space and robustness. Find out all there is to know about the three generations of the Renault Kangoo.
Where Did The Renault Kangoo Light Commercial Vehicle Originate?
The first generation Renault Kangoo made a statement early, with some even saying it revolutionised the market since its launch in 1997. During this time, the “cab stall” you’d find in typical commercial vehicles had disappeared since the front roofline was located in the extension of the loading area.
A “smooth roof” concept gave birth to the ludospace segment, the same innovative idea introduced to the Renault Kangoo family version. The new model with its original design has a dual purpose serving both professional customers and private individuals. It comes in the shape of the utility version and its 5-seat passenger model.
The latter offers loads of room for passengers and an abundance of cargo space. This first-generation 5-seater Kangoo is simple, practical and comes with a sliding side door for the first time. The first ludospace in history certainly attracted the attention of a wide range of customers and quickly became the market leader.
The Renault Kangoo continued to enjoy the top spot due to a series of innovations such as the second standard sliding side door (November 1999), a 4WD version (September 2001) and the introduction of the very economical 1.5 dCi engines (December 2001).
Renault’s LCV versions are full of smart technology and innovations with 2/3-1/3 rear doors and folding passenger seat with a pivoting partition among many others. Since the start, it made an impression and remains the benchmark for vans.
Launching The Second-Generation Renault Kangoo
Moving ahead a few years, the second-generation Renault Kangoo was launched in 2008 keeping with the original rounded shapes and a friendly, expressive front end. However, it was developed on the larger Renault Scénic platform which meant it was 15 cm longer and had some of the characteristics of a sedan.
To meet family expectations as closely as possible, they carefully designed the Kangoo with aspects from the Renault Scénic and the Renault Clio. The interior was upgraded while the car’s practicality improved drastically with aviation-style trunks above the rear seats.
It also had new features including a flat floor with a retractable front passenger seat, a rear roof flap and modular roof bars to make loading a breeze. In terms of safety, the Renault Kangoo had the best score in its category with 4 Euro NCAP stars.
Phase 2 Of The Second-Gen Design
In May 2013 the French automaker released “phase 2” of the second-generation Renault Kangoo. This time, it gained a level of maturity with a more deliberate and assertive design where tauter, muscular lines replaced the curvy elements. The front got a whole new brand identity with an enlarged logo on a black grille and redesigned lights for a more technical and high-quality look.
On the inside, the Renault Kangoo centre console was decorated with black lacquered veneer and the R-Link connected multimedia table made a welcome appearance. To add further value for money, the utility versions also came in a 3-seater version at the front.
Thanks to Renault’s expertise in the LCV and diesel markets, they attracted the interest of the Daimler Group who owns the Mercedes brand. In 2010, Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi signed a partnership with Daimler to produce the Mercedes Citan which was derived from the Renault Kangoo at the Maubeuge plant.
The New Third-Generation Renault Kangoo
The new design comes across as an elegant and spacious combi space, making it truly an innovative utility vehicle. Its version for private individuals improves all the features that have made it a success and are ideal for those looking for space and modularity. The new design is elegant and sporty by removing the cubic format of minivans and utility vans to bring it closer to the comfort and styling of passenger vehicles.
The New Kangoo Van is ideal for professionals as this third-generation model introduces two major innovations that are useful and clever in facilitating access to goods. We’ve summarised them here:
Open Sesame by Renault
By removing the central pillar, the XXL side opening of the New Kangoo is the widest on the market. It stands at 1.45 m which is twice as wide as the opening of a conventional sliding door.
Easy Inside Rack
This retractable interior gallery allows long and bulky objects, such as piping, tubes or stepladders to be stored high up which frees up additional floor space and allows a passenger to remain on board.
New Kangoo is still manufactured at the Renault Maubeuge plant, along with the Mercedes Citan van, the future Mercedes T-Class minivan and the next-gen Nissan van which will replace the Nissan NV250 scheduled to go on sale early next year. Like the second-generation Kangoo, it will be available in an electric version.
The Electric Renault Kangoo
Speaking of the electric version, Renault already identified the potential to develop a 100% electric compact utility vehicle for urban travel as early as 1980. An electric version of the Renault Express was produced in 1985 using nickel-zinc batteries. It offers a loading capacity of 300 kg and a range of 110 kilometres.
Skipping ahead to 2011, the Renault Kangoo Z.E. 100% electric is manufactured and marketed with much success. They have sold more than 60,000 units and have been the leader in their segment in Europe for almost a decade. Today, the Renault Kangoo Z.E. offers a range of 230 km WLTP and a loading capacity of 650 kg.
It seems Renault has gone from a pioneer of electricity to the leading force today. Creator of the ludospace segment and leading the market for 100% electric LCV, Kangoo has always been an innovator continuously introducing new products.
Not only has the New Kangoo remained faithful to the original spirit but it’s taken it to the next level of popularity and creativity. You can find out more about the Renault Kangoo Express on our website and remember to sign up for our monthly newsletter for .
