The Renault Kadjar is one of the less obvious choices if you’re in the market for a used mid-size SUV, but it’s definitely worth considering. It’s a stylish, spacious and deeply comfortable family car. If that sounds appealing, you’re in the right place to find out more.
In this guide, you’ll discover what the Kadjar is like to live with, plus which engines and trim levels were available.
Let’s just look at the Kadjar for a moment. It’s a good-looking thing that really stands out among many other mid-size SUVs. But that style doesn’t come at the expense of practicality. The boot’s 478-litre capacity is about average for this type of car, but is bigger than the closely-related Nissan Qashqai.
The boot floor is quite clever, too. In its default position, the floor is level with the back bumper. Or you can take the floor out, which significantly increases capacity. You can also position the floor vertically, dividing the boot in two – useful if you want to stop stuff from rolling around. The back seats fold down easily if you need to carry anything really big.
There’s pretty generous passenger space in the Kadjar, too. Four tall-ish adults fit comfortably (a sunroof reduces headroom, particularly in the back), so a typical family of four should have all the space they need. The seats are really comfortable and there are loads of standard features.
The Kadjar’s a pleasant car to drive. It feels quite light, the steering is precise, it’s easy to park, feels rock solid at higher speeds and gives a lovely, smooth ride. The engines prioritise efficiency over performance, but they all offer acceleration that’s quick enough. The more powerful engines are useful if you carry lots of people and/or stuff in the car, because they work notably less hard.
There were a lot of different petrol and diesel engines available in the Kadjar, and a broad spread of trim levels. But, for the last year or so it was on sale in the UK, the options had been slimmed down to two trim levels and one engine, offered with either a manual or an automatic gearbox.
The Kadjar is decent value for money as well, especially as every trim level comes with lots of standard features. Running costs are low and the car is proving to be generally reliable. Demand for used family SUVs is high, so retained values are quite high as a result.
We said at the start that the Kadjar is definitely worth considering among the 30 or so mid-size SUVs available, and we stand by that. It offers as much space and practicality as most families could need and it looks good, plus it’s efficient and particularly comfortable to travel in.
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One of the core strengths of the Renault Kadjar range is that almost all trim levels are generously equipped. The main proviso is to avoid the entry-level models: Expression+ on pre-facelift cars, and Play on post-update models. It is also worth giving the largest 19-inch alloy wheels the swerve, as these can spoil ride comfort.
As such, the pre-facelift Renault Kadjar Dynamique Nav offers features like satellite navigation, dual-zone climate control, and additional safety equipment. After the 2018 update, the Iconic model brings plenty of equipment, but does feature 19-inch wheels.
Around town, the 140PS 1.3-litre TCe engine delivers more than enough power, while still retaining reasonable economy. Of the popular diesel engines, the 1.5-litre dCi will be sufficient for longer commutes, and delivers the best fuel economy.
Avoid paying extra for a model with four-wheel drive unless you are certain you need it.
Renault Kadjar TCe 130 petrol – It might be a small capacity 1.2 litre engine, but the TCe 130 has 130PS and pulls well in the Kadjar. It can return 50mpg on a run and pulls well through its six-speed manual gearbox.
Renault Kadjar TCe 140 petrol – This is a 1.3-litre four-cylinder turbocharged engine that produces 140PS. It’s available with a six-speed manual or seven-speed EDC dual-clutch automatic gearbox. With the manual, 0-62mph takes 9.8 seconds and CO2 emissions are 143g/km. With the automatic, 0-62mph takes 9.5 seconds and CO2 emissions are 142g/km.
Renault Kadjar TCe 160 petrol – A version of the 1.3 litre turbo petrol engine with a brawny 160PS that was enough to give the Kadjar a surprising turn of speed when pushed hard. It could see off 0-62mph in 9.4 seconds, while also returning a combined economy of 47.1mpg
Renault Kadjar TCe 165 petrol – Choose this 1.6 litre turbo petrol and it has a slightly more relaxed feel at higher speeds than the 1.3 turbo. Its 165PS provides the same performance as the 1.3 but with less noise as it does so.
Renault Kadjar dCi 110 diesel – The entry point to the diesel range when the Kadjar was first launched, it feels a little underpowered. It's a 1.5 litre motor and decently smooth, with the promise of a claimed 72.4mpg average economy, though this is more like 60mpg in real world driving.
Renault Kadjar dCi 115 diesel – This engine took over from the dCi 110 and has a bit more pep. It delivers the same 0-62mph time of 11.7 seconds as the 110 version and Renault claimed a more realistic 62.8mpg combined consumption.
Renault Kadjar dCi 130 diesel – A very good bet if you need to cover plenty of motorway miles. This 1.6-litre engine has 130PS to give 0-62mph around 10 seconds and fuel economy that can see 60mpg at a constant cruise.
Renault Kadjar Blue dCi 150 diesel – A 1.7 litre turbodiesel only offered with the GT Line trim. It was available with two- and four-wheel drive transmissions.
Many different trim levels were available on the Kadjar during the time it was on sale. However, the range was slimmed down to just two for the final year or so that the car was on sale. Renault is usually pretty generous with the standard equipment fitted to its cars, and that’s certainly the case here.
The Kadjar received a minor facelift in 2018, which included some new styling details inside and out, plus updated tech and new engine options.
Renault Kadjar Expression+ – The most basic trim comes with air-conditioning, four electric windows, cruise control, Bluetooth, and a DAB radio. It also has a good range of safety kit included.
Renault Kadjar Dynamique Nav – A better starting point for most used buyers, this trim adds climate control, auto headlights and wipers, and a touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Renault Kadjar Dynamique S Nav – An upgrade to leather upholstery is the main advantage of this model.
Renault Kadjar Signature Nav – Man-made leather upholstery is standard for this model, as well as a Bose stereo for an improved audio experience.
Renault Kadjar Signature S Nav – Full leather trim is included with this Kadjar, as well automatic parking technology and a 360-degree parking camera.
Renault Kadjar Play – From 2018, this became the entry level Kadjar trim and brought with it a 7.0-inch infotainment touchscreen. There's also cruise control, climate control, automatic wipers and headlights, rear parking sensors, rear privacy glass, and 17-inch alloy wheels.
Renault Kadjar Iconic – TomTom Live sat-nav became standard for this trim, as well as all-round parking sensors, automatic door locking, electric folding door mirrors, lane departure warning, and 19-inch alloy wheels.
Renault Kadjar S-Edition – Full LED headlights marked out the S-Edition, along with a panoramic sunroof and blue stitching for the cabin upholstery.
Renault Kadjar GT Line – Leather upholstery and heated front seats define this trim, which also has a 360-degree parking camera and puddle lights.
Renault Kadjar Equilibre – The entry-point Kadjar certainly is very well-equipped. It has sat-nav, Apple Carplay and Android Auto connectivity, dual-zone climate control, cruise control and a rear view camera. The word ‘equilibre’ translates from French as ‘balance’, in case you wondered.
Renault Kadjar Techno – The top-of-the-range trim level has bigger alloy wheels, part-leather seat upholstery, full LED headlights, lane-departure warning and blind-spot monitoring, on top of everything you get with the Equilibre.
The Renault Kadjar’s exterior dimensions are:
Length: 4489mm
Width: 1836mm
Height: 1613mm
The Renault Kadjar’s boot capacity is:
Rear seats up: 527 litres
Rear seats folded down: 1478 litres
Most used Renault Kadjar models will be post-1 April 2017, so they will pay the flat rate of road tax at £180. For those put on the road before this date, most will attract an annual road tax payment of around the same £180, though the less potent diesel engines will come in with a slightly lower cost.
Depending on exactly which model you choose, the Kadjar is rated in insurance groups 14 to 25, out of 50 groups in total. This means your premiums are unlikely to break the bank.