The car is fitted with a 1.0-litre engine that produces 50kW and 91Nm. A five-speed manual gearbox sends power to the front wheels. Because the car is aimed at being light on fuel, the engine is a three-cylinder unit that sips around 4.7-litres/100km.

According to the figures put up by the dealer, this Kwid does not have a lot of kilometres under its belt. And at R155 900, the price is a giveaway for something that is still virtually new.

The Kwid can seat up to five adults and boot size ranges between 279 and 620L – the latter when the rear seats are folded flat.

See listing here.

The answer is the Renault Kwid. According to Darryl Jacobson, managing director of True Price, it beats the Datsun Go by a substantial margin. He warns: “This is an extremely important factor to consider prior to signing on the dotted line. It could make a big financial difference when the time comes to sell. One should always consider depreciation before buying a new car.”

The True Price team attends hundreds of bank repossession auctions each year in order to gather data pertaining to prices paid on auction. This data is used to provide South African motorists with free vehicle evaluations. The data can also be used to provide highly accurate resale values, as Jacobson explains: “Using the data gathered on bank repossession auctions, we are able to generate a statistically valid resale figure. It is expressed as a percentage of the original retail sales price.”

‘Clear winner’

Using this methodology, the Kwid is the clear winner in the resale value stakes. It achieved 76.27%, while the Go got 68.24%.”

The Kwid is also outperforming the Go in the new vehicle sales stakes. It sold 634 units in May and a whopping 1056 in June – versus the Go’s 409 in May and 723 in June.

So, new car buyers prefer the Kwid. But why does it have a better resale value too? According to Jacobson, the Kwid’s good looks are the reason. “It really is a great-looking vehicle. The millennials love it; so do I!” he reveals.

Review: This is the Kwid’s trump card

The Go, on the other hand, isn’t quite the beauty star. Jacobson adds: “Yes, it is a solid package – especially since it gained safety features. Furthermore, it was recently named the most cost-effective vehicle to service or repair in the City Cars and Entry Level category of the 2019 AA Kinsey Report. But it doesn’t appeal to younger buyers quite as strongly as the Kwid. And, even though auction buyers are made up of all ages, there is always more hype and excitement when a Kwid comes under the hammer.”

Having said this, Jacobson says that 68.24% is far from a bad rating: “The Go does beat many other vehicles, but it simply cannot compete with the Kwid!”

April sees a further development to the Renault Kwid range with the introduction of ABS across all the Kwid derivatives, i.e. the Kwid Expression and Dynamique manual, Dynamique AMT, and Climber models. Together with the integration of smartphone mirroring i.e. Apple Car Play & Android Auto from the Dynamique models upwards, which will no doubt increase the Kwid’s appeal.

Good technology

The Kwid offers an interior which includes a user-friendly multimedia system, complete with a first-in-class large 7” (18cm) touchscreen colour display, encased in its piano black centre console with chrome surround (Dynamique only). The Multimedia system comes with a range of functions such as Bluetooth audio streaming and hands-free telephony, USB & AUX-input ports, speed sensing volume control, and has now been upgraded to incorporate smartphone mirroring with Apple Car Play and Android Auto compatibility.

The Renault Kwid now also offers seatbelt warning functionality, alerting consumers to buckle up through a consistent flashing light and an escalating alert tone, as a safety precaution.

The Kwid can still carry five passengers comfortably and the front seats are height adjustable, while the electric power steering and one-touch lane change indicator add to the drive. The driver’s seat is four-way adjustable. Electric front windows add to driver and front passenger convenience, boot space is a generous 300L.

1.0-litre engine

The compact 1.0-litre three-cylinder Smart Control efficiency (SCe) engine powering the Kwid models has been optimised and pushes out peak power of 50kW and maximum torque of 91Nm @ 4250rpm. Paired to a five-speed manual gearbox, Renault says the Kwid will deliver a fuel return of 4.7 L/100 km and 4.4 L/100km with the AMT transmission.

As is standard across Renault’s entire product range, the Renault Kwid range comes standard with a five-year/150 000km mechanical warranty and a six-year anti-corrosion warranty, plus a two-year service plan, with services scheduled at 15 000km intervals. The Kwid model range still offers the value-add of one year’s Comprehensive Insurance Cover, to further promote peace-of-mind driving.

Price:

• Renault Kwid Expression 1.0-litre SCe – R134 900
• Renault Kwid Dynamique 1.0-litre SCe – R144 900
• Renault Kwid Dynamique AMT 1.0-litre SCe – R154 900
• Renault Kwid Climber 1.0-litre SCe – R154 900

Metallic paint is optionally available at R2522.