A facelifted version of the Renault Kadjar has been revealed with exterior and interior styling upgrades as well as the addition of a new turbopetrolengine and updated diesel engines, but it may not make it to South Africa…

The Kadjar compact SUV first arrived on local soil in 2016 and now the Boulogne-Billancourt-based firm has revealed a facelifted version. The Kadjar stood alongside the Captur and rugged Duster, the latter of which is due to be replaced next month with an all-new version.

However, the Kadjar’s future on local soil appears to be in the balance and the facelifted Kadjar may not make it to South Africa (the current model is no longer listed on Renault’s website) and Renault may decide to re-introduce the new Koleos to market instead (see below for more detail).

Engine updates

A revised engine lineup makes its way into the latest Kadjar to improve efficiency and reduce emissions.

The big news for the facelifted Kadjar is the addition of a new 1.3-litre turbopetrol engine which was co-developed with Daimler and is fitted with a particulate filter. It will offer outputs of 104 kW and 119 kW and will be paired with either a 6-speed manual or dual-clutch automatic transmission. This is the same engine that powers the new Mercedes-Benz A200.

As for the diesel engines, they have been modernised to meet emission requirements and as such feature a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system. The first diesel engine is an 85 kW 1.6-litre turbodiesel (manual and EDC) followed by a more powerful 112 kW version (manual), the latter of which will be offered in both 4×2 and 4×4 guise.

Fresh Exterior Looks

Renault has refined the Kadjar's face with a wider grille and an updated headlight design.

As for the design, Renault has refined the look of the Kadjar by retaining the familiar C-Shape daytime running lights but they now include integrated LED indicator lights. LED fog lights are now fitted and they are said to be 6 times more efficient than the previous halogen units. The rear also benefits from indicator lights, rear fog lights and reverse lights with LED technology.

Furthermore, the grille is wider with new chrome inserts and the front and rear bumpers have been reworked with added touches of chrome on select derivatives. The Kadjar ride on new alloy wheel designs in sizes ranging from 17 to 19-inches in size. A total of 3 new colours have been introduced, including Oural Green, Iron Blue and Highland Grey.

The Kadjar has a ground clearance of 200 mm with an approach angle of 17 degrees and a departure angle of 25 degrees, making it suitable for mild-to-moderate offroading if required.

Improved Interior

A new flush-fitting touchscreen infotainment system gives the Kadjar a more elegant appearance.

Perceived interior quality has been enhanced and the facelifted Kadjar features a new 7-inch R-Link 2 infotainment system that offers Apple Carplay and Android Auto. The controls for the air conditioning system have been updated and settings are now displayed in the centre of 3 thumbwheels.

Touches of satin chrome are seen around the air vent surrounds, door handles and centre console for a more elegant look. The inner door panels also gain new electric window and mirror switches with backlighting for added convenience. New choices of upholstery are also offered and the redesigned seats now feature length adjustment as well as double density foam and firmer side support for added comfort. A sliding front armrest adds further comfort for the driver.

Other convenience features include larger front cup holders with adjustable function, larger in-door bins to hold 1.5-litre bottles and 2 additional USB ports for rear passengers.

The luggage bay offers 527 litres of space and the 60:40 split rear seats can be folded down to load items over 2.5 metres long.

Is the facelifted Kadjar coming to South Africa?

The fate of the facelifted Kadjar has yet to be confirmed but Renault might decide to introduce the new Koleos instead.

At this stage, the facelifted Renault Kadjar has not yet been confirmed for the South African market. Interestingly, a local Renault representative has informed us that Renault South Africa and Renault’s Corporate Team in France are currently studying the possibility of either introducing the facelifted Kadjar or to re-introduce the latest Koleos to market in 2019.

The Koleos was sold in South Africa previously but was discontinued due to poor sales performance in our market. The new Koleos shares its underpinnings with the Nissan X-Trail as part of the Renault-Nissan alliance and is built on the Common Module Family (CMF) platform.

Here's a shot of the Koleos, which will Renault SA choose to bring here, if any?

While the Kadjar has proven popular in other markets, it has not sold particularly well in South Africa either and perhaps unsurprisingly no longer appears on Renault’s website either, which probably means that Renault has already phased it out of our market. With this in mind, it’s more likely that Renault will re-introduce the Koleos in 2019, but we will update you as soon as an official decision has been taken.

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