Renault Kadjar

Renault Kadjar: which version to buy

If you are choosing a Renault Kadjar rather than reading a catalogue from scratch, the short answer from the measured figures is this: for mixed-road FWD use after the restyling, 1.3 EDC at 160 hp is the fastest 0–100 (9.3 s) and the most power-dense gasoline pairing; 1.3 MT at 160 hp is the lightest kg-per-hp gasoline (9.01 kg/hp) with the same 5.9 l/100 km mixed figure as the 140 hp 1.3 MT; for …

If you are choosing a Renault Kadjar rather than reading a catalogue from scratch, the short answer from the measured figures is this: for mixed-road FWD use after the restyling, 1.3 EDC at 160 hp is the fastest 0–100 (9.3 s) and the most power-dense gasoline pairing; 1.3 MT at 160 hp is the lightest kg-per-hp gasoline (9.01 kg/hp) with the same 5.9 l/100 km mixed figure as the 140 hp 1.3 MT; for lowest measured fuel use, the pre-restyle 1.5 EDC and 1.5 MT both sit at 3.8 l/100 km mixed (and 99 g/km CO2); if you need AWD, only 1.6 MT (1 generation, 130 hp) and 1.8 MT (1 generation, restyling, 149 hp) offer it — and on 1.8 MT acceleration, top speed, consumption and CO2 are not measured. Renault Kadjar is one generation of SUV 5-doors (June 2015–January 2023 in these records), with a restyling window from January 2018; there is no 2025 model in the data, and prices are not in the data.

Specs: what changed between 1 generation and 1 generation, restyling

Treat 1 generation (2015-06-01 to 2019-01-31, 6 versions) and 1 generation, restyling (2018-01-01 to 2023-01-31, 8 versions) as one Kadjar generation with an overlap in 2018–January 2019, not as a second generation. Both are SUV 5-doors. Ground clearance is 200 mm and the tank is 55 l on every version. Wheel sizes are measured only on 1 generation: 215/65 R16, 215/60 R17, 225/45 R19; on the restyling they are not measured.

What the restyling actually swaps, by the numbers:

• Gasoline 1197 cm³ (1.2 MT, 1.2 EDC, 130 hp, 205 Nm) is replaced by 1332 cm³ 1.3 MT / 1.3 EDC at 140 or 160 hp.
• Diesel 1598 cm³ 1.6 MT (130 hp, 320 Nm, FWD and AWD) is replaced by 1749 cm³ 1.8 MT (149 hp, 340 Nm, FWD and AWD).
• Diesel 1461 cm³ stays, but power moves from 110 hp (1.5 MT, 1.5 EDC) to 115 hp (1.5 MT) and 116 hp (1.5L EDC).
• Kerb weight rises: the lightest 1 generation Kadjar is 1.2 MT at 1306 kg; the lightest restyle gasoline is 1.3 MT at 1442 kg (+136 kg). The heaviest 1 generation is 1.6 MT AWD at 1536 kg; the heaviest restyle is 1.8 MT AWD at 1692 kg (+156 kg).

Compression ratio is not measured on any version. Fuel injection is Direct injection (direct) on the gasoline engines; on the diesels the injection system is not measured.

Engine and horsepower: every version, named as in the data

Use the English labels from the data: Gasoline or Diesel; Inline 4; Turbo; Front, transverse; Manual or Robotic; FWD or AWD. Rear brakes are Disc; front are Ventilated disc. Front suspension is Independent, spring on all. Rear is Semi-independent, springorts hélicoïdaux, sem except 1.6 MT AWD, which is Independent, spring at the rear.

Bore × stroke: 1.2 is 72.2 × 73.1; 1.3 is 72.2 × 81.4; 1.5 / 1.5L diesel is 76 × 80.5; 1.6 diesel is 80 × 79.5; 1.8 diesel is 80 × 87.

Power per litre (hp ÷ displacement in litres): 1.3 MT / 1.3 EDC at 160 hp is 120.1 hp/l — the densest engine in the set. 1.2 MT / 1.2 EDC is 108.6 hp/l. 1.3 at 140 hp is 105.1 hp/l. Among diesels: 1.8 MT 85.2 hp/l, 1.6 MT 81.4, 1.5L EDC 79.4, restyle 1.5 MT 78.7, 1 generation 1.5 MT / 1.5 EDC 75.3. The restyling gasoline is therefore denser than the 1.2 it replaced; the restyling 1.8 diesel is denser than the 1.6 it replaced.

Renault Kadjar automatic (Robotic) vs Manual — what the extra hardware buys

There is no Automatic label in these records. The two-pedal box is Robotic: 7 gears on 1.2 EDC, both 1.3 EDC, and 1.5L EDC; 6 gears on 1.5 EDC.

On 1 generation gasoline, Robotic costs time and adds mass: 1.2 EDC is 10.7 s to 100 vs 10.1 s for 1.2 MT (+0.6 s) and 1320 kg vs 1306 kg (+14 kg). Mixed fuel is 5.5 vs 5.6 l/100 km; CO2 is 123 vs 126 g/km. Robotic here is slightly leaner, not quicker.

On restyle gasoline the opposite happens. 1.3 EDC 140 hp is 9.6 s vs 10.4 s for 1.3 MT 140 hp (−0.8 s) at 1471 vs 1442 kg (+29 kg). Mixed fuel 5.6 vs 5.9; CO2 133 vs 135. 1.3 EDC 160 hp is 9.3 s vs 9.9 s for 1.3 MT 160 hp (−0.6 s), same +29 kg, mixed 5.6 vs 5.9, torque 270 Nm vs 260 Nm. If you want the restyle 1.3 and can take Robotic, EDC is both quicker and lower on the mixed figure.

On 1.5 diesel: 1.5 EDC is 11.7 s vs 11.9 s for 1.5 MT, 1407 vs 1380 kg, mixed 3.8 vs 3.8, CO2 99 vs 99, but peak torque is 250 Nm vs 260 Nm. Restyle 1.5L EDC is 11.5 s vs 11.7 s for restyle 1.5 MT, 1518 vs 1531 kg (EDC is 13 kg lighter here), mixed 4.5 vs 4.4. Robotic on the later 1.5 is not an economy win.

140 hp vs 160 hp on the same 1.3: what extra horsepower buys

1.3 MT 140 hp and 1.3 MT 160 hp share kerb 1442 kg, gross 1889 kg, city/highway/mixed 7.4 / 5 / 5.9 l/100 km, CO2 135 g/km, Euro 6, FWD, Manual 6. The 160 hp tune adds 20 hp and 20 Nm (260 vs 240), cuts 0–100 from 10.4 s to 9.9 s (−0.5 s), and raises top speed from 203 to 210 km/h. Same consumption on the sheet: the extra 20 hp is “free” in fuel figures.

1.3 EDC 140 vs 160: same 1471 / 1918 kg, mixed 5.6, CO2 133. 0–100 9.6 vs 9.3 s (−0.3 s); top speed 203 vs 210; torque 240 @ 1600 vs 270 @ 1800. The 160 hp EDC is the quickest Kadjar measured (9.3 s) and the highest gasoline torque (270 Nm).

kg per hp: 1.3 MT 160 hp is 9.01 kg/hp (best in the catalogue). 1.3 EDC 160 hp is 9.19. 1.2 MT is 10.05 despite being 136 kg lighter than restyle 1.3 MT, because it has 30 hp less than the 160 tune. Restyle 1.5 MT is the worst load: 13.31 kg/hp (1531 / 115). 1 generation 1.5 MT is 12.55 kg/hp.

Diesel mpg: 1.5 dCi horsepower and why 1 generation still wins on fuel

People search Renault Kadjar 1.5 dCi horsepower: that is 1.5 MT / 1.5 EDC at 110 hp in 1 generation, then 1.5 MT at 115 hp and 1.5L EDC at 116 hp after restyling. Displacement stays 1461 cm³.

Fuel (l/100 km, city / highway / mixed):

• 1.5 EDC (1 generation): 3.8 / 3.8 / 3.8 — the lowest mixed, and unique in having city = highway = mixed.
• 1.5 MT (1 generation): 4.1 / 3.6 / 3.8.
• 1.6 MT FWD: 5 / 3.9 / 4.3; AWD: 5.4 / 4.4 / 4.8.
• Restyle 1.5L EDC: 4.9 / 4.2 / 4.5.
• Restyle 1.5 MT: 5 / 4 / 4.4.
• 1.8 MT FWD and AWD: city, highway, mixed, 0–100, top speed and CO2 are not measured.

So the restyle 1.5 uses +0.6 l/100 km mixed versus 1 generation 1.5 MT (4.4 vs 3.8) for +5 hp, and +0.7 versus 1.5 EDC if you take 1.5L EDC. CO2 on 1 generation 1.5 is 99 g/km; restyle 1.5 MT is 115 g/km (+16); restyle 1.5L EDC CO2 is not measured. Kerb on restyle 1.5 MT is 1531 kg vs 1380 kg on 1 generation 1.5 MT (+151 kg) — that is the arithmetic behind the worse mixed figure, not a mystery.

1.6 MT FWD is the performance diesel of 1 generation: 9.9 s and 190 km/h vs 11.9 s and 182 km/h for 1.5 MT, at 4.3 vs 3.8 mixed (+0.5 l) and 113 vs 99 g/km. If 0–100 under 10 s on diesel matters and you stay pre-restyle, 1.6 MT FWD is the one; 1.5 EDC is the one if the sheet figure is fuel.

Gasoline mixed: 1.2 EDC 5.5; 1.2 MT 5.6; restyle 1.3 EDC 5.6; restyle 1.3 MT 5.9. The 1.2 is not slower in mixed than the later 1.3 EDC, and it is 151 kg lighter than 1.3 EDC (1320 vs 1471). It is slower at the top (192 vs 203–210 km/h) and has 205 Nm vs 240–270 Nm.

AWD vs FWD: the only two all-wheel versions

AWD exists only as 1.6 MT (1 generation, 130 hp) and 1.8 MT (restyling, 149 hp). Both are Manual, 6, Diesel, Turbo, Inline 4.

On 1.6 MT, AWD versus FWD: +121 kg (1536 vs 1415), +104 kg gross (2050 vs 1946), +0.6 s to 100 (10.5 vs 9.9), same 190 km/h, mixed +0.5 l (4.8 vs 4.3), CO2 +13 g/km (126 vs 113). Rear suspension changes from Semi-independent, springorts hélicoïdaux, sem (FWD) to Independent, spring (AWD) — the only independent rear in the Kadjar set.

On 1.8 MT, AWD versus FWD: +94 kg (1692 vs 1598), +104 kg gross (2139 vs 2035). Acceleration, top speed, consumption and CO2 are not measured on either 1.8 MT, so you cannot read an AWD time penalty from this table. Peak torque is the catalogue high: 340 Nm @ 1750 on both. Gross 2139 kg on 1.8 MT AWD is the weight limit maximum in these data (payload 2139 − 1692 = 447 kg). Lightest payload-style gap among measured pairs: 1.2 MT 1853 − 1306 = 547 kg.

If you need AWD and want a complete measured sheet, 1.6 MT AWD is the only AWD Kadjar with 0–100, speed, mpg and CO2 filled in.

Weight, dimensions, 2016 / 2017 / 2018 / 2019 / 2020 specs

Length/width/height in cm are not measured in this dataset — trunk space is not measured either. What is measured is mass, clearance, tank, and (pre-restyle) wheels.

Kerb, lightest to heaviest: 1.2 MT 1306; 1.2 EDC 1320; 1.5 MT (1 gen) 1380; 1.5 EDC 1407; 1.6 MT FWD 1415; 1.3 MT both 1442; 1.3 EDC both 1471; 1.5L EDC 1518; restyle 1.5 MT 1531; 1.6 MT AWD 1536; 1.8 MT FWD 1598; 1.8 MT AWD 1692.

Gross: 1.2 MT 1853 (lowest) through 1.8 MT AWD 2139 (highest). Clearance 200 mm on all. Tank 55 l on all.

Year mapping from the windows only: 2016 and 2017 horsepower/specs are 1 generation (130 hp gasoline 1.2, 110 hp 1.5, 130 hp 1.6). 2018 and 2019 sit in the overlap: both windows are valid until 2019-01-31. 2020 specs are restyling only (140/160 hp 1.3, 115/116 hp 1.5, 149 hp 1.8). Renault Kadjar 2025 is not in the data.

Engine problems, reliability, oil — what is not measured

Engine failure, oil type, coolant, OBD port, interior, and replacement cost are not measured here. Do not treat a missing reliability figure as “no problems.” Euro 6 is the eco class on every version. Gasoline fuel label is 95; diesel is Diesel.

Which version to choose

Buy restyle 1.3 if you want the strongest gasoline arithmetic. 1.3 EDC 160 hp: 9.3 s, 210 km/h, 270 Nm, 5.6 mixed, 9.19 kg/hp. 1.3 MT 160 hp: same 210 km/h, 5.9 mixed, but 9.01 kg/hp and 1442 kg. Stepping down to 1.3 MT 140 hp keeps 5.9 mixed and 1442 kg and only costs 0.5 s and 7 km/h versus the 160 MT — so the 160 MT is the rational pick unless you have a reason to avoid 160 hp.

Buy 1 generation 1.5 if the decision is fuel. 1.5 EDC 110 hp: 3.8 mixed, 99 g/km, 11.7 s. 1.5 MT 110 hp matches 3.8 mixed and 99 g/km with 3.6 highway (best highway in the set) and 11.9 s. Restyle 1.5 MT / 1.5L EDC add 5–6 hp and lose 0.6–0.7 l mixed; they are newer-window cars, not better-economy cars on this sheet.

Buy 1.6 MT FWD if you want a measured quick diesel before the restyle. 9.9 s, 320 Nm, 4.3 mixed — 2.0 s faster than 1 generation 1.5 MT at +0.5 l mixed.

Buy 1.6 MT AWD if you need AWD with a full spec row. Independent, spring rear; +121 kg and +0.6 s versus the FWD twin.

Buy 1.8 MT only if 149 hp / 340 Nm / 1749 cm³ is the point. FWD 1598 kg, AWD 1692 kg. 0–100, top speed, mpg and CO2 are not measured — you cannot rank 1.8 MT against 1.6 MT on pace or fuel from this catalogue.

Buy 1.2 MT / 1.2 EDC if kerb weight is the constraint. 1306–1320 kg, 130 hp, 10.1 / 10.7 s, 192 km/h, mixed 5.6 / 5.5. Versus restyle 1.3 MT 140 hp you give up 10 hp and 11 km/h but save 136 kg and 0.3 l mixed; versus 1.3 MT 160 hp you give up 30 hp, 18 km/h and 0.2 s (1.2 MT is 10.1 vs 9.9) while staying 136 kg lighter.

Spec-level shopping in these data is engine + gearbox + drive, not trim names. Renault Kadjar automatic in search terms maps to Robotic 1.2 EDC, 1.3 EDC, 1.5 EDC, 1.5L EDC. There is no price field: “what extra money buys” here is extra hp, Nm, gears, or AWD mass, not currency.