RENAULT isn’t just about hot hatches and surprisingly affordable small cars. The Kangoo has long been Europe’s bestseller in its class, and now – after a two-year delay – we have the completely redesigned and much larger second-gen model dubbed X61. Still proudly French in its design and driveability, the newcomer is a worthwhile step in the right direction across the board, as the startlingly frugal 1.5 dCi reviewed here shows. Aside from a couple of issues, we found the Renault characterful, clever and fun to boot.
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Kangoo
Released: September 2004
Ended: November 2010
Family Tree: KangooAlthough the first-gen Kangoo was released in 1997 and then facelifted in 2003, Australians had to wait until 2004. Driving the front wheels was a 70kW/148Nm 1.6-litre twin-cam four-cylinder petrol engine, available in either five-speed manual or – and this set the Renault apart before the days of the VW Caddy – a four-speed automatic gearbox. From early 2008 a 62kW/200Nm 1.5-litre dCi turbo-diesel option in five-speed manual-only guise joined the range. Along with more torque, it also brought standard ABS brakes.
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