Kangoo review (friday boredom)
Posted: Fri Jul 22, 2005 9:20 pm
im the chairman of the bored
Renault Kangoo Mini Review
Style: 3 or 5 door van, also with so-called "car" versions (same shape, but has more windows, and a tailgate instead of swing-doors at back)
Price: £££?? - too much, even if it was free in a pack of cornflakes.
Size: tries to be small in photo shoots but looks like a bus from the wrong angles. Difficult to park even in "car" form.
Economy: can't be too grand with the abuse it gets. Not that it matters - according to the quick reference card, if the low fuel light begins to show, you have to take it to the dealers for servicing, so the tank must be enormous and require special filling equipment.
Engines: a range of petrol and diesels available. Under test: 1.7(?) litre diesel, non-turbo.
Options: Not sure. Never seen one with any fitted. Our was luxurious enough to have locking doors, a fuel guage, front wash-wipe and something that initially resembled a radio but, if it worked, was inaudible over the motor.
Warranty: tch.
Insurance group: would you bother?
Points summary:
Looks . . . . : * * * * . . . Cheeky bubbly thing in a range of bright colours, like a nissan micra for the building site. Perfect for gay bricklayers.
Comfort. . . : * * . . . . . Nice squashy seats and easy entry/exit, but jarring on the move and low height of doors compared to roof is lethal to heads. Noisy on the move at all times, but particularly when starting off or at over 50mph.
Loadspace . : * * * * . . . Looks enormous inside and van is very practical, but "car" tail doesnt open high enough, seat arrangement wrecks chances of carrying anything truly large, and floor is almost as high as some hatchback's boot lip. Sliding rear passenger doors are inspired however.
Ride. . . . . . : * . . . . . . part rollercoaster, part storm-battered yacht, part hardtail MTB, part 2CV. Take your Sea Legs tablets before entry, and bring both a bike helmet and a cushion.
Handling. . . : * . . . . . . Rolls and pitches like a pedalo in a tsunami at hint of any curve, acceleration or braking. Notable feature of squealing the tyres around corners at 10mph slower than any transit or rascal.
Performance: * * . . . . . Diesel punchy in the midrange, but typically VERY lacking low down and near the redline. Gear ratios shot to hell and probably meant for petrol engine (too close up top - hardly any difference 4th-5th, far too wide low down - 1st to 2nd is dire) meaning it's hard to get started and then runs out of steam by 70 despite making a powerful racket. Binary-esque clutch and lack of tacho dont help matters.
Brakes . . . . : * * * . . . . Strong enough but usual french delayed snappiness means response is unsettling.
Visibility . . . : Van * * . . . . . naturally no rearview, but big windows and huge mirrors.. Car * * * * * . . faultless.
Drivability . . : . . . . . (0). . Bloody terrible. Makes you look like a goon even if you have the skills of Shumacher and will do your head in. Any passengers will be crapping themselves by the end as you take yet another corner on 2 wheels whilst being overtaken by a moped, and your own nerves will be shot after an endless series of inch-to-spare stops. On top of it your deliveries will be late, as you try for the umpteenth time to grab 2nd gear from the limiter in 1st quick enough to hit the torque band after slowly Kang(ar)ooing away from an uphill junction - if you can stand the constant crunchy drone from the uninsulated engine bay...
Running costs. : . . . . . . . Unknown but i imagine it's not cheap. Simply washing it will require a ladder and three times the usual amount of shampoo.
Value for money: . . . . . (0) . . nuff said. These things turn up as company cars a lot of the time. Renault must be padding the deal so sweet it probably resembles prostitution.
Opinion: Avoid. Bloody hate it, even as a passenger, as you can't get sleep. Buy an 80s Panda with a roof rack and trailer instead. Or much better still, a second hand Transit. Good God, man, what's wrong with you - didn't you even test drive it at least ONCE before ordering up a small fleet of the buggers for the company?
Ahem. I've probably posted something similar before, but i think it needed reiterating in case someone here toyed with the idea of getting one.
It is everything enjoyable, VW shaped driving is NOT and should be dodged at all costs. Having a two-way, inescapable hellride in a british racing green flavoured thing between Birmingham and Redditch today didn't cure the hatred. I was passenger, and pity the driver - he doesn't own a car and hasn't since his test. It really impacted negatively on his driving skills (started very well, but was responding like a acid-spiked spider monkey at the end of the return leg because of having to battle the controls) and eventually even sense of direction. God help him if he now thinks all 4-wheeled motor vehicles are like that)
Renault Kangoo Mini Review
Style: 3 or 5 door van, also with so-called "car" versions (same shape, but has more windows, and a tailgate instead of swing-doors at back)
Price: £££?? - too much, even if it was free in a pack of cornflakes.
Size: tries to be small in photo shoots but looks like a bus from the wrong angles. Difficult to park even in "car" form.
Economy: can't be too grand with the abuse it gets. Not that it matters - according to the quick reference card, if the low fuel light begins to show, you have to take it to the dealers for servicing, so the tank must be enormous and require special filling equipment.
Engines: a range of petrol and diesels available. Under test: 1.7(?) litre diesel, non-turbo.
Options: Not sure. Never seen one with any fitted. Our was luxurious enough to have locking doors, a fuel guage, front wash-wipe and something that initially resembled a radio but, if it worked, was inaudible over the motor.
Warranty: tch.
Insurance group: would you bother?
Points summary:
Looks . . . . : * * * * . . . Cheeky bubbly thing in a range of bright colours, like a nissan micra for the building site. Perfect for gay bricklayers.
Comfort. . . : * * . . . . . Nice squashy seats and easy entry/exit, but jarring on the move and low height of doors compared to roof is lethal to heads. Noisy on the move at all times, but particularly when starting off or at over 50mph.
Loadspace . : * * * * . . . Looks enormous inside and van is very practical, but "car" tail doesnt open high enough, seat arrangement wrecks chances of carrying anything truly large, and floor is almost as high as some hatchback's boot lip. Sliding rear passenger doors are inspired however.
Ride. . . . . . : * . . . . . . part rollercoaster, part storm-battered yacht, part hardtail MTB, part 2CV. Take your Sea Legs tablets before entry, and bring both a bike helmet and a cushion.
Handling. . . : * . . . . . . Rolls and pitches like a pedalo in a tsunami at hint of any curve, acceleration or braking. Notable feature of squealing the tyres around corners at 10mph slower than any transit or rascal.
Performance: * * . . . . . Diesel punchy in the midrange, but typically VERY lacking low down and near the redline. Gear ratios shot to hell and probably meant for petrol engine (too close up top - hardly any difference 4th-5th, far too wide low down - 1st to 2nd is dire) meaning it's hard to get started and then runs out of steam by 70 despite making a powerful racket. Binary-esque clutch and lack of tacho dont help matters.
Brakes . . . . : * * * . . . . Strong enough but usual french delayed snappiness means response is unsettling.
Visibility . . . : Van * * . . . . . naturally no rearview, but big windows and huge mirrors.. Car * * * * * . . faultless.
Drivability . . : . . . . . (0). . Bloody terrible. Makes you look like a goon even if you have the skills of Shumacher and will do your head in. Any passengers will be crapping themselves by the end as you take yet another corner on 2 wheels whilst being overtaken by a moped, and your own nerves will be shot after an endless series of inch-to-spare stops. On top of it your deliveries will be late, as you try for the umpteenth time to grab 2nd gear from the limiter in 1st quick enough to hit the torque band after slowly Kang(ar)ooing away from an uphill junction - if you can stand the constant crunchy drone from the uninsulated engine bay...
Running costs. : . . . . . . . Unknown but i imagine it's not cheap. Simply washing it will require a ladder and three times the usual amount of shampoo.
Value for money: . . . . . (0) . . nuff said. These things turn up as company cars a lot of the time. Renault must be padding the deal so sweet it probably resembles prostitution.
Opinion: Avoid. Bloody hate it, even as a passenger, as you can't get sleep. Buy an 80s Panda with a roof rack and trailer instead. Or much better still, a second hand Transit. Good God, man, what's wrong with you - didn't you even test drive it at least ONCE before ordering up a small fleet of the buggers for the company?
Ahem. I've probably posted something similar before, but i think it needed reiterating in case someone here toyed with the idea of getting one.
It is everything enjoyable, VW shaped driving is NOT and should be dodged at all costs. Having a two-way, inescapable hellride in a british racing green flavoured thing between Birmingham and Redditch today didn't cure the hatred. I was passenger, and pity the driver - he doesn't own a car and hasn't since his test. It really impacted negatively on his driving skills (started very well, but was responding like a acid-spiked spider monkey at the end of the return leg because of having to battle the controls) and eventually even sense of direction. God help him if he now thinks all 4-wheeled motor vehicles are like that)