Renault Kiger, heading for the Himalayas

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Last February, #kiger, Renault's small Indian SUV, tackled the demanding roads of the mountainous state of Sikkim on the edge of the Himalayas. Eleven employees from the #renault Nissan India technical centre participated in planning this extraordinary mission in the North-East of the country. The goal ? To put Kiger's toughness to the test.

A rugged 1,243-mile (2,000-km) route with off-road sections, steep inclines, very high altitudes and dangerous traffic. #kiger really was pushed to the limit! From 15 to 27 February 2021, an Indian team made up of quality and durability engineers tested the robustness of Renault's new small Indian SUV on the Himalayan roads to study the strength of the chassis and wear on the vehicle's parts in extreme conditions.

A UNIQUE ROAD TRIP

On the starting line for this trip to the foothills of the Himalayas – three Renault Kiger equipped with various engines and gearboxes available as part of the range. The first two were equipped with 1.0 L engines, 72 hp and 96 N.m. of torque, one with a manual 5-speed gearbox and the other with an Easy-R 5-speed sequential gearbox. The third was fitted with a 3-cylinder 1.0 L turbo petrol engine with 100 hp and 160 N.m. of torque combined with a manual 5-speed gearbox.

Onboard, the employees of Renault's Indian technical centre who had volunteered for this real-life test got ready for a unique experience.

The journey began bumper to bumper in Gangtok, capital of the mountainous state of Sikkim. Then, the expedition wound its way along the bumpy roads around Gangtok. From Nathula in the East, a Himalayan mountain pass on the Tibetan border, to Damthang in the West. There, as in Mange further north, landslides spilt over onto the roadway. Stuck for several hours while the road was cleared, the team then reached Zero Point at Yumthang on increasingly steep, dusty and winding tracks, crossing Lachung and the Valley of Flowers National Park. Along the way, they passed yaks, blue sheep (bharals) and other wild animals that live at high altitude, grazing around hot springs.

Further information in the press release to download

- Video (1)