As for the Tazz itself, it was a basic affair with no ABS or driver aids to speak of, which didn’t really bother me at the time. But now I’m far more safety conscious and always want to know how safe my modes of transportation are.

Herein lies my point; I don’t think many South African consumers care as much about vehicle safety as the motoring media seems to. This is evident in the sale of vehicles like the Datsun Go and more recently, the impressive number of Renault Kwids leaving dealership floors.

You see, these vehicles, which share the same CMF-A platform, failed their crash tests, scoring zero and one star ratings respectively. This is largely due to the fact that they don’t have ABS and only one airbag. The physical structure of these vehicles also doesn’t seem to do very well during these tests too. But the trend in South Africa is to own a new vehicle for as little money as possible. On that front, the Kwid offers the consumer a great deal on paper.

The small car looks quite funky with a crossover-type design brief and features such a five year/150 000km warranty, touchscreen infotainment system and fog lamps up front on the Dynamique variant I had on test. For the asking price of R134 900, which includes a year’s worth of comprehensive insurance, it comes across as an ideal first car.

In terms of drivetrain options, the Kwid offers a small 1.0-litre three-cylinder naturally aspirated motor with 50kW/91Nm, which in a car with a kerb weight of 693kg, is enough for daily driving, even at altitude. The tiny 28-litre fuel tank and claimed consumption of 4.7 litres/100km should provide good driving range, however from my experience the Kwid achieved around 400km on a single tank of fuel.

The car also has a ground clearance of 180mm, which I feel benefits the Indian market for which it is primarily targeted rather than ours. You see, in India the roads are severely congested and generally in a fairly poor state, meaning low speeds and a number of benefits from the high clearance and tiny 13-inch wheels.

In South Africa though, where we have a mixture of urban, country and highway driving, the Kwid feels out of its depth at anything over 100km/h and is flummoxed by cross winds.

I have debated the budget car concept with colleagues and friends alike for some time, and while I respect the fact that the Kwid offers cheap personal mobility and an escape from our less-than-satisfactory public transport infrastructure for new drivers or first-time buyers, I simply cannot, as a professional motoring writer, recommend a vehicle in which I felt unsafe as a good option.

Verdict

I know that what I say may fall on deaf ears as the lure of a new car for under R150 000 with many features will be too strong for some, but I’ll take some solace in the fact that at least the consumers will be aware of what they are buying.

For a manufacturer like Renault who have had a string of impressive products over the past three years. and indeed are well known for producing safe cars, the Kwid stands out like a sore thumb.