insideSUSSEX Magazine Issue 16 - June 2016 | Page 103

According to Renault, the name Kadjar was
arrived at thusly: ‘Kad’ is derived by the prefix
‘quad’, and is a tip of the hat to the four-wheel
and all-wheel drive features. And ‘jar’ refs, not
to the car’s ability to contain stuff, but by the
French words ‘agile’ and ‘jaillir’, which I am reliably
informed, respectively mean ‘agile’ (no surprise
there) and ‘suddenly appearing from somewhere’
(which would definitely be a surprise).
So, does the Kadjar live up to its careful
constructed appellation? Well, yes it does!
The 2016 Kadjar is a sleek, shiny affair, with lots
of sculpting and curves, giving it a sporty feeling
from the outset. The lights front and rear fit
smoothly into the bodywork with no hint of the
bug-eyedness you get on some other offerings,
making it seem handsome and rugged. I
particularly appreciated the stylish black trim
design on the bottom of the side panels, and the
way these curve up into the bodywork.
Inside the cabin, you are treated to a good mix
of rugged durability, comfort and style, but
thankfully none of the ‘space shuttle console’
complexity I’ve seen in other cars of the same
ilk. No-nonsense design means that everything
necessary is placed sensibly and does what it
says on the tin, giving a great ergonomic look

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and feel. I especially liked how the instruments
are all displayed on non-glare digital screens,
which make them very stylish, but also very
usable. The touch-screen system for in-car
entertainment, options and sat-nav is very well
implemented as well.
There is plenty of room front and rear, and the
seats are very comfy and easily adjusted for
different driver sizes and preferences. Personally
as a secret go-kart driver, I like to hug the steering
column with my knees, but the seating can also
be set up nicely for all you frustrated F1 drivers
to virtually lie down in, and of course, all those
in between.
There are lots of little storage containers
strategically distributed all over the cabin – plenty
of places for your cups, phones and other items
that your kids will doubtlessly secrete in them (in
our house it’s Lego, lip balm and sweet wrappers
usually…). And boot space, optionally aided also
by one-touch folding seats and a false floor which
divides the boot, is very generous – providing a
good deal more storage room than the Nissan
Qashqai or the Skoda Yeti.