Renault Kangoo Kar Kan Do

The new Renault Kangoo Kar should perhaps be also known as the ‘Kan Do Kar’ because of its enormous versatility.

Renault say there is simply no car like it - though one has to remember the Citroen Berlingo Multispace - and it certainly looks a lot different to most other such vehicles on our roads. High top, small wheels with an awful lot in between for the price.

The Kangoo is a car which refuses to be pigeon-holed - a fun to drive family car, and a serious load carrier. In fact it’s two different cars for the price of one. This makes it an ideal vehicle for people who juggle running a business with the demands of a growing family - and whose bank account doesn’t run to the more expensive options.

With the Kangoo, Renault is trying to recapture the qualities that made the old Renault 4L such an icon of its time.

In the looks department, it’s certainly not a stunner, but you DO become very attached to it. One thing is for sure, its height is certainly a bonus in a car park, making it easy to see just where you parked! Key features include a big windscreen and black bumper which dominate the front together with a very large air grille. To the side, you have the sliding door - on both sides for easier access - with the door handles and wide rubbing strip showing a strong contrast in the light-painted versions. The fact that there are three windows on each side makes for great all-round visibility.

Inside, the colour theme is based more on the fun element, with brightly patterned material used on the seats. The door caps are metal painted in the same colour as the body. As regards head room, there is so much space that you could fit five seven-foot tall basketball players with the greatest of ease. Up front, the instrument panel is easy to read and everything is visible at a glance.

The Kangoo comes with a boot capacity (with rear seats upright) of 0.56 cubic meters. When the back seats are folded, (they come with a 1/3 - 2/3 folding option) this increases to 2.6 cubic meters, making it a very viable proposition for those who sometimes want to carry commercial material. This makes a lot of sense as the basic van version is one of the chosen options for the postal service here. One parcel delivery driver we spoke to said his Kangoo Kar does the task admirably and has never given him a moment’s trouble on the road. The one we tested was kind of Big Brother to his smaller version.

On the safety side, the Kangoo Kar comes with a good pedigree, continuing the track record of the marque as seen with the Megane and Espace which achieved top marks against competitors in recent independent European crash tests.

Standard safety features include twin airbags, close contact safety head restraints, (a great big beam across the ceiling would also provide a lot of protection if needed), side impact protection bars, seat belts with pretensioners (which automatically tighten up the belts at the moment of impact), child proof locks, fog lamps, central locking and steering wheel mounted radio controls which are becoming increasingly more popular as the device allows you to keep your eyes on the road, as well as ‘being in charge’ of the volume, especially with teenagers around!

The Kangoo also comes with tinted glass, three height adjustable rear head restraints, and of course, power steering.

Returning to those sliding side doors, they come into their own particularly when you’ve parking between cars and need to lift a small child in or out of a car seat in the back because a door doesn’t get in your way. This could also be the case with any bulky items as lifting them in or out in the smaller space a standard door would provide, could prove a bit tricky on your back!

Performance-wise, the Kangoo handles extremely well on all types of Irish roads, and we certainly tested it out on a few trying byroads in Kildare! As with the postal service, it delivered the goods! The 75bhp 1.4-litre does the 0-62 mph in 14.3 seconds and you’ll get around 37mpg without trying too hard. There’s certainly plenty of buzz available under the bonnet. Equally, it was a pleasure to steer, responsive to the touch, and the gear shift was a joy to use.

And you don’t have to be mistaken for the postman as the Kangoo Kar is available in seven different colour specifications ranging from Cinnamon, Monaco Blue, Voltage Blue, Hologram Grey, Boreal Silver, Claret Red as well as Ocean Green. Take your pick!