Renault Kadjar SUV - Interior & comfort (2015-2022)

The Renault Kadjar’s interior is well built and has soft-touch plastics everywhere you’d expect. By the end there were two well-equipped trim levels, after the entry-level Play model was discontinued in 2020. For 2022, the options became Equilibre and Techno, replacing the previous Iconic, S Edition and GT Line.

Unlike its Nissan Qashqai sister model, the Kadjar does without clever ride-control systems, because its suspension has already been finely tuned. It becomes unsettled only on really rough roads or pothole-ridden country lanes; most of the time, it’s incredibly comfortable.

The Kadjar’s dashboard plastics mostly consist of soft-touch materials, and the digital instrument cluster is a neat touch. The overall look doesn’t feel quite as fresh as in other Renault models such as the smaller Renault Captur SUV or the Renault Clio supermini, though, while the black and dark-grey finish is a little gloomy compared with those cars’ funky layouts.

Infotainment and navigation

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The R-LINK 2 touchscreen system is about as technologically advanced as the Kadjar gets, but that’s no bad thing and it includes Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility. It doesn’t look too flashy, but it’s quite clear and easy to use, especially the home screen. Things get a little more fiddly as you go through the submenus, and there are no knobs or buttons to scroll through menus quickly, but at least the screen is quite responsive and designed not to reflect bright sunlight.

The sat-nav system is easy enough to use once you know what you’re doing. It can be quite fiddly to enter a destination, though. The map itself is clear to read, and while spoken instructions are few and far between, they’re easy to follow and the supplementary instructions on the digital display are neat, crisp and clear.

Equipment

Every Kadjar model features an electronic parking brake, Bluetooth, USB and MP3 connectivity, DAB digital radio, dual-zone air-conditioning and LED daytime running lights.

Iconic and Equilibre models also include a reversing camera, keyless entry, rain-sensing windscreen wipers and automatic headlights. In addition, these trim levels get Renault’s R-LINK 2 infotainment system with sat-nav as well as 19-inch alloy wheels.

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Techno trim gets synthetic leather upholstery, LED headlights with auto high-beam, roof bars, extra chrome and additional safety features. Among these are blind-spot monitoring and autonomous emergency braking, the latter of which is fitted as standard. This trim is based on the previous S Edition, which also got a panoramic sunroof.

GT Line cars got heated leather seats, different 19-inch alloys and autonomous parking.

Options

Before the Kadjar’s facelift in 2018, Renault offered plenty of options. It then slimmed down the range and made the trim levels more generous, so the only optional extra you could choose was a spare wheel in place of a tyre-inflation kit. This was to make the buying process easier for customers.