Renault Australia has finally added the petrol versions of its compact Kangoo van, joining the fully electric Kangoo e-Tech that launched here earlier in 2024.
The petrol-powered models are destined to appeal to buyers with a stricter budget, with the French brand’s most affordable offering in the van space being priced close to its small-scale rivals.
- Renault Kangoo SWB petrol manual FWD – $38,990 plus on-roads
- Renault Kangoo SWB petrol DCT auto FWD – $41,990 plus on-roads
- Renault Kangoo LWB petrol DCT auto FWD – $43,990 plus on-roads
Those prices represent a significant discount over the fully electric model, which starts at $61,990 plus on-roads.
Renault Australia has taken an interesting tact with the new Kangoo, which had previously been one of the cheapest small vans on the market. This time around there is more standard gear, but the buy-in is higher, and you really need to pay attention to what you’re getting for that money. So, standard inclusions comprise: halogen headlights, rain-sensing wipers, 16-inch steel wheels with a full-sized spare wheel, and unglazed dual sliding doors as well as 180-degree opening glazed barn doors and a glazed bulkhead. The cargo zone has tie-down points and lighting, but you’ll have to fork out more for floor or wall protection.
The spec list otherwise includes standard cruise control, remote keyless entry, an 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a 4.2-inch instrument cluster screen, six-way manually adjustable driver’s seat, a leather-wrapped steering wheel with tilt and reach adjust, and cloth seat trim.
The kicker is when you start to look at the extras you can get by ticking a box or two.
For instance, the Business Pack ($3200) adds some stuff you’d expect to be standard on a current model vehicle, like LED headlights, front fog lights, body-coloured door handles, tyre pressure monitoring, proximity entry with push-button start, and there’s also dual-zone climate control, adaptive cruise control, a centre console with armrest and storage, and tinted rear barn door glass.
Add the $1200 Trade Pack and you’ll get timber floor lining, full height wall lining, yard kit underbody protection and LED cargo area lighting.
The box most fleet customers will tick is the $1500 Peace of Mind Pack, which adds blind-spot monitoring, front, rear and side parking sensors, driver attention alert, automatic high-beam lights, satellite navigation and traffic sign recognition.
Plus there are additional standalone extras like 200kg of extra payload capacity in SWB models ($600), a digital rearview mirror system ($800), glazing for the side doors ($400), and the no-cost option of ditching the driver’s side sliding door if it’s not required.
So, spec it to your needs, and it could be a strong starting point.
And when it comes to the drive, it’s a mostly agreeable thing – apart from a frustrating seven-speed dual-clutch auto transmission that insists on being driven a certain way, and if you don’t, you’ll notice it rolling forwards in R and backwards in D. Not great, and there’s no auto-hold function, either.
Otherwise the drive is good, with sweet steering and a likable ride character to it, but the visibility isn’t terrific due to the split bulkhead and barn-door design.
The 1.3-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder has 96kW and 240Nm, so it feels up to the task when you’re loading it up. The payload capacity for SWB models is 548-563kg, while LWB models have 756kg capacity.
Here’s a table of dimensions so you can see if it’ll work for your needs:
| SWB | LWB | |
| Length | 4488mm | 4910mm |
| Wheelbase | 2716mm | 3100mm |
| Width (excluding mirrors) | 1859mm | 1859mm |
| Height | 1830mm | 1830mm |
| Internal capacity | 3.3m3 | 4.2m3 |
Inside there is a good mix of clever storage and usable tech. Overhead folder holders and dashtop caddies maximise the usability of the cockpit, while the touchscreen media system is simple enough to get your head around, too. While the materials are of the ‘durable’ variety, it’s a smartly designed cabin with contractors and courier drivers in mind.
Renault offers a five-year/200,000km warranty for the Kangoo, and there’s roadside assistance included if you service with the brand. Intervals are every 12 months/15,000km, with an average annual cost of $473 over a five-year period, including most consumables like filters, fluids and spark plugs.
If you can find the right Kangoo to do the job for you, it could be a solid alternative to a VW Caddy or Peugeot Partner. It’s just a matter of whether it’s worth the cost that will be the determining factor, since you can get more van for less money if you choose something like an LDV Deliver 7 diesel.
