Welcome to Autodrivel

Even though it’s a car we see in traffic, we tend to ignore the Renault Kangoo I JUST LIKE MY BOSS IGNORED ME WHEN I TOLD HIM I’D RECEIVED A BETTER DEAL SOMEWHERE ELSE AND NOW HE TELLS ME HE’S SORRY.

But the Renault Kangoo I sat in a corner, worked quietly, and got Europe moving. Billions were sold and there were so many options and special versions that effectively whatever happy midgets you have dancing in your head, you’ll find a Kangoo to suit your needs. And if we’re talking about specific things to boast about, such as the Combo which was the only one with a 1000kg load capacity, and the Renault Kangoo I had the rear doors (and the usual tailgate for the facelift ) built specifically to accommodate a disabled access ramp. And the Renault Kangoo I in general seems to be more towards the passenger car area than the commercial area. But the Kangoo did and still does well in the commercial area and is still one of the best small class vans you can buy for just 2000 euros or less.

Plus if you think about it, the Renault Kangoo I would have spawned the famous Logan MCV, with roughly the same technology and engines. Except the Kangoo had a different suspension and no rust problems from the MCV because you had to somehow justify the higher price of the French Citizen. So yes, if you’re looking for an MCV that doesn’t rust that badly and you don’t really want to haul the heavy stuff, the first Kangoo is at the top of the cheap and very cheap vans.

Renault Kangoo I Engines

Petrol

• 1.0 MPI with 59 and 68 horsepower – Very rare this engine and I really don’t understand why you would buy one. On the Twingo it was an almost acceptable engine, but on a Kangoo, it doesn’t belong under the bonnet any more than a country singer belongs in politics.


• 1.2 MPI of 69 and 75 horsepower – A simple engine that has long been under the tyranny of Twingo and Clio and then Logan, this antique is at least reliable. It just needs coil packs and valves cleaned and will outlast the rest of the car.


• 1.4 MPI of 75 horsepower – Famous for what it could do on the Logan, the famous “1.4 tear up the tarmac” lived its life on the Kangoo, even if it was more underdeveloped than a department in a multinational where the manager always thinks he can motivate his people and do the job of 5 people with only 3 people. As for the issues you only have the famous stepper engine and there the list ends.


• 1.6 MPI of 95 horsepower – From the Clio to the Megane, the evergreen 1.6 MPI is like any other 4-cylinder naturally aspirated petrol of this era in the sense that the only sore point is the coil packs. The real issue however is that it was way too expensive for the Kangoo and nobody bought it.

Diesel

• 1.5 dCi of 57, 65, 68, 70, 82, 85, and 88 hp – Yes, it’s the famous 1.5 dCi K9K that needs no introduction because it has arrived even on Mercedes. It’s just that things haven’t always been this good, and engines of this era are notorious for injector issues because the sub-90hp versions had Delphi injectors made in Romania. But at least the engine is in common with the Logan’s so you’ll find actual injectors at all the breakers.


• 1.9D of 55 and 65 horsepower – You’ll laugh, but this is the heavy-duty engine in the Renault Kangoo I. Like the 1.9 SDI in the Caddy, the 1.9D is a naturally aspirated diesel. That means it sacrifices any trace or thought of performance for reliability. I’m not kidding, the 65 horsepower version hit 0-100 km/h in 19.5 seconds but at least you’re still 1 second faster than the 2.0 SDI in the Caddy.


• 1.9 dTi of 80 horsepower  – Same 1.9D, but with a linked turbo. Although I’m more doubtful that you’ll find one.


• 1.9 dCi of 80 and 85 horsepower – Because it’s by far the more popular 1.9 dCi and it’s the same 1.9 dCi found on the Trafic or Laguna. And yes, be careful with the timing belt because it can break prematurely and will ruin your engine so don’t stretch the belt to the warranty limit of 5 years or 60,000 km.

Renault Kangoo I General Issues

• Renault Kangoo I comes standard with electric power steering and when that thing fails it will sting. It’s likely to be the same scenario as the Corsa / Combo, i.e. the repair will cost as much as the car/van does.


• Common issues with the ignition key like it doesn’t recognize it and you get left hanging in the car park/yard. That’s why it’s preferable to have a spare handy.

• And while we’re on the subject of keys and locks, the sliding door lock breaks quite often and needs replacing.

Renault Kangoo I Verdict

A hero that no one pays attention to. The Renault Kangoo I was and still is an excellent car for the city courier and an excellent car for the entrepreneur starting out. Sure, it’s not the most fit-for-duty van and many of them were maintained on a tight budget system, but the Kangoo was one of the cars that were essential to businesses until they did the cellular split and the Logan MCV came out of it. And his only budget enemy is the Fiat Doblo so it’s Hard to Ignore 3, with Bruce Willis.