It’s a shame the Renault Kadjar’s towing electrics only charge the caravan road lights and not the tourer’s fridge or battery. That cost the car points with our practicality testers, as did a boot which couldn’t quite cope with a full load of holiday luggage and the lack of a trailer stability control system.
It’s slower than the likes of the Hyundai Tucson and Kia Sportage, too, taking 18.3 seconds to go from 30-60mph.
Otherwise the Kadjar has a lot to recommend it. It’s a very stable tow car at 60mph and feels secure at 70mph unless caught by a strong gust of wind.
The Renault took charge in the lane-change test, completing three runs at increasing speeds without the caravan ever threatening to take over.
Usually 4x4s have no trouble with the hill start, but the Kadjar’s performance in this test was mixed. The electronic parking brake held the car and caravan still, but it took a lot of clutch slip to persuade the Kadjar to pull to the top of the 1-in-6 slope.
A five-star safety rating from Euro NCAP is reassuring and Signature Nav models are packed with standard kit. But more towing friendly features and some extra brawn from the engine would be needed to challenge the best cars in this class.