One of the versions of the Kangoo 1.5dci with an 'eye-catching' exterior finish (you can buy one with a plain finish too!)

1461 cc turbodiesel engine

The ‘low-class’ image remains but not to the same extent these days, thanks to the emergence of diesel pick-ups in the late 1990s. Bought largely for private use (before, pick-ups could not be registered for private use), such vehicles have done diesel power a small favour and there is now a generation of motorists who appreciate it and would surely stay with it.

The government also tried to promote greater use of diesel vehicles and, from the mid-1990s, offered a 50% rebate on the high roadtax for those engines which met at least the Euro-1 emission standard that qualified them as ‘Green Engines’. This addressed a major disincentive for using diesels for private use, something which had existed since the mid-1970s when the government raised the roadtax rate for such engines (sales of the Mercedes-Benz 250D virtually ‘died’ overnight).

In recent years, interest in diesels has grown as the new generation engine using common-rail high-pressure fuel delivery systems began to appear. These delivery systems have raised output while improving combustion efficiency and lowering noise and vibration levels. First used in the high-end models, the technology, which also makes use of electronic management, has been filtering down to the low end in European models and small diesel cars are very popular in Europe these days.

In Malaysia, some companies have been selling cars with large diesel engines of 2.0-litres and above (including Proton which offered a Wira Diesel that failed in the market). Smaller diesel engines have not been offered because potential demand has been deemed poor. In fact, back in 1983, Daihatsu Malaysia brought in a few units of the Charade with a 1.0-litre diesel engine and no one was interested at all. Back then of course, petrol prices were much lower than today and the Charade was also miserly when it came to consumption so who needed a diesel anyway?

But there are signs that Malaysian motorists are ready for small diesels – partly driven by increasing costs of petrol – and the first company to ‘take the plunge’ and offer a locally-assembled model is TC Euro Cars (TCEC), the subsidiary of Tan Chong Motors which handles the Renault franchise. TCEC has been assembling the Kangoo MPV since late 2004 2005 with a 1.4-litre petrol engine and now adds a Kangoo 1.5dci variant with a turbodiesel engine.

The turbodiesel engine is the Renault K9K unit which is used in a variety of Renault models. To date, over 4 million of these engines have been produced. It is said to be very ‘tolerant’ of fuel conditions and can be tuned for low quality fuel as well as high quality fuel. As present Malaysian requirements are still at Euro-1, this is what it has been tuned for but it can also be tuned for Euro-5, which is currently in force in Europe. Naturally, for the higher standard, better diesel fuel is needed and that is an issue which local companies are waiting for the government to act on.

Renault K9K engine develops 160 Nm of torque at 2000 rpm and with 5-speed manual transmission (middle), revs stay low to cut fuel consumption

The second-generation common-rail injection system was developed for the engine  in partnership with Delphi Automotive Systems only pressurises that quantity of fuel which is actually needed, thus improving efficiency with a consequent gain in fuel economy. It is also equipped with individual calibration for each injector, which allows the injection timing and quantity to be individually controlled for each cylinder. This injection system allows better control of the quality of combustion and notably of pre-injection, which is continually adjusted. Thanks to a continuous process of checking and self-calibration (Accelerometer Pilot Control), the pre-injection quantity is always perfectly controlled throughout the life of the engine, to the benefit of performance, exhaust emissions and noise levels.

The injectors use a technology which allows a small force to open and close the needle, despite the high pressures employed. This has allowed both the valve and its operating solenoid to be miniaturised and installed at the heart of the injector, close to the needle. This yields shorter response time, allowing pre-injection to take place closer to the main injection, for even greater acoustic benefits.
 

TCEC's chart which compares running costs for the diesel and petrol versions of the Kangoo

Encik Reza added that the extensive testing has amazed those involved because the Kangoo Turbodiesel not only has zippy performance, especially at the low end, but is also very economical. “We have calculated that, with normal driving conditions over 50,000 kms, an owner can save at least RM1,688 in fuel costs, based on current diesel and petrol prices. Fuel consumption in the region of 18.2 kms/litre or  51.4 mpg would mean that an owner will spend 9 sen per km on fuel with this Kangoo,” he said.

Contributing to the fuel economy is the 5-speed manual transmission with ratios optimised for a diesel engine, as well as a higher final drive ratio. In top gear at 110 km/h, the K9K engine spins at 2900 rpm, 15% less than the 1.4-litre petrol engine. This not only saves on fuel but also means lower noise and vibration levels.

Special device works with seatbelts to provide additional restraint during a collision. Driver airbag is standard.

The Kangoo Turbodiesel has a Combi bodystyle which is intended for commercial applications and therefore has a large cargo area. This bodystyle cannot be registered for private use and must be registered under a company. Encik Reza said that, at this time, TCEC is focussing on fleet operators but if market demand is strong for a window version which can have private-use registration, the company will certainly offer it as well.

Combi version has rear seats for additional passengers and two sliding doors for easy movement in and out

For those who want a sporty image for their company, TCEC also offers a ‘XAV’ (Cross Activity Vehicle)  version with a RM3,550 accessories package consisting of body-colour moulding custom bodykit, reverse sensor, roof rail, rear airpress, silver-coloured grille and a CD player.

PRICES (without insurance):

Kangoo 1.5 dci Express (solid): RM54,109

Kangoo 1.5dci Combi (solid): RM56,109

Kangoo 1.5 dci Cimbi (metallic): RM56,527

Kangoo 1.5dci XAV (metallic): RM60,077

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