Press Release
For the first time in the New Kangoo range, be bop can be ordered with Carminat Bluetooth® CD satellite navigation. In addition to its attractive price, this system offers all the fundamental multimedia features, namely GPS navigation with traffic information, a 16/9 seven-inch colour display and Bluetooth® connectivity.
Kangoo be bop features numerous travel accessories that mark it out as a car for getting away from it all. An optional luggage/roof rail above the tailgate window can be used for carrying long items such as surfboards, while a range of decals and stickers allows customers to customise their Renault Kangoo be bop. If they wish, occupants can to listen to their own playlists thanks to the multi-function TunePoint option which is located in the glovebox and has USB, MP3 player, and iPod® connection ports and is controlled via the steering wheel-mounted fingertip remote control. Rounding off the multimedia equipment is the hands-free Bluetooth® telephone control.
A unique travelling experience
Despite its compact exterior dimensions, Renault’s latest model affords an amazingly generous, warm living space. The emphasis is on space and light. Its extensive 3.9 sq. metres of glazed area (roof and windows) flood the cabin with light. Front occupants benefit from the sweeping windscreen inherited from New Kangoo, while the large, semi-circular side windows heighten the rear passengers’ sense of travelling comfort, reminiscent of the tranquility afforded by a modern high-speed train such as Eurostar. The rear windows also permit excellent three-quarter rear vision for manoeuvring and overtaking.
All four passengers benefit from individual seats which enable them to fully appreciate the journey experience. The front seats are as spacious as those of New Kangoo and benefit from 1,510mm of elbowroom, as wide as anything on the market, while the ergonomically designed driver’s seat is worthy of the best MPVs. Although the dashboard’s colour scheme and materials are different from those of New Kangoo, its forms, as well as its ease and comfort of use are identical. Deeply recessed below the dashboard lip, the displays are always shaded from the light and easy to read. The gearlever on the centre console falls naturally to hand, as do the very short stalk switches and audio remote control. The radio display screen is also remote for greater comfort. Thanks to its original aviation-style design, the handbrake frees up an appreciable nine litres of stowage space in the armrest between the two front seats. Very special attention has been paid to the quality and finish of materials used.
Rear passengers enjoy unique travelling comfort. The individual seats are inspired by those of Scénic. They are fore/aft-adjustable, removable and their backs can be reclined. Mounted 9cm higher than the front seats, they produce an amphitheatre arrangement that affords an impressive 180° panoramic view. Looking out through the glazed roof and sweeping side windows from the rear seats, passengers experience a heightened sense of comfort and space. On each side is a wide armrest with two deep, easily accessible stowage bins, one of which can be closed. Rounding off the outstanding comfort at the rear are the loudspeakers mounted in the side panels. The model's spaciousness is reflected in impressive figures worthy of luxury segment vehicles: elbowroom 1,220mm and kneeroom 250mm, while at 998mm, headroom is far superior to that of rival leisure vehicles. Rear passengers can conveniently slip their belongings into the 24cm space between the two seats. Passengers can access the rear seats in one of two ways.
The first is through the front doors, using a handle that folds down the back of the front seats and slides them out of the way. It is easier to get in on the passenger side, where the seat slides further forward than on the driver’s side. Passengers can also climb into the rear seats through the open tailgate and the gap between the rear seats, which affords ample space. Children will particularly enjoy climbing into the car in this way. Indeed tailgate access is facilitated by the low sill and bumper which can take weights of up to 100kg. The tailgate incorporates a handle that can be used to pull it shut from the inside. Reassuringly for parents however, it cannot be opened from the inside.
The rear of the car is fully modular. The capacity of the luggage compartment ranges from 174 to 1,462 litres depending on whether the seats are in their rearmost position or removed altogether. Like Scénic, the rear seats can be folded and tipped forward with a built-in notching system to hold them in place. It is also extremely straightforward to remove one or both seats to free up additional carrying capacity. Luggage can then be placed either on them or in the space left by the seats. Two side anchorage points help hold items in place when the car is moving.
When the rear window (operated by a driver’s side switch or a button on the ignition key) has slid away into the tailgate, the car can be loaded without opening the tailgate, e.g. when doing some quick shopping or if the car is too tightly parked to open the tailgate. Two hooks on the left of the luggage compartment are intended for hanging small bags. The tailgate has two open positions: an intermediary one for accessing the luggage compartment in a restricted space, and an 85° opening for full access to the luggage compartment. And with the glazed rear roof and tailgate window both open, Renault Kangoo be bop’s carrying capacity is further extended to take even more luggage or tall loads, while longer items can be attached to the luggage rail which is available as an accessory.
