The updated Renault Kangoo has a new front end and improved build quality.

Renault has launched a facelifted version of its popular Kangoo small van.

The changes to the Kangoo, which has sold more than 400,000 units since the current model’s 2008 launch, include a new front end, improved fit and finish and a few minor specification upgrades:

• New bumper, door mirrors and headlights
• Stop&Start now available with the dCi 75 and dCi 90 diesel engines
• Electronic Stability Control, Hill Start Assist and Grip Xtend are all available
• In-dash Renault R-Link multimedia system
• Improvements to build quality — better spot weld finishes, cleaner, more consistent finish to crimping on door panels, improved precision in the application of body sealants, and enhanced improved soundproofing and noise reduction.

Renault vs. Mercedes?

It’s interesting to note that the timing of this model update, with its emphasis on quality, coincides with the launch of Mercedes’ new small van model, the Citan. The Citan is a rebadged Kangoo that’s made in Renault’s MCA de Maubeuge factory in France, and it seems to me that Renault’s stated focus of “robustness and modernity” ties in quite nearly with the attributes that Mercedes buyers will be looking for.

Renault may well have killed two birds with one stone here, keeping Mercedes happy and boosting the quality of its own van.