Paddon and Kennard were just two seconds slower than French star driver Sebastien Ogier in a similar Skoda Fabia S2000-spec car through the first 13.68 km stage. Ogier isn't registered for SWRC points, but provides an important benchmark for the Kiwis.
With three stages now run in bright sunshine, Finnish driver and new SWRC entrant Esapekka Lappi in a Ford Fiesta has the overnight lead in the SWRC category, just 1.5 seconds ahead of Paddon and Kennard.
Swedish driver Per-Gunnar Andersson is third, 12.6 seconds down on Paddon, while Irishman Craig Breen completed his first day back in SWRC after the death of friend and co-driver Gareth Roberts in June and holds fourth overnight.
"Surprisingly our times have been quite good and they have been coming quite easily, which is a testimony to how well the car is working," Paddon said.
"The feeling inside the car is quite different and it is taking a little bit of adapting to, but nevertheless the early signs are looking good."
Paddon comes into the event at the top of the SWRC points-table with 62 points, giving him a 19 point margin over equal second-place holders Breen and Andersson.
