- Doors and Seats
4 doors, 3 seats
- Engine
1.6DTT, 4 cyl.
- Engine Power
103kW, 340Nm
- Fuel
Diesel 6.2L/100KM
- Manufacturer
FWD
- Transmission
Manual
- Warranty
3 Yr, 200000 KMs
- Ancap Safety
NA
Short Haul: Renault Trafic SWB
What is it?
Renault recently revamped its Trafic van in Australia with the third generation of its mid-size load hauler. This is the short wheelbase twin turbo variant.
How does it drive?
It has that typical solid European feel and is more planted on the road in comparison to some competitors. The Trafic is incredibly quiet in the cabin thanks to a standard bulkhead that isolates occupants from the typical noises of a van. It also has more car like dynamics rather than a commercial character; only a firm ride and a thud from the rear suspension over bumpy roads reminds you it's a work horse. The steering is well weighted and has a positive feel and the clutch pedal is light, although the gear shift itself is a little notchy. The cruise control works perfectly at all times and the digital speedo read out is clear and easy to read at a glance. Overall it's a smooth refined drive.
What's the interior like?
It's not bad, although all the materials are hard and robust. The two-tone set up does, on the other hand, have a classier feel and looks nicer than some other competitors. The seats are comfortable with good bolstering on the sides and the driver's seat is equipped with height adjustment and arm rest. The centre seat is full size with headrest and lap-slash seat belt, making it a genuine three-seater layout. It's also convenient when the seat is folded down with space for a laptop and a handy removable A4-size clipboard. Storage isn't bad with 14 different bins, trays and cubby holes including a spot to store paperwork on the dash board - although items placed in here reflect on the windscreen which is annoying and distracting. Door pockets are huge and the height and reach steering wheel adjustment makes finding the ideal seating position much easier.
What's the payload and towing capacity?
The Trafic has a total payload of 1237kg and can tow 750kg unbraked and 2000kg braked.
What sort of tie down points does it have?
The van has 16 anchor points which makes finding the ideal spot to tie down different loads much easier.
What are the load space dimensions?
The cargo space is 2537mm long, 1662mm wide (1268mm between wheel arches) and is 1387mm high for a total volume of 5.2 cubic meters. The steel bulkhead also has a load-through trap to allow for longer items such as a beam of wood to fit inside the van.
How does it perform under load?
Once up and running the engine pulls well in all gears. It's from a standing start where the small capacity engine has a noticeable degree of turbo lag; it's not terrible but it can become a little annoying in city traffic. With our test weight on board, the van had a fair amount of lateral movement in the rear over bumpy roads and felt like it was at its limit in terms of carrying capacity even though it was 150kg under its total payload.
Any special features worth mentioning?
All Trafic models from 2016 are equipped with side airbags as standard equipment as is a phone-docking module. The vehicle is now equipped with start stop technology, reversing sensors and a camera on our test car.
Any criticisms?
That reversing camera is not standard across the entire range (it's optional on the base single-turbo SWB model) and there's no automatic transmission option either.
How does the warranty and servicing costs rate?
The warranty is three years/ 200,000kms and can be extended to five years/ 200,000kms for an additional $2390. Servicing is every 12 months or 30,000kms - yep 30,000kms - however the Trafic is subject to adaptive servicing requirements as determined by the Oil Condition Sensor, and may require servicing prior to the standard 12 months or 30,000km service interval. Only the first three services are capped at $349.
What else should I consider?
The Ford Transit, Volkswagen T6 range and Hyundai's iLoad are all worthy contenders.
Verdict
Thanks to fierce competition, this segment is improving all the time. Not only are these vehicles better to drive than ever before but they are finally protecting owner/drivers with long awaited safety features. The Renault Trafic is a well mannered van that's nice to drive and now has decent safety as standard. It's the 30,000km service intervals and long term ownership costs that make us a little nervous for long-term ownership.
The Checklist
0-60km/h time: 7.3, loaded 10.5
0-80km/h time: 10.1, loaded 14.9
0-100km/h time: 14.7, loaded 21.5
Load testing weight: 980kg
Safety rating: Not ANCAP tested (3 star on euro ncap)
2016 Renault Trafic Specifications
Price: $38,490 drive away (at time of print)
On sale: Now
Engine: 1.6 litre 4cyl twin turbo diesel
Power: 103kW at 3500rpm
Torque: 340Nm at 1500rpm
Transmission: 6 speed manual, FWD
Fuel usage: 6.2L/100, we averaged 8L/100