While it doesn’t exactly have the highest profile here in New Zealand, in Europe Renault is an absolute powerhouse in the LCV segment.
The French manufacturer has produced Europe’s best selling LCV range for 18 years in a row, selling 1.6 million of the Trafic since it first appeared in 1980.
And now the third generation of the successful Trafic has landed locally, with the company hoping to replicate some of that European success here in New Zealand.
The Trafic III has a completely new exterior design, with a stronger, more purposeful look that the last-generations slightly awkward looks.
While the new van has a handsome, distinctive design, let’s be honest here, it is the colour and those wheels that turn it into a real head-turner. Don’t worry though, you can get it in white!
But it is not what a van looks like that really matters, it is all about what it can do, and fortunately, the Trafic can do rather a lot.
Renault has brought the Trafic to New Zealand as a single, high-spec model that comes standard with a steel bulkhead with a glass window. This makes the Trafic a remarkably quiet and civilised affair to drive, but if the bulkhead isn’t required, the company says it can be easily unbolted.
The Trafic boasts six cubic metres of cargo space, with a cargo bay length of 2,937mm, but a clever door in the bulkhead that leads into the cabin extends this to 3,350mm if you just go under the seats, or 4,150mm if you go right into the footwell of the passenger’s seat.
The cargo bay width is an impressive 1,662, (1,268mm between the wheel arches), with a height of 1,387mm.
Of course, cavernous space is only useful if there is a way to secure a load and the Trafic also boasts 16 tie down points in the rear.
The rear barn doors open 270 degrees for easy loading, while dual sliding side doors are also standard.
Renault has packed the Trafic with specification for New Zealand, with tow bar preparation coming standard, as well as cruise control, automatic lights and wipers, a backing camera and sensors and a load level-dependent stability control system.
The Trafic is the first van to get Renault’s all-new 1.6-litre twin-turbo diesel four-cylinder engine, but don’t let the modest capacity put you off - it is a fantastically strong and smooth little engine, with performance that belies its small size.
With 103kW of power and 340Nm of torque, the 1.6 is hooked up to a six-speed manual transmission and is remarkably frugal, with Renault claiming an average combined consumption of 6.2L/100km.
During our time with the Trafic we easily achieved this figure with mainly urban driving, so even with a load we don’t imagine the Trafic being anything but utterly frugal and efficient.
The Trafic certainly shows why Renault dominate the LCV segment in Europe - it does everything van should, but does it with comfort, style and ease. Effortless to drive and with a cabin that is packed with clever features to make the working day easier, the Trafic is a thoroughly excellent van.
Specifications:
Body type Van
Drive Front-wheel drive
Engine type Inline four-cylinder diesel turbo
Engine capacity 1,598cc
Max power 103kW/3,500rpm
Max torque 340Nm/1,500rpm
Fuel consumption 6.2L/100km
C02 emissions 163g/km
0-100km/h N/A
Front suspension MacPherson strut
Rear suspension Torsion beam
Roof rack No
ABS brakes Yes
Air bags Four
Stability programme Yes
Air conditioning Manual
Lap/diagonal belts Three
Satellite navigation No
Electric seats No
Burglar alarm No
Boot release n/a
Cargo cover n/a
Boot capacity 6 cu.m
Wheel type 17-inch alloy
Spare tyre Full size
ANCAP rating Three stars
Price $49,990
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