Though the Renault Trafic is a commercial van, but in reality it is more than a panel Van in comfort, driving and performance. It is produced by the French automaker Renault since 1981. Now it is in its third generation with lot of practicalities, innovations and technology.
The Renault Trafic is in competition with very seasoned rivals like the Ford Transit Custom, Mercedes Vito, Volkswagen Transporter, Peugeot Expert and Citroen Dispatch. There are some true identical copies of Renault Trafic with difference of tags, just like the Nissan NV300, Fiat Talento and above all the Vauxhall Vivaro. The Renault Trafic is considered, a good choice to live with, anyhow.
There are five efficient diesel engines in Trafic engine lineup. It starts from 80bhp to 150bhp power units. The 1.9 litre turbocharged DCi diesel engine is capable to produce 80bhp and 140lb/ft torque. Another version in 1.9 litre DCi diesel engine is of 100bhp and 177lb/ft torque, reasonably strong than its predecessor.
Both these versions are not in fashion and the 2.0 litre DCi units are available as replacement. There are two versions of this 2.0 litre DCi diesel engine with different outputs.
The 2.0 litre turbocharged DCi 90bhp and 178lb/ft torque is as entry-level engine and considered as the most efficient diesel unit in the lineup. This engine is equipped with stop- start switch, which helps in fuel consumption a lot. This diesel engine produces 46m/g of fuel average with 160g/km of CO2 emissions.
The 2.0 litre turbocharged DCi 120bhp and 214lb/ft torque is an impressive diesel engine with 47m/g of fuel average and 170g/km of CO2 emissions. It is powerful and with good pulling power, thanks to its reasonable amount of torque.
The 2.5 litre DCi diesel engine is of 150bhp and 240lb/ft torque, the strongest in the Renault Trafic lineup. It is equipped with a variable geometry turbocharger and can produce speed even in fully loaded condition. This engine is only available in Euro 4 version.
It is a tough job to design a panel van like Renault Trafic with lot of good qualities such as its edgy style, strong Macpherson Strut frame, compact wheelbase and huge variation in color scheme. The body is well supported by its good suspension at front and a coil-sprung rear beam axle.
The 17 inches alloy wheels’ support gives Trafic a good balance ride with load. Disc brakes can be found inside of the alloy wheels and 215/60R 17C tires. Its efficiency, cabin quality and the driving experience are now more than a match for most of its rivals. It’s well designed and perfect features help to make the van brilliantly easy to work.
There are different trim levels of the Renault Trafic available in the market as Business, Business plus and Sport with two wheelbases short 3098mm and long 3498mm, two different roof heights short 1.96m and high 2.50m.
There are three body styles: the Renault Trafic Panel van, Commercial passenger van (with 9-seat arrangement) and platform cab. Professional buyers appreciate its two load lengths ranging from 5.2 to 8.3 cubic metres.
