Renault Trafic: Medium LCV Comparison 2014

Renault Trafic L2H1

Execution of intended purpose
We had the longer of the two wheelbases in which the Trafic is available and its payload of 1230kg tops the list, while its 2000kg towing capacity also impresses.

Its 5.9 cubic metre load-bay capacity is equal to Transit Custom and bettered only by the HiAce in this comparison. Our test vehicle's load bay was largely an expanse of white-painted steel – a rubber cargo mat, wooden flooring and wooden walls are all available as accessories.

A total of 10 standard tie-down anchor points are fitted and they're backed-up by three mid-height rails with two sliding anchor points apiece. The rails are a great feature, though the anchor points themselves aren't the sturdiest we've seen.

Load access is via one glazed sliding side door, and the rear 50/50 barn doors. The rear doors have the biggest total aperture of the six vehicles on test but no wipers or demisters.

Cabin entry is easy enough and the driver's seat is fully adjustable and reasonably supportive – not up to the standard of the Transit Custom or Vito but not far behind.

The steeply angled dash provides plentiful and convenient storage space but there are also two slots for A4 folders, excellent side pockets, a very deep glovebox and a variety of other nooks and crannies. There's also plenty of room under the two-seater passenger unit and cup/bottle holders in all the right places.

Visibility is aided by the glazed side door but the centre seat's headrest and the aft barn doors restrict vision to the rear, while the split standard/convex side mirrors are excellent.

With 74dBA recorded (at 80km/h) the Trafic's sound suppression was average – equal to the Fiat Scudo and better than the Toyota HiAce and Mercedes-Benz Vito.

This was exacerbated by quick-fix sealant used to fill the side panel gaps left where no sliding door was fitted, and cloth seat trim that looked less hardy than the material used in, say, the Mercedes-Benz Vito or Ford Transit. But the general paint quality was fine and the panel gaps were consistent throughout the Trafic’s extended body.

In the cab, the Trafic driver is presented with an unyielding but functional dash that looks durable but suffers a few rough edges. Instrument panel controls are pleasantly tactile, firm and functional, and the door pockets look and feel durable.

Like all the other vehicles here except the iLoad and HiAce, there are no entry grab handles, just a snap-shut handle above the passenger’s door. The rubberised floor covering is of decent quality but let down a little because the passenger’s side comprises a separate mat that promises to make cleaning and waterproofing more difficult.

The inner doors are cleanly finished and use half double-sealing to ward off drafts and help lower cabin noise.

Under the bonnet the Trafic offers up easy-to-find (and use) regular service functions, but lets the side down a little with its shoddy-looking air intake and half-hearted, electrical-tape-protected wiring looms.

The six-speed automated-manual transmission is a contributing factor here, as it does pause momentarily when shifting between gears, and in general it rewards a degree of patience. Still, the focus here is light commercials – not lap times – and the Trafic's best-on-test comparative fuel consumption will pique many prospective buyer's interest.

Drivers have the choice of manually flicking the shifter up or down through the gears or sitting back and letting the transmission do its thing in auto mode. The Trafic is also available with a traditional six-speed manual but there's no ‘true’ auto option.

The front-wheel-drive Trafic still offers useable and tractable grunt from below 2000 to around 4000rpm and it makes a reasonable fist of things when lugging loads up hills. You can feel the engine working but it simply puts its head down and churns.

More impressive is the Trafic's handling. The steering is quite responsive and the strut and coil-sprung torsion beam suspension package offers a pleasingly compliant and comfortable ride. The Trafic handles well without a load but things only improve with some weight in the back and the plot remains composed through the bends.

The brakes are strong but we found them a little too sensitive for slow-speed work, like when parking. They tend to grab a little too suddenly, making smooth, incremental adjustments overly tricky.

The Trafic's 13.2m turning circle is the widest here but that's no surprise – in L2H1 format its wheelbase is nearly 30cm longer than the next longest on test.

Disappointingly, stability control is available only on manual models, and the Trafic’s 85kW/290Nm outputs trail the field. Driver and passenger airbags are standard but additional airbags (side, curtain and driver’s knee) are unavailable.

Cruise control, tinted windows, remote central locking and Bluetooth are all standard-fit, but metallic paint is an expensive $1000 option. Making up for this is the availability of seven metallic colours.

A timber floor is available for an additional $510 and sat-nav is a further option.

A 36-month/200,000km warranty is supported by roadside assistance throughout and Renault also offers capped-price servicing for a 36-month/45,000km period, with the first service costing a competitive $349.

Servicing is set at 12-month/15,000km intervals.

www.redbook.com.au indicates a 2011 Trafic auto (new price: $38,490) should net a resale of $24,850 (median), or 65 per cent of its original value.

On paper the Traffic puts forward an acceptable level of technology equipment, but its downfall is its not-so-user-friendly execution. The Bluetooth connection for telephony and audio streaming is difficult to navigate – we almost gave up. After several attempts, it worked.

There’s one cabin light up front and two in the cargo area, and electric windows and mirrors are good. The dual-view wing mirrors are a valuable addition for a vehicle of these proportions, particularly in the absence of a rear camera and parking sensors.

The cruise control and speed limiter functions work well, and can be engaged via steering-wheel-mounted controls. A stalk to the right of the steering wheel controls audio volume and media source.

The infotainment screen is small; it’s set deep into the centre dash and is of poor resolution. The Traffic’s entire technology offering felt a little dated and below standard in this company.