VANSEARCH |
Van Reviews » Renault Trafic Renault Trafic 2.0 dCi 115 (SWB)Verdict A versatile, robust and efficient van, lacks style but delivers a sound service A versatile, robust and efficient van, lacks style but delivers a sound service. The Trafic is available in three versions of common rail direct injection. The 2.0 dCi unit with outputs of 90 and 115 hp and the latest 2.5 dCi unit with 150 hp. Peak power is delivered on the dCi 115 at 3,500rpm and 290Nm of torque. A six-speed manual gearbox came as standard on our vehicle and there is also the option to purchase Quickshift6 automated manual transmission. It’s also worth noting that the 2.0 dCi engine has been re-engineered to be compatible with a 30 per cent blend of biodiesel, fuel created by vegetable oils and biomass and produces lower CO2 emissions. The Trafic is very manageable, with responsive steering and a good turning circle which is a benefit when performing manoeuvres. The engine is impressively quiet, and with a load of 500kg, we found that in general the Trafic handled itself well. Acceleration was still good and the noise levels were minimal. On the negative side, the brakes were far less responsive and the steering became quite stiff. A further gripe with the vehicle was that its wing mirrors were small which restricted visibility and made reversing difficult. Luckily for us, we had rear parking sensors, but these come at an additional price of £175.
Enter the cabin and you’re greeted by a mass of cheap plastic and a very basic looking entertainment system. The optional sat nav looked quite out of place in a vehicle which looked like it could benefit from an interior facelift. Nevertheless, the seat was comfy enough and the radio/CD player was adequate. Storage options were limited to space under the dash or within the door pockets which were far from generous.
We had the best-selling version of the Trafic with a short wheelbase and a low roof, giving you a load area of 5m cubed – high roof model offers up to 8m cubed for the long wheelbase version. The right-hand sliding door is offered as an optional extra, but without this, the load access remains good with tall, wide-opening rear doors and an extra low sill height. The Trafic takes a Euro pallet and has a maximum payload of 1092kg.
Verdict Engines: 2.0, 2.5 cDi
|
RELATED LINKS |
| HOT LINKS : |
