Renault Trafic Van Review

The Renault Trafic Van at a glance

The popular Renault Trafic Van has recently received a major upgrade to its interior and safety equipment. This generation of Renault Trafic was first launched in 2014 but constant revisions and updates have kept it at the top of the medium-sized van market.

Up front, the Trafic has a completely redesigned front end, with a squarer look than before, while C-shaped daytime running lights come as standard on all models.

Inside, the cab now features switchgear with climate controls, touchscreen infotainment and a part-digital instrument cluster.

All models benefit from a DAB radio with Bluetooth, ESC stability control, remote central locking, a sliding side door and a speed limiter.

The Renault Trafic is also available as a double-cab version. The panel van version is available on Van Sales UK for £229 + VAT.

In this review, we’ll take you through the engines and specs of the popular Renault Trafic Van, along with how it compares with its rivals in terms of performance, interior quality, day-to-day usability and, of course, load-lugging ability. We’ll also let you know whether this van should make it to your company’s shopping list.

Engines and Spec

With this latest update, the Renault Trafic’s core 2.0-litre diesel engine is now available with four outputs, rather than three. They produce 109bhp, 129bhp, 148bhp and 167bhp, and are labelled the dCi 110, dCi 130, dCi 150 and dCi 170 respectively.

These changes to the engine haven’t come at the expense of fuel efficiency. In fact, the new units are more economical than the ones they’re replacing.

All versions are front-wheel drive and come with a six-speed manual gearbox as standard. A six-speed automatic is available as an option with the highest-powered engines. The auto is worth going for if you can because it has a smooth shift action and makes the act of driving a lot easier.

No matter which version you go for, the 2.0-litre diesel engine is nicely refined and quiet enough at all speeds. Even on a motorway, you won’t find much noise from entering the Renault Trafic’s interior.

The Renault Trafic rides well on bumpy roads and has purposeful steering, making it greatly improved over previous versions and on par with rivals. The suspension is geared towards load-carrying over comfortability, however, it doesn’t feel too bounce when unladen, making the Renault Trafic pretty smooth on long runs.

Interior

The interior of the Renault Trafic van has seen the biggest improvements since its recent update. The Renault Trafic now feels more like a passenger car than ever before.

With a revised dashboard featuring a brushed silver trim, an uncluttered layout and an eight-inch infotainment touchscreen, it’s clear to see where Renault has focused most of its efforts.

Other improvements include a wireless phone charger, three USB ports and a 4.2-inch colour display. Bluetooth and DAB come as standard.

Not only is the Renault Trafic’s interior more stylish since the recent update, but it is also more practical too.

While there has been a slight decrease in the amount of storage space since the last update, Renault has made the storage options much more practical. Items such as the door pockets seem much more user-friendly, and there is a commendable amount of covered storage on the dash-top, keeping your belongings and equipment out of sight of prying eyes.

The centre backrest still folds down to form a desk, so you can transform your van into a remote office, perfect for doing work on the go wherever you are. The storage spaces make it ideal for storing equipment, paperwork and a laptop.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Clever and neat interior design features
• Comfortable and good to drive
• Quiet interior

Cons

• Lack of interior storage
• Fiddly infotainment

The Verdict

Overall, the Renault Trafic van is a strong contender in the medium-sized van market. Following its recent upgrades including a more fuel-efficient engine and a stylish, comfortable and quiet interior, this van is easily on par with its more expensive rivals in the industry.

With greatly improved safety equipment and a choice of engines to suit your needs, this van is worth considering for your business.

The newly improved 8-inch infotainment system is another great feature of the update, allowing you to easily connect a smartphone and use either Android Auto or Apple CarPlay.

If you are looking to find out more about what the popular, new and improved Renault Trafic van has to offer, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with a member of our expert team here today at Van Sales UK. We have a helpful team who are always on hand to answer any questions or queries you may have, and point you in the right direction to finding your dream van.