Final Report
Having spent more than six months with us, the Renault Trafic Passenger has now departed the What Van? fleet.
My overall impressions of the people-carrying version of Renault’s medium van were favourable; refined, versatile and good to drive. It is solid and reliable.
The revised Trafic arrived in UK showrooms in December 2021, sporting a new, muscular front end. Changes include LED lighting with C-shaped running lights and a redesigned bumper that supports the upright grille. It comes in four specification levels: Business, Business+, Sport and Sport+ and is powered by a 2.0-litre diesel engine with a choice of 110hp, 130hp, 150hp and 170hp outputs. All come with a six-speed manual gearbox as standard, which is the system I chose but the 150hp and 170hp units are also available with dual-clutch auto transmission.
The Trafic comes in short and long wheelbase body lengths, both have the option of low or high roof heights. My van was powered by the 150hp engine and came in the short-wheelbase, low-roof body style, which did not prevent it from comfortably accommodating nine seats.
Sport trim level delivered a well-equipped interior with satnav, 8in Easy Link touchscreen, DAB radio with remote controls on a steering column stalk, and Bluetooth. Smartphone integration with Android Auto and Apple Carplay were included in the package and a wireless smartphone charger comes as part of the Technology Pack 2 along with the hands-free key card and engine start button for £264, excluding VAT. Experience taught me, however, that the wireless charger had a tendency to overheat my smartphone, so was best avoided.
The interior features a full-width horizontal dashboard that provides an airy sense of space to the cabin, the gear lever fits snugly into the hand and the steering wheel is also pleasing to handle. My van came with the Parking Pack (£630), which offers 360º sensors and a rear-view camera, providing a comprehensive view.
Precise steering with ample feedback made it easy to plant the van where I wanted and was complemented by smooth gear changes. A turning circle of 12.4m is fair to middling in the medium van sector but the Trafic still felt agile to manoeuvre. Once out on the road, the 150hp dci diesel, which delivers 350Nm of torque, pulled strongly, making my Trafic Passenger an impressive motorway performer. The engine is quiet and refined, though the lack of a bulkhead in the passenger-carrying version makes it harder to suppress external noise.
On winding roads the steering comes into its own. You can push the Trafic into corners without fear of coming unstuck, but on roads with unpredictable camber, it is advisable to go cautiously, as uneven surfaces can cause the vehicle to bounce and pitch about. Standard safety equipment includes electronic stability control with hill start assist and Grip Xtend, ABS with electronic brakeforce distribution, tyre pressure monitoring, driver and cruise control system speed limiter. Rear parking sensors are standard on Sport but not on Business trim.
My Passenger Sport also got the Advanced Driver Assist Pack 1 (£1,584) as an extra-cost option, which upgrades the cruise control to an adaptive system and also includes lane departure warning, AEB, blind spot warning, automatic high beam and over speed prevention. The list is comprehensive but too much of it is optional rather than standard.
The Trafic Passenger proved its versatility as both a people carrier and a load lugger. Collapsing the third row of seats creates a generously-sized load space of 2.5m3. Meanwhile all occupants – with the exception of the middle one in the front row of seats – enjoy decent legroom. While I found fuel economy suffered on long spells of urban driving and was not helped by the less than seamless stop/start function, the Trafic Passenger was a versatile all-rounder in both performance and load carrying, whether transporting cargo or people.
End-of-term report
Refinement = 4/5
The Trafic Passenger Sport is stylish, sophisticated, quiet and comfortable.
Handling and performance = 4/5
Sure-footed on the road with a strong, refined engine.
Safety = 3/5
Renault has improved the provision of available safety equipment but too much of it is optional rather than standard.
Versatility = 4/5
Overall, the Passenger does a decent job at transporting both people and cargo.
Cabin functionality = 3/5
The interior is well specified and comfortable but the satnav is beginning to feel anachronistic.
Build quality = 4/5
Solidly put together with no unwelcome squeaks or rattles developing.
Overall score = 73%
Renault Trafic Passenger SL28 Blue dCi 150 Sport
Mileage 4,981mls
Official combined fuel economy 38.7mpg
Our average consumption 29.5mpg
Price range (ex. VAT) £34,000–£42,140
Price (ex. VAT) £38,340
Warranty 3yrs/100,000mls
Service intervals 24,000mls
Load length 1,152mm (seat row three folded)
Load width (min/max) 1,268mm/1,662mm
Load bay height 1,396mm
Load volume 2.5m3 (seat row three folded)
Gross payload 929kg
Engine size/power 1,997cc/150hp
Gearbox 6-spd manual
CO2 192g/km
5th Report
It was not so long ago that when it came to choosing the trim level of their new van (or fleet of vans) or when leafing through the list of extra cost options available, operators would be quick to tick the box marked ‘satellite navigation’. More often than not it would be the second-most important item to select once they had ensured air conditioning was part of the package.
I must admit I still find the presence of an in-built satnav system reassuring but it is not the priority it once was. This is largely due to the increased provision of smartphone integration, such as Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, in the newest light commercial vehicles, which enables you to display the route-finding device on your smartphone, Google Maps or Apple Maps, for example, on the vehicle’s touchscreen.
My Trafic Passenger is endowed with both smartphone integration and factory-fitted Easylink Navigation with an 8in touchscreen replete with DAB radio, Bluetooth and USB ports, so I have been able to compare and contrast both ways of finding my way around the UK’s highways and byways.
The Easylink system is simple enough to use and can generally be relied upon to get you from A to B without too much drama. It does though, have its quirks. A plus point is that it is quick to spot hold ups in traffic, such as recently installed road works and suggest alternative routes to avoid them, but this does not always work out.
On a recent journey trying to extricate ourselves from gridlocked west London and reach the A4, it directed us down a series of back streets that would have brought us back onto the dual carriageway further along the route. Unfortunately access back onto the main road from all of these streets was denied by road blocks, which had presumably been put in place during the last couple of years, during which many London authorities have closed access to motor traffic on residential streets to increase safety and lower pollution. While this is a laudable plan it is mysterious how the satnav can identify recent temporary developments such as lane closures but not more long-standing issues like permanently closed roads. This is not a problem I have encountered with smartphone map guidance or apps, such as the driver-focused Waze Navigation. Another glitch with Easylink is that while it likes finding destinations from postcodes it is not so keen on names of districts or street names, often stating they cannot be located, which again has led me to resort to my phone.
If your phone’s battery runs out of juice while you’re on the road and you have forgotten to bring a charging wire you can resort to the wireless charging pad set in the dashboard. A word of warning though, this makes the handset very hot if left there for an hour or so.
Generally, the cabin in the Trafic Sport is well-equipped, comfortable and driver-friendly. The driver’s position is high enough to afford a good view of surroundings and there is plenty of information given on the dashboard menu about economy, power use and torque. If the stop/start system does not engage when you stop at the lights a message tells you why; a particular favourite of mine when the aircon was on during the heatwave was ‘Prioritising thermal comfort’; more common is: ‘Prioritising running engine’.
Report card: Cabin functionality = 3/5
The interior is well specified and comfortable but the satnav is beginning to feel anachronistic
Renault Trafic Passenger SL28 Blue dCi 150 Sport
Mileage 4,796mls
Official combined fuel economy 38.7mpg
Our average consumption 30.6mpg
Price range (ex. VAT) £34,000–£42,140
Price (ex. VAT) £38,340
Warranty 3yrs/100,000mls
Service intervals 24,000mls
Load length 1,152mm (seat row three folded)
Load width (min/max) 1,268mm/1,662mm
Load bay height 1,396mm
Load volume 2.5m3 (seat row three folded)
Gross payload 929kg
Engine size/power 1,997cc/150hp
Gearbox 6-spd manual
CO2 192g/km
4th Report
During the past several months I have come to appreciate the Trafic Passenger’s versatility as both a people carrier and a surprisingly effective load lugger.
By opening the tailgate and pulling a red strap located behind the third row of seats to collapse the seat backs before releasing the levers to fold the whole seat unit forward, you can create a decent-sized load space of 2.5m3.
I have used this to carry everything from ‘the big shop’ to camping gear to chests of drawers to boxes of books and clothes for charity shops.
It is extremely important to remember, however, that, as a van designed primarily for transporting people, the Trafic Passenger does not possess a bulkhead to protect the occupants from the load area. It is vital that cargo, particularly anything heavy or potentially dangerous, is well secured and cannot break loose as a result of sharp braking, for example.
With the side doors reserved for passenger access (getting into the back row of seats when they are in use is a bit of a squeeze), access to the loading bay is via the tailgate only, which can be locked and unlocked separately to the passenger doors for added security.
Bearing in mind that my Trafic Passenger is in the short-wheelbase, low-roof bodystyle, I have been impressed by the job Renault’s designers have done on the layout
of the interior.
All of the seats in the rear two rows offer a reasonably generous amount of legroom and there have been few complaints from the occupants of these berths even after long journeys. It should be said, however, that aside from the driver’s seat, they are fixed bolt upright and cannot be moved up and down or backwards and forwards to suit different body shapes. Ventilation for rear-seat passengers is provided by large sliding windows in both side doors.
The passenger drawing the shortest straw though, is the piggy in the middle in the front row of seats where legroom (specifically right-knee room) is severely restricted by the bulging gear stick casement. This also serves to make it difficult to move across the cab, which would arguably be more of a problem in a panel van engaged in delivery work where the driver may prefer to pull up at the kerb and hop in and out of the nearside door, rather than stepping out into traffic.
On the plus side, pulling up the middle seat reveals a large storage compartment, which can be used to discreetly stow away valuable equipment such as tools, boots or laptops.
Report card: Versatility = 4/5
Overall, the Passenger does a decent job at transporting both people and cargo.
Renault Trafic Passenger SL28 Blue dCi 150 Sport
Mileage 4,067mls
Official combined fuel economy 38.7mpg
Our average consumption 33.8mpg
Price range (ex. VAT) £34,000–£42,140
Price (ex. VAT) £38,340
Warranty 3yrs/100,000mls
Service intervals 24,000mls
Load length 1,152mm (seat row three folded)
Load width (min/max) 1,268mm/1,662mm
Load bay height 1,396mm
Load volume 2.5m3 (seat row three folded)
Gross payload 929kg
Engine size/power 1,997cc/150hp
Gearbox 6-spd manual
CO2 192g/km
3rd Report
A couple of years ago, Euro NCAP, in conjunction with the Thatcham Research Centre, launched a test regime designed to determine the level of safety equipment fitted to vans.
This was not before time, because previously light commercial vehicles – with the exception of pick-up trucks – had not been subjected to the rigorous safety tests Euro NCAP administers to passenger cars.
The ratings assessed the performance and availability of emergency braking, speed limiter, and lane support systems, as well as seat belt reminder technology.
The results were sobering, uncovering a dearth of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) included with new vans compared to cars. For instance, only 12.8% of new vans came with autonomous (or active) emergency braking (AEB) as standard in 2019, compared with 62% of new cars.
Few manufacturers came out with much credit but Renault performed particularly poorly, both the Trafic and its big brother, the Master, suffered the ignominy of finishing in the ‘Not Recommended’ category.
Comparing the safety performance of Renault’s cars and vans, Thatcham director of research, Matthew Avery, said: “Its five star-rated Clio (car) has lots of standard fit ADAS technology that can save lives, but its Trafic van has practically nothing.”
So, has Renault got its act together and moved to redress this imbalance?
Standard equipment on the Trafic Passenger includes electronic stability control with hill start assist and Grip Xtend, which stops the van rolling back when pulling away uphill from a stationary position on an incline and enables it to cope with moderately slippery conditions without bother. It also gets ABS with electronic brakeforce distribution, tyre pressure monitoring, driver and front passenger airbags, driver attention alert, which is useful if you’ve spent too long at the wheel and are getting tired or inattentive, and a cruise control system with speed limiter.
Rear parking sensors are standard on Sport but not on Business trim, which is poor.
On top of its standard kit my Passenger Sport comes with the Advanced Driver Assist Pack 1 (£1,584) as an extra-cost option, which upgrades the cruise control to an adaptive system – far more worthwhile from a safety perspective as it automatically applies the brakes in fast-moving traffic if the vehicle gets too close to the one in front and then accelerates to the selected speed once the road is clear again. The driver can choose from four set distances they want to keep between the vehicles via a steering wheel-mounted button.
The pack also includes lane departure warning, which alerts the driver if they change lanes involuntarily, AEB, which warns the driver of moving or stationary hazards visually and audibly before applying the brakes if they don’t respond in time, blind spot warning, which alerts the driver to vehicles they cannot see either side via an LED light in the corresponding side mirror, automatic high beam, which automatically dips the headlights to prevent blinding drivers of approaching vehicles before returning to full beam when the road is clear and over speed prevention, which warns the driver if they exceed the speed limit of any given road.
My van also benefits from the £630 Parking Pack, which adds a reversing camera and 360º parking sensors, which are handy in helping to avoid damaging the vehicle’s bodywork during tight manoeuvres. All of this optional safety kit is worthwhile and could be life saving, but customers should not have to pay extra for it.
Report card: Safety = 3/5
Renault has improved the provision of available safety equipment but too much of it is optional rather than standard.
Renault Trafic Passenger SL28 Blue dCi 150 Sport
Mileage 3,713mls
Official combined fuel economy 38.7mpg
Our average consumption 34.9mpg
Price range (ex. VAT) £34,000–£42,140
Price (ex. VAT) £38,340
Warranty 3yrs/100,000mls
Service intervals 24,000mls
Load length 1,152mm (seat row three folded)
Load width (min/max) 1,268mm/1,662mm
Load bay height 1,396mm
Load volume 2.5m3 (seat row three folded)
Gross payload 929kg
Engine size/power 1,997cc/150hp
Gearbox 6-spd manual
CO2 192g/km
2nd Report
The medium van sector is home to some of the most accomplished, stylish and best-to-drive models in the light commercial vehicle world.
In terms of all-round ability and build quality the Volkswagen Transporter takes some beating and when it comes to looks and driveability it can be hard to see beyond the Ford Transit Custom.
So how does the Renault Trafic fare in such esteemed company?
After a few weeks negotiating the labyrinthine streets of the capital interspersed with several trips further afield, I have found the Trafic Passenger is holding its end up very well when it comes to driving characteristics.
It certainly looks the part as it goes about its business with a new front grille and C-shaped LED headlights giving it a dynamism and road presence to match that of any of its peers.
It goes without saying that steering is adjustable for rake and reach while the chunky steering wheel itself is pleasing to hold and complements a precise action with ample feedback that makes it easy to plant the vehicle where you want it. A turning circle of 12.4m between kerbs slightly exceeds that of the short-wheelbase (SWB) Transporter’s 11.9m and is comfortably undercut by the L1H1 Transit Custom’s 11.6m. It is tighter than the 12.9m of the Vauxhall Vivaro and Citroën Dispatch, however and in any case the Trafic does not feel cumbersome to manoeuvre about town, an impression reinforced by the notch-free six-speed manual gear change.
The stop/start fuel-saving system works efficiently, although I did experience some early hiccups with the engine stalling when neutral gear was not selected promptly after coming to a halt.
Once out on the open road the 150hp dci diesel engine, which delivers 350Nm of torque, pulls strongly, making my Trafic passenger such an impressive motorway performer that it is hard to imagine why many customers would need to step up to the 170hp engine. The cabin is a comfortable place to wile away the hours on long journeys and the engine is refined, although both wind and road noise can be intrusive at higher speeds, which is not something I would expect to experience in equivalent Ford or Volkswagen models. The lack of a bulkhead in the passenger-carrying version undoubtedly makes it more difficult to suppress external noise.
On more winding roads the aforementioned steering comes into its own, meaning you can push the Trafic hard into corners without fear of coming unstuck but on country roads, where the camber is less predictable, it is advisable to go more cautiously as uneven surfaces can cause the vehicle to bounce and pitch about to an uncomfortable degree.
Finally, during the July heatwave, I was grateful for the efficiency of the aircon, although surprised it does not include an auto function to help it hit the optimum temperature as quickly as possible.
Report card: Handling and performance = 4/5
Sure-footed on the road with a strong, refined engine.
Renault Trafic Passenger SL28 Blue dCi 150 Sport
Mileage 2,970mls
Official combined fuel economy 38.7mpg
Our average consumption 34.7mpg
Price range (ex. VAT) £34,000–£42,140
Price (ex. VAT) £38,340
Warranty 3yrs/100,000mls
Service intervals 24,000mls
Load length 1,152mm (seat row three folded)
Load width (min/max) 1,268mm/1,662mm
Load bay height 1,396mm
Load volume 2.5m3 (seat row three folded)
Gross payload 929kg
Engine size/power 1,997cc/150hp
Gearbox 6-spd manual
CO2 192g/km
1st Report
As we reported in a previous IVOTY article, there is far more to a van than simply serving as a load-lugging workhorse.
The majority of van platforms, in particular those producing medium-sized vans, are versatile and varied when it comes to aspects such as drivetrains, traction ability and body shapes.
The majority of light commercial vehicles marketed in the UK may be sold as panel vans but that is far from being the whole story.
In recent years passenger car technology has become increasingly influential in the medium van sector, particularly in terms of safety equipment, driver assistance systems and infotainment. Going in the other direction, van platforms are now more adept than ever at providing sophisticated, refined transport for passengers through crew vans and minibus people carriers.
It is therefore a pleasure to welcome the Renault Trafic Passenger Van onto our long-term fleet. The revised model arrived in UK showrooms in December last year sporting a new front end, which gives the van a more muscular, striking appearance than before. Changes include LED lighting with C-shaped running lights and a redesigned bumper that supports the upright grille. It is a handsome-looking van that comes in four specification levels: Business, Business+, Sport and Sport+ and is powered by a 2L diesel engine with a choice of 110hp, 130hp, 150hp and 170hp outputs. All come with the six-speed manual transmission as standard, which is the system I have opted for, but the 150hp and 170hp engines are also available with an optional dual-clutch auto.
The updated Trafic comes in short- and long-wheelbase body lengths, with both having the option of low or high roof heights.
My Passenger Van is powered by the 150hp engine and is in the short- wheelbase, low-roof body style, which does not prevent it from comfortably accommodating nine seats, including the driver’s seat. It is in the Sport trim level, which delivers an impressively well-equipped interior, including satnav, 8in Easy Link touchscreen, a DAB radio with remote controls on a steering column stalk, and Bluetooth. Smartphone integration with Android Auto and Apple Carplay are included in the package and a useful feature is the wireless smartphone charger that comes as part of the Technology Pack 2 along with the hands-free key card and engine start button for £264, excluding VAT.
The satnav package comes with connected navigation services for three years, and includes Google search for places of interest, live traffic information and weather forecasts.
Other features include cruise control with a speed limiter, a driver’s airbag, electric windows, and heated, power-adjustable and power-folding exterior mirrors complete with a wide-angle section. The heating and ventilation system is controlled by chunky, easy-to-use controls, and includes air-conditioning. Mention should also be made of the instrument panel’s 4.2in TFT (Thin Film Transistor) colour display.
Renault has reworked the interior of the vehicle with the introduction of a full-width horizontal dashboard that provides an airy sense of space to the cabin.
The new gear lever is an improvement, fitting snugly into the hand, as is the
new chunky and compact steering wheel, which is adjustable for reach and rake. Aside from the Sport’s already generous specification, my van also comes with several extra cost options, one of which is the Parking Pack (£630), which offers 360º sensors and a rear-view camera, which provides a comprehensive view but, disconcertingly, one that seems to be delivered from a helicopter hovering high above the van’s roof!
Overall, however, first impressions are favourable, the Trafic Passenger feels well equipped to hold its own in a competitive sector.
Report card: Refinement = 4/5
The Trafic Passenger Sport is stylish, sophisticated, quiet and comfortable.
Renault Trafic Passenger SL28 Blue dCi 150 Sport
Mileage 2,540mls
Official combined fuel economy 38.7mpg
Our average consumption 34.0mpg
Price range (ex. VAT) £34,000–£42,140
Price (ex. VAT) £38,340
Warranty 3yrs/100,000mls
Service intervals 24,000mls
Load length 1,152mm (seat row three folded)
Load width (min/max) 1,268mm/1,662mm
Load bay height 1,396mm
Load volume 2.5m3 (seat row three folded)
Gross payload 929kg
Engine size/power 1,997cc/150hp
Gearbox 6-spd manual
CO2 192g/km
Options (prices ex VAT)
Advanced Driver Assist Pack £1,584
Parking Pack £630
Technology Pack 2£264
