Renault Trafic Crew 2017 review

The front-wheel drive Renault Trafic Crew is B-I-G big with an expansive 3498mm wheelbase that's 278mm longer than a Ranger 4x4 dual cab ute. The Renault is also 123mm taller, 97mm wider and 44mm longer overall.

However, the positioning of the Renault's wheelbase within its body length results in minimal front and rear overhangs and surprising agility for such a large vehicle, particularly in heavy city traffic and tight car parks, where its sharp 13.2-metre turning circle comes in handy. It rides on MacPherson strut front suspension and a coil-sprung rear beam axle with disc brakes all around.

We secured 975kg in the cargo bay which was about 50kg shy of its 1118kg payload rating. (image credit: Mark Oastler)

Driver and front passenger enjoy an airy and spacious cabin, heated seating with lumbar adjustment and swing-down inboard armrests, plus a height/reach adjustable steering wheel. Some sturdy grab handles on the windscreen pillars (available as an option) should be fitted as standard to make it easier to climb aboard. Rear seat passengers have these.

The rear bench, also with two swing-down inboard armrests like a commercial airliner, provides acceptable comfort, with adequate shoulder and headroom for three adults and a relatively flat upper thigh angle. Foot room for those with larger shoes, though, can feel a bit constricted by the large step that separates the front and rear floor areas.

The first thing you notice is its substantial length and the need to swing a little wider and turn a little later into corners to allow for it. Ramp-over angles with a sharp radius (like steep driveway crests, etc) should also be tackled with care to avoid a potential belly scrape. It would not be well suited to rugged work sites requiring vehicle access.

The 1.6 litre diesel offers the response and flexibility of a larger engine thanks to its two-stage turbocharging. (image credit: Mark Oastler)

For an engine that's only 1.6 litres in capacity, its lag-free throttle response and strong pulling power in city and suburban driving is largely thanks to the sequential twin turbos which do their best work between 1500rpm (maximum torque) and 3500rpm (maximum power).

The leather-wrapped steering wheel is a delight to use, combined with direct and nicely weighted steering with a strong self-centering effect that requires minimal driver input at highway speeds.

The four-wheel discs also provide reassuringly strong braking whether empty or fully-loaded.

Our only gripes are that in wet weather the front passenger has their forward view largely obscured by the unswept area on the left side of the windscreen.

Cabin noise levels at highway speeds are low, thanks largely to the rear bulkhead that insulates the cabin from the cargo bay and a quiet engine, which ticks over at only 1900rpm at 100km/h and 2000rpm at 110km/h in top gear, using the excellent cruise control.

We secured 975kg in the cargo bay, which, with a 92kg driver was about 50kg shy of its 1118kg payload rating. It didn't feel like we had more than a tonne on board, given how the suspension maintained resolute composure with no bottoming-out over a variety of road surfaces.

It also made light work of our two kilometre set climb with this payload, pulling fourth gear at 1800rpm and 60km/h up most of the 13 per cent gradient, with only one shift back to third to clear the steepest section.

The Trafic made light work of our two kilometre set climb with our payload. (image credit: Mark Oastler)

Our only gripes are that in wet weather, due to the high front seating position, the front passenger has their forward view largely obscured by the unswept area on the left side of the windscreen. There was also an annoying rattle we traced to the left-hand side sliding door window which we couldn't cure.

Renault provides a three year/200,000km warranty with three-year 24/7 roadside assistance.

Service intervals are 12 months/30,000km, whichever comes first, with a capped price of $349 for the first three scheduled services.

The Trafic Crew is available in two trim levels, comprising the base Crew ($42,990) and top-grade Crew Lifestyle ($46,780), like our test vehicle.

The Trafic Crew gets a full-size spare, no matter the trim. (image credit: Mark Oastler)

The base model features a three-seater rear bench, glazed bulkhead between cabin and cargo bay, glazed sliding doors on each side, twin rear barn doors with wiper/washers and 180-degree opening, three 12-volt accessory sockets and 16-inch steel wheels with 215/65 R16C tyres, and a full-size spare.

An optional Premium Pack adds 17-inch alloys with 215/60R 17C tyres (and full-size spare), multimedia interface with 7.0-inch touchscreen, sat-nav, Bluetooth and a quality sound system, heavy duty 800A battery, dark cloth upholstery, premium dashboard including leather-trimmed gear knob, heated front seats (single passenger seat only) and body-coloured bumpers and mirrors.

There's a vast genuine accessories range including internal and external roof racks, roof-access ladders, towing kits, load floor options and much more.

The Lifestyle adds a hands-free entry card system, climate control, opening windows and roller-blind privacy screens on the sliding doors, extra roof-mounted speakers and LED downlights above the rear seat, plus chrome grille highlights.

Other options include a choice of single front passenger seat (like our test vehicle) or dual passenger bench seat, a single tailgate or special twin barn doors with 270-degree opening. Plus, there's a vast genuine accessories range including internal and external roof racks, roof-access ladders, towing kits, load floor options and much more.