Renault Triber Turbo Review; The Good & The Not-So-Good

The French automaker is trying hard to get a major chunk of sales in the Indian market. The brand is currently playing in the MPV, sub-4 metre SUV and mid-size SUV segments. If you haven’t guessed from the first two sentences, the brand we are talking about is Renault. It offers one of the most affordable seven-seater MPVs in the Indian market, the Triber. The Renault Triber was previously available with a single 1.0-litre NA petrol engine that was a lazy engine. Now, the brand has updated the MPV with a new 1.0-litre turbo petrol engine to make it more powerful. But does this addition make the MPV better? To check this, I recently drove the Triber Turbo, and in this piece we’ll look at the pros and cons of the new Renault Triber Turbo.

Pros

1. 100 PS Turbo Petrol Engine 

The first and foremost thing that is good in the new Triber is the 1.0-litre turbo petrol engine that it offers. This is the same 100 PS engine used in the Kiger, but tuned for more torque. The new engine produces 180 Nm of peak torque, making the Triber the most torquey MPV under 10 lakh. Now comes the driving experience: it now feels more powerful and more mature in terms of performance. The initial pull is nice, and the low end is good enough to crawl well in traffic conditions. The engine offers good pull between 2,000 and 3,000 rpm, even with five people on board and the AC on. You can take the new Triber from 0-100 kmph in under 11 seconds.

It does have a nice pull to it, but it is not too quick. It pulls well, and you can drive it in 3rd gear all day long around the city. The torque can be felt at every moment, and that gives a good driving experience. It can rev over 6,000 rpm, but that’s the point where it becomes a bit noisy and the engine doesn’t seem very happy. The 5-speed gearbox offers decent performance but lacks refinement; scroll down to read about that below.

2. Reworked Platform, Not Just A New Engine 

For the addition of the new engine in the Triber, Renault has made changes to the platform. It continues to use the RGEP platform but with improved mechanicals to offer better dynamics. The brand has made structural changes that have increased the overall weight by 80 kg, this weight is due to a stiffer structure, better crash protection, and anti-roll bars at the front and rear. It now gets an intercooler, a dedicated cooling fan for better cooling of the engine and components without compromising on the cabin temperature. Another major improvement is on the suspension, it now gets an anti roll bar or sway bar that helps in better ride quality and helps in reducing body roll at high speeds and while doing quick maneuvers.

3. Practical Cabin & Flexible Third-Row

The Renault Triber offers one of the most practical cabins under the Rs 10 lakh price tag. Being an MPV, it offers space for 7 people; however, the third-row space is debatable, but the third row comes with a removable mechanism, which means you can turn the vehicle into a 7-seater, 6-seater or 5-seater by removing either one or both third-row seats. This helps in giving the MPV up to 600 litres of boot space. It also comes with a single-touch flip seat to make it simple for children to get in. The storage spaces inside the cabin are also practical enough: two glove boxes, multiple places to keep your phone, cup holders and even a cooled centre storage area to keep your drinks cool. Under Rs 10 lakh, this is something not every MPV is offering. For better comfort inside the cabin, it also offers good headroom and legroom in the second row, plus independently sliding and reclining seats.

4. Value For Money Offering

The new Triber Turbo starts at Rs 7.85 lakh (ex-showroom), making it one of the most affordable turbo MPVs in the Indian market. It is available in 4 variants, with prices going up to Rs 9.21 lakh (ex-showroom). With the turbo engine, it has become a more worthy option in the MPV segment. It packs decent features, turbo power and good space management for a sub-4 metre vehicle, making it an overall complete package for budget-conscious buyers.

Cons

1. Not So Exciting

The addition of a turbo engine is a welcome addition in the Triber and it was much needed. But this turbo is not that exciting, it is good on torque but below 1,800-1,900 RPM there is a noticeable turbo lag and it takes a few seconds to kick in, specially in the 3rd and 4th gear. The clutch is slightly on the heavier car, at least it was in our test car. Moreover, the NVH is better than the NA version but not the best, you can still hear the engine screaming when driving it at higher speeds. 

2. No Visual Changes 

The turbo variant comes with an updated engine and structure, but it does not get any visual change over the NA version. Customers have to pay more to buy the turbo variant, but they get nothing apart from a small badge to show it is a turbo. Some styling changes, new graphics or colour options for the turbo variant would have given customers the exclusivity to differentiate their vehicle from the NA version. 

3. Still Old School Touches & Missing Features

While Renault has added several modern features, some daily-use things still remain old school and look cheap. The dashboard is full of hard plastic, and the interior lock/unlock mechanism is an old pull-type lock that gets stuck at times. There are no adjustable headrests for the front row and no middle headrest in the second row. All this gives the cabin a cheap feel, and for some customers it can take away from the ownership experience of the vehicle.

Car Junction Insights

The Renault Triber is one of the most affordable MPVs in the Indian market, and now, with the turbo petrol engine, it has become the only turbo MPV under 10 lakh. The turbo engine is a good addition, but does it add excitement for enthusiast drivers? No. It is made for people who want a budget MPV with enough power to pull the vehicle with a full load. The NA engine feels underpowered with a full load, and the turbo petrol takes away that downside of the Triber. It handles well, offers good highway manner, and the updated structure adds to better ride quality as well. 

However, it still shows a lot of cost-cutting on the inside. But if you want something on a tight budget, with the flexibility to ferry your family and luggage, the Triber Turbo makes sense. It doesn’t compromise much on features or performance, and it is especially easy on your pocket.

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