We like
Car-like drive, interior revisions, no more weak engines, modern safety gear, improved efficiency, increased tow rating

Room for improvement
No integrated sat-nav unless you spend big, high starting price, cup holder count

Overview

 

RENAULT’S third-generation Trafic has been a quiet achiever since production began in 2014, consistently selling in healthy quantities behind rivals from Toyota and Hyundai despite not enjoying quite the same volume of fleet sales as either of them.

 

Eight years on, the arrival of fresher van product like the Toyota HiAce, Volkswagen Transporter and Hyundai Staria Load have been shining some harsh light on the Trafic’s wrinkles – principally outdated in-car tech and a lacklustre safety fit-out – however the Trafic now benefits from a facelift that attempts to correct both of those shortfalls.

 

You can find out more about the full list of changes at GoAuto’s price and features story, but here’s the executive summary: all Trafic variants are now powered by the 125kW/380Nm 2.0-litre turbodiesel as standard, autonomous emergency braking (AEB) and lane departure warning (LDW) is now standard across the range, the front end is thoroughly redesigned, the dashboard is entirely new, the door cards are reprofiled and tow capacity has been raised to a very handy 2500kg for the base model Trafic Pro short-wheelbase and long-wheelbase manual.

 

There are other detail changes too – such as a 29kg increase in max payload for LWB variants and the addition of active cruise control, blind spot monitoring, tyre pressure warning and speed sign recognition for Premium and Lifestyle grades – but the vast bulk of the changes are concentrated ahead of the B-pillar.

 

Do the changes go far enough? Sure, the van segment moves at a much slower speed than passenger cars and SUVs – and indeed utes – but van owners and operators certainly don’t deserve to be saddled with yesterday’s tech, so how does the Trafic’s 2023 fit-out shape up?.

 

The elimination of the low-output 1.6-litre diesel from the range is also a welcome change, but while entry models now enjoy a lift in power, torque, fuel efficiency and (in some cases) towing and payload capacity, the powertrain rejig and plumped-up safety suite also sees the price of admission soar to $48,00 for the Trafic Pro SWB manual. 

 

Renault isn’t too worried by the added cost. The company’s Australian distributor Ateco says the core Trafic customer has been transacting at or around that level for a while now, and it has no qualms about leaving the ‘budget van’ segment to the likes of low-cost brands like LDV – which is another brand it distributes in this country.

 

The Trafic is largely pitched at owner-operator tradespeople, the kind of folk who see value in paying a bit more for a better product. 

 

So is the rejuvenated Trafic indeed a better product? We travelled to Sydney to put some miles on the dial of the mid-spec Trafic Premium in order to find out.

Drive Impressions

 

The van we’re in, being a mid-spec long-wheelbase automatic, is probably the most representative of what the average plumber, sparky or chippy would go for were they to bypass a dual-cab ute for their workhorse

 

For those kinds of operators, the Trafic is more than a mere box on wheels in which to throw cable, conduit, and chipboard into. 

 

While the base Trafic Pro has nothing to separate the occupants from cargo (though a bulkhead is a cost option), the Trafic Premium gets a steel bulkhead with a glass window that not only provides some safety factor in a front-ender, but also helps the air-conditioning efficiently regulate cabin temperature while vastly reducing the acoustic boominess of that big cave in the back. Result: a cabin ambience that’s more like a car than a van, with a correspondingly positive effect on the driver’s sanity and wellbeing.

 

Despite the bulkhead, the Trafic can tote loads almost as long as its entire interior, thanks to a flip-up passthrough in the bulkhead that unlocks the space under the passenger seat for lengthy cargo – up to 4150mm in the LWB’s case, or 3750mm for the SWB.

 

This isn’t a new feature for the Trafic, by the way, but we’re glad it’s been retained as it’s something that sets it apart from many mid-size van rivals like the Staria Load and Toyota HiAce. No fewer than 16 tie-down points are also standard, providing ample options to secure a load.

 

And it’s these quality-of-life touches that really define the Trafic. After all, with the absence of a high-roof variant in Australia (though Europeans do get one) and a capacity that maxes out at 6.7 cubic metres for the LWB (it’s 5.8 cubic metres for the SWB and 4.0 for the crew van), it’s not the most capacious option in its segment.

 

However, it’s easily one of the easiest to drive and to live with, and for the owner-operators that Renault is now squarely targeting (the French car-maker is more than happy to leave the delivery van niche to other brands), those attributes will be critical.

Things like the fold-down centre seat backrest and its integrated desktop and document holder were existing niceties that made life on the road that much easier for tradies, but thanks to the Trafic’s completely new dashboard design, there’s better access to the sizable centre cubby that’s great for carrying phones, small tools and your lunch (it also has a pair of USB charge ports), while the 8.0-inch infotainment system that’s standard on all variants is bright and easy to use – though we encountered persistent issues with Apple CarPlay functionality during our test. 

Android Auto smartphone tethering worked flawlessly though, and the provision of a wireless charge pad on the Premium grade means there’s one less cable to wrangle when hopping in and out. A baked-in sat-nav system would be a nice-to-have, however you’ll need to spend big on the $62,200 Trafic Lifestyle Crew if you want that feature.

Cabin ergonomics are generally good, with a comfortable driver’s seat (which could perhaps do with a little more under-thigh support) and a decent driving position that’s facilitated by a reach and rake-adjustable steering wheel. 

 

The passenger seats are a little more compromised as the outboard seat is hard-up against the left door, which impinges on elbow room, and the centre passenger sacrifices knee space to the lower dash and shifter quadrant.

 

A bigger issue, though, is the relative scarcity of cup and bottle holders. Modern tradies are seemingly powered by all manner of bottled and canned beverages, but the Trafic only provides two receptacles for them – both located far from occupants near the base of the A-pillars. More cup holder options, or just ones positioned a little more conveniently, would be welcome.

 

To drive, the Trafic’s steering is light around town and with enough lock to provide decent manoeuvrability in tight car parks, even for the long-wheelbase model. Renault actually quotes the same 12.4-metre figure for both the SWB and LWB’s turning circle, which is a car-like metric.

 

Keeping tabs on the front left-hand corner can be tough, but the Premium scores front and side parking sensors that are new for 2023 that should make loading dock scrapes a rarity, while blind-spot monitoring is also now standard for Premium and Lifestyle grades and the wing mirrors are now 30 per cent bigger than before.

Renault’s move to make the 2.0-litre powertrain the default for the full range is also a good one, as it’s a smooth, tractable and generally quiet engine that pairs well with the six-speed dual clutch automatic we tested.

 

With a light load in the back, the Trafic easily keeps pace with fast-moving traffic, and its ample reserves of torque give it a strong feel that suggests it wouldn’t sweat being loaded close to its GVM either – though we didn’t have the opportunity to do so at this launch. 

 

Besides feeling muscular under the pedal, the 2.0 litre has also had further efficiency optimisations to drop fuel consumption – and thus running costs. For the auto, Renault quotes an average burn of 6.5L/100km on the combined cycle, which is 0.8L/100km better than the same engine in the pre-facelift model, and 0.1L/100km under what the old 85kW 1.6-litre manual consumed. Manuals consume a claimed 7.2L/100km.

 

Speaking of running costs, the 2023 Trafic is covered by a five-year, 200,000km warranty that includes five years of roadside assistance, while service intervals are set for every 12 months or 30,000km with the first five services capped at $649 each.

 

Ride comfort is also good on both urban roads and highways. Despite its 1.7-1.9-tonne kerb weight, the Trafic’s suspension possesses a car-like quality that doesn’t punish those spending long stints behind the wheel, with the quiet engine and the aforementioned cabin bulkhead also helping take the edge off extended drives.

 

Transmission behavior is also decent, with crawl performance that’s only slightly less slick than a conventional hydraulic automatic and delivers reasonably fast transitions from drive to reverse (and vice-versa).

 

Something else that should make a difference out on the open road is the new active safety suite. Lane departure warning is standard on all Trafics, emitting an attention-getting growl from the audio system when you stray across a painted line. AEB is also standard too – though naturally harder to assess – but it’s worth noting that it’s only capable of detecting other vehicles, so don’t count on it to pick up cyclists, pedestrians, or other vulnerable road users.

 

While it looks outwardly different, the core Trafic experience is largely the same. A bad thing? Not really. If anything, the tightened focus on small businesses and owner-operators has resulted in a better van on the whole – albeit a more expensive one – and it’s a van that’s more efficient, safer, and easier to drive than before.

 

There are no paradigm shifts here, but the Trafic’s much-needed modernisation should at least see it serve tradies well for at least a few more years.