2020 Renault Triber is big on space and kind on the budget

The 2020 Renault Triber is a budget-friendly, small SUV that can accommodate 5 to 7 people. Ideal for a small South African family looking for a compact and practical vehicle, you can have it for just under R2,500 per month instalment. Although it competes primarily against the Datsun Go+, if you are a little flexible with budget, you may also want to consider the Suzuki's Ertiga, the Honda BR-V or the Toyota Avanza. Does the new Triber offer excellent value for your money? Let’s find out:

The 2020 Renault Triber carries a naturally aspirated 1.0L 3-cylinder engine creating just 52 kW and 96 Nm of torque, which isn’t much for a family hauler. The automaker isn’t even offering a turbocharged mill right now, but it will reportedly be accessible before the end of this year. We say the powertrain feels very sluggish because of 96Nm of torque kicks in at 3,500 rpm. The only available gearbox is a 5-speed manual, while an AMT (automated manual) might come soon.

You would find this small engine appropriate for highway cruising, offering a quiet and smooth ride. The company says it can deliver a 5.5 L/100 km fuel economy, which is exceptional, but we know it can be higher in real driving conditions.

Renault has designed this small SUV with practicality and flexibility top of mind. The exterior is simple with black plastic cladding, roof rails (that can carry 50-kg of load), LED daytime running lights, and 15-inch alloys.

The real magic happens inside; from a dual-tone fascia, authentic 7-seater capability, a touchscreen infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple Carplay compatibility, a digital instrument cluster, and electric windows and mirrors to an air-conditioned centre console (separate air-con ventilation outlets for the 2nd and 3rd rows of seats), and cooled glove box, the interior is quite cleverly packaged.   

There is plenty of space in the second row with third-row suitable for average-sized adults or teenagers. You can recline the 2nd-row seats and fully fold the third-row seats to extend the luggage capacity to 625 litres.

Safety is a big concern for most South African car buyers. The Expression and Dynamique trim levels come with two airbags, while the Prestige has four airbags. The ABS with EBD is standard, but the reverse camera is available in Prestige. We did not receive the NCAP rating yet, but the company believes it would be a lot better than the Kwid.

The 2020 Renault Triber comes with a 5-years/150 000 km warranty and a 2-years/30 000 km service plan. The pricing details are:

Renault Triber Expression 1.0-litre ENERGY -  R164 900
Renault Triber Dynamique 1.0-litre ENERGY -  R174 900  
Renault Triber Prestige 1.0-litre ENERGY -  R189 900

The 2020 Renault Triber comes equipped with lots of smart and practical facilities that make it a good family SUV. It is spacious and drives like a sophisticated car - certainly better than the Kwid. The only problem is the iffy powertrain with diminishing torque and poorly spaced gear ratios. The rumoured turbocharged would be an excellent option for buyers looking to drive it at altitudes.  

Do you love cars as much as we do? Check out this review on the 2020 Mercedes-AMG S models

Please note the imagery supplied in this blog was taken off  www.cars.co.za