Renault Triber 2020 Review - Prices, Specs, Variants, Features and Mileage

In how many trims is the Renault Triber available?

Renault is offering the Triber in a total of 4 trims. All these trims, come with the same 3 cylinder motor and 5-speed transmission with FWD. In terms of features, every trim has some unique features that will satisfy the needs of most buyers. However, as with other cars, fancy features like Touchscreen Infotainment System, Rearview Camera, and other fancy features are limited to just the top RXZ trim. The Renault Triber on-road prices in Delhi, India ranges from Rs 5,40,000 to over Rs 6,90,000.

Each variant has a linear up-gradation over the prior and mostly focuses on creature comfort and added safety features as we go up the ladder. The air-con system is surprisingly efficient for a 7-seater at this price point.

Which Variant to choose?

The RXZ at Rs. 6,49,000/- packs in a lot of premium features at its price and which is why we think that it will be the most sensible option to go for. It provides a balance in the amount of features on offer and the price point.

Also Read,

How does the only 7-seater in this segment hold up against the new i10- Nios?

Ford also has some jacked-up credentials, how does it fair against the Triber?

How has Renault taken care of the power source for this 7-seater?

Powering the 2020 Renault Triber is what Renault calls, the Energy Engine. Essentially, this is a naturally aspirated, 3 cylinder, 999cc petrol motor that is good for 72PS of power and 96N-m of torque. Renault uses this engine in its ‘Clio” hatchback and because of which, you can feel the sportiness of the same. 80% of this torque, comes in at just 2000rpm and hence making the Triber, a fun city car to drive.

However, rev up the motor hard and you will feel the Engine making a lot of noise but that is to be expected of all 3 cylinder motors. Pull up your windows though and you will find that not a lot can creep inside the cabin. This engine, may not be the fastest or the most fun to drive against its rivals but hey, it isn’t much slow either.

Renault will soon launch another edition of the Triber that will come power by a turbocharged 3-cylinder motor. Expect power figures to be close 95hp courtesy of sophisticated tech like dual variable valve timing and an exhaust manifold that is partially integrated into the cylinder head. 

The naturally aspirated 3 pot motor comes paired with a 5-speed manual transmission and a front-wheel-drive setup. The gearbox feels good to drive out on the highway but inside the city, you will find the need for frequent gear shifts, considering the relatively sporty nature of the engine.

However, if you have 7 occupants inside the Triber, you may struggle to take the Triber on inclines or steep climbs. Renault says that an AMT is “in-works” for the Triber and is expected to be launched sometime later. Also, this Engine is BS6 compliant as well.

Comparing the Triber to its rivals and you will find that lies somewhere in between all the cars listed above. The Ford, as expected, comes with the most power and torque figures in this comparison. The newly launched Grand i10 Nios is second on the list and the Triber comes in 3rd. Another recently launched car, the Maruti Suzuki S-Presso, comes with the least power and torque on tap but balances it with good fuel efficiency figures.

How fast is the Renault Triber from 0-100?

The Triber derives its Engine from the Renault Clio hatchback and hence, it doesn’t feel as lack-lustre as some of its other rivals. Despite being a 7 seater, the Triber, manages to get to speeds quickly provided when you are in the right gear.

Overtakes are easy and the Engine returns good mileage figures if driven in the proper gear. However, fill up the Triber with 7 people and you will find the need for shifting gears more often.

*Automatic Variant figures used

Despite not having the most powerful engine in this test, the Grand i10 Nios, manages to come out on top of the acceleration test, owing to its good power to weight ratio. The Ford loses out to the Hyundai due to its heft and is the 2nd fastest of the lot. The Triber comes in 3rd here and unsurprisingly, it’s the S-Presso that takes the last spot.

How good is the ride quality and handling characteristics on the Renault Triber?

One of the biggest highlights of the Renault Triber has to be the way it rides and handles. Sure, when you are cruising along with not more than 2 people on board, the Triber feels like just another hatchback. It’s easy to manoeuvre, has decent handling dynamics and doesn’t bounce around everywhere. Its when you load up the Triber with 6 or more where it really shines.

The Triber manages to maintain that supple, calm and composed nature and doesn’t rob any of its characters. The ride quality is on the softer side and that means, the occupants of the Triber will have a big smile on their faces every time you go over the potholes and undulations that our roads have to present.

In terms of the handling, the Triber isn’t meant to be a sporty vehicle and it isn’t one. There is a decent amount of body roll when pushing the Triber hard around the corners. However, it doesn’t get unnerving at any instance and you will have enough grip on most occasions. The Steering is light, making the Triber, a breeze to navigate through heavy traffic. However, this translates to lower high-speed stability on the highway. The Steering doesn’t weigh up as well as some of its other contemporaries do but we aren’t exactly disappointed with the highway performance.

How are the brakes on the Renault Triber?

The Renault Triber is one of the most dynamically potent MPVs in the country right now and its braking performance will surely impress most owners. The front disc brake and rear drum brake setup allow for good braking at all instances. The Pedal feel is linear and progressive as you step on it, harder.

Under Panic braking, the Triber maintains a linear path and does sway around like other lower-priced Renault’s. Renault manages to comes to a halt from 100kmph in around 3.6 seconds.

While we don’t have the braking distance figures of the S-Presso, we feel that it’s braking performance will be at par with the others in the segment, owing to the braking setup and the low kerb weight. The Ford Freestyle impresses with its dynamics by coming to a halt from 100KMPH in just 41 metres. The Hyundai, owing to its low kerb weight, manages to fall short of Ford’s distance by the shortest of margins.

How good are the mileage figures for the Triber?

Considering the small 3 pot motor under the hood of the Triber and the low kerb weight, you should expect good mileage figures out of the Triber, if you drive leniently. Renault claims an ARAI tested fuel efficiency figure of 20kmpl and when you couple that to Renault’s massive 40 Litre fuel tank, you have a driving range of nearly 800km.

Looking at the Triber’s rivals, you will find that the Ford Freestyle, puts its large 42L fuel tank to good use and manages to cover 798 km on a full tank of fuel. The S-Presso, despite its higher fuel efficiency figures, loses out on the range to the others here, owing to its small 27 L fuel tank. The Hyundai also manages a healthy 765 km on a full tank of fuel.

How good-looking is the new Renault Triber?

The Renault Triber, like all other Renaults, flaunts a Typical European design. It's attractive to look at and its balanced proportions, make it feel more like a Hatchback rather than an MPV. The SUV inspired cladding, wide proportions, and tall stance make the Triber look sporty than it actually is. There are good character lines flowing all throughout the Triber’s body, giving it a smart and elegant look.

When you take the dimensions into account, the Triber manages to stay under 4m in length, owing to the well-engineered CMF-A derived platform. The 1739mm width allows for cavernous space on the inside and the 1643mm of height allows easy accommodation for taller passengers as well. The massive 182mm of ground clearance makes it easier for the Triber to move over speed bumps or when taking the road less travelled.

The Triber is longer and wider than all of its rivals. It misses out on being the tallest of the lot as the i10, stays true to its tallboy design. The S-Presso has SUVish proportions but still, it is no match to the other cars in this comparison. However, the S-Presso offers a good 180mm of ground clearance as well. The Freestyle is a true rival to the Triber and beats it, in terms of the ground clearance on offer.

Key Exterior Features:

There are plenty of features on the outside of the Renault Triber, some of which have been listed below

• Projector Headlights with LED DRL’s
• Front and Rear Skid plates
• Power adjustable ORVMs
• Triple Edge Chrome front grille
• 15” Alloys/ 14” Flex wheels
• Eagle Beak tail lights

How does the 2020 Triber feel like on the inside?

If you have ever been in a Renault before in India, prepare to be shocked once you get inside the Renault Triber. The Triber offers a build that you may have not seen on any Renault before. There is a lot of European flair on the inside and the light colour materials on use, make the cabin feel Airy and Roomy. The build quality may still not be at par with let’s say the Koreans or the Germans but in terms of Renault, it’s a step above than the rest. You have over 100+ seating combinations on offer to cater to your needs.

What’s evident is the ton loads of space on offer. Step inside the Triber and you will think of the Triber’s cabin as a Big hotel room. There are plenty of storage spaces and cubby holes on the inside. The LED instrument cluster, adds a futuristic touch to the Cabin. Ingress and Egress in the Cabin is pretty easy courtesy of the easy folding seats and tons of space on offer.

Headroom, Legroom and Shoulder room ranks as one of the best in the segment and passengers of all shapes and sizes, will be easily accommodated inside the same. Seating 3 people abreast won’t be much of a hassle inside the Triber as well.

When comparing the Triber to its rivals, you will find that the Triber can house 7 people inside it while the others can fathom only 5. In terms of the room on offer, the i10 offers plenty of room on the inside as well, owing to its tall boy design. The Freestyle feels roomy on the inside as well but compromises on the rear legroom when compared to the other 2 here. The S-Presso is the least spacious of the lot, owing to its dimensions but seating 4 people in it, won’t be much of a bother as well.

Creature comforts on offer?

Renault is offering a lot of bells and whistles on the Triber and wants to play the features card, as the USP. Here are a few creature comforts on offer in the Renault Triber

• Dual-tone dashboard with Silver accents
• Cooled storage in the centre console
• Push Start-Stop button
• Smart access Card
• Auto Up/Down driver side power windows
• Height and Tilt adjust the steering wheel
• 2nd Row and 3rd Row twin AC vents
• Upper and Lower glove box in dashboard
• Slide and Recline 2nd Row seats

What are the infotainment system and connectivity options in the Renault Triber?

One of the biggest USPs of modern-day Renault cars, have to be their infotainment systems and tech on offer. The Renault Triber follows this trend and features a modern, tech loaded cabin on the inside.

Talking of the Infotainment system, you get all the modern nitty-gritty that you would expect from a Car of this category but we would have appreciated a slightly slicker and intuitive infotainment interface. The LED instrument cluster offers great visibility in bright sunlight and offers a lot of information as well.

Infotainment Features:

• 8” Touchscreen Infotainment system
• Apple Car Play and Android Auto connectivity
• LED instrument console
• 4 Speaker R&GO Audio System with 2 front tweeters
• Bluetooth and USB connectivity

How lavish is the boot Space of the Renault Triber?

Don’t be fooled by the numbers that you have seen in the table that follows below. The Renault Triber houses seating for 7 people and despite that, you have 84L of cargo space behind the 3rd row of seats.

However, fold the 3rd row and you have a Class-Leading 625L of boot space on offer that allows you to transport a Campside worth of equipment with you without any hassle.

The Renault makes the best use of space by offering the most space in our comparison. However, if you look at the rivals, you will find that all of them offer similar levels of cargo space. The Grand i10 Nios comes 2nd in terms of the cargo space on offer. The Ford Freestyle falls short of the i10’s figure by just 3L but still fares well against the compact S-Presso.

How Safe is the Renault Triber?

One of the sore points of most modern-day Renault Cars off late has been their Shady Safety record. Addressing the same issue, Renault is offering a lot of Safety features as standard across the Triber lineup. You do miss out on some basic safety features like ISOFIX child mount seats even as an option, while the Seatbelts are a bit cumbersome to deal with for the Rear passengers.

Dual front airbags and ABS are standard across the range but the top trim gets side front airbags as well. Global NCAP is yet to Crash test the Triber and we will update you on the same, once the Tests have been conducted.

What are the Safety features on offer?

Owing to the latest Safety norms mandated by the Government of India, Dual Airbags with ABS and EBD comes standard in all Trims of the Renault Triber. You will also get intermittent beeps over speeds of 80kmph and even louder and continuous ones at speeds of over 120kmph.

The other safety features on offer include:

• Impact Sensing door unlock
• Speed-sensing door lock
• Rear Parking Sensor
• Rear Backup Camera
• Driver side Load Pre-tensioner and limiter
• Front Row Seat Belt reminder

How does the Renault Triber compare against its rivals?

Renault Triber vs Hyundai Grand i10 Nios

The Hyundai Grand i10 Nios is one of the newer launches from this Korean auto major and boy does it pack some punch. The Grand i10 Nios offers a ton load of features and has a far higher dealer and service network than the Renault. It is much more fun to drive than the Triber and feels the better daily driver of the 2.

However, the Hyundai can pack in just 5 people inside it and the Renault offers most of what the Hyundai does but with 7 people inside it. Renault is rapidly ramping up its service network and with its immense practicality quotient, you can’t go wrong with the Triber.

Renault Triber vs Maruti Suzuki S-Presso

The S-Presso was launched in tandem with the Triber and both the cars, aim to significantly contribute to the sales of their respective makers. The sheer proportions and pricing of the S-Presso makes it an obvious comparison to the Triber. The S-Presso, despite being smaller than the Triber, aims to be a Mini SUV rather than an MPV. Add with all these, Maruti’s legendary service network and over 10,000 bookings, it seems Maruti has another winner on their hands.

However, at just Rs 90,000 more over the S-Presso, you can get the Renault Triber which is a far safer people carrier, feels premium on the inside, can ferry 7 people along and a lot more fun to drive as well.

Renault Triber vs Ford Freestyle

The Ford Freestyle, despite being a fabulous product, wasn’t as well received in the market as Ford would have expected it to. It stays true to its Compact Utility Vehicle nature by offering class-leading ground clearance, feature-loaded interiors, a punchy powertrain, and impeccable ride dynamics. However, the Ford achieves all this but with just 5 people on board.

The Triber does most of what the Ford manages to do but with 7 people on board. It is immensely spacious on the inside, practical and frugal to live with. Considering the massive ramp-up in the service network of Renault and the cheap quality of spares, the Triber will be much easier to live with than the Ford.

Should you buy the Renault Triber?

Renault has managed to read the minds of the Indian customers perfectly and create a product, specifically catering to their needs and likes. With the Triber, Renault is offering an immensely practical vehicle that allows seating for 7, good to drive in the city, returns impressive fuel efficiency, is feature loaded on the inside, looks fabulous and most importantly, priced superbly. It is even getting praised by the buyers as 

Sure, at under 5 lakhs rupees, you can get slightly sportier or frugal cars than the Triber. But, for everything that the Triber offers, there is certainly no beating this brand new offering from Renault.