Renault Triber AMT Long Term Review
The Renault Triber is an excellent family car thanks to its roomy and functional cabin and remarkable ride quality
Renault created a new segment by rolling out an MPV which sits under the 4-metres mark, priced it aggressively and immediately had it doing good numbers for them. We have driven the Triber on numerous occasions before including our epic food trip. The Triber has now made it into the MotorBeam Garage and it’s time to put it to pace as our daily drive. Our car is painted in the signature orange colour. It is surprising how well Renault has packaged this car. Feels overly spacious for something which is the same size as a compact SUV. On paper, the Triber ticks almost all the boxes, let’s find out how it fares in the real world?
Previously, all the variants of the Triber we had driven were sporting a manual gearbox. This car came with the AMT, so there is definitely some added convenience on the table. To put things into perspective, we decided on a family trip with a fair amount of luggage. As the COVID situation was more or less under control, it was time to step out of home, but keeping the safety of the family in mind, there were very limited options to choose from. To keep the interaction with others at a minimal, the best option was to rent out a private bungalow and that is exactly what we did.
A favourable destination shouldn’t be more than a few hours’ drive and hence Alibaug was selected and sealed. We were total 6 in number (including myself) and the challenge to ensure that all the luggage fits. There were 2 full-sized suitcases and with the last row of seats upright, we were really not sure if we will manage to squeeze in our baggage. Thankfully, the removable seats came in handy. Since it was just 6 of us, we removed one of the last row seats and parked it at home and bingo, everything fit very easily.
Excellent packaging by Renault makes the Triber extremely practical and value for money
It was time to explore an alternate route to Alibaug. Although it takes much longer, it was worth trying the ferry at least once, just for the experience. The ferry can accommodate about 150 cars in 2 decks, is seamlessly managed and there is an added bonus of soaking in some fresh sea air. Since most of us were locked up at home during these times, the chance to soak up some sun and be outdoors added a much-needed perspective to life. We parked the car on the ferry and enjoyed the sea breeze on the upper deck. After an hour of sailing, we finally drove off from Mandwa Jetty and reached our destination in under an hour’s drive from the jetty.
Alibaug roads are narrow and the Triber offered good manoeuvrability with its light steering. However, with the car fully loaded, we would have loved a little more power on hand. Overtaking needed some planning on these narrow roads. The AMT certainly adds to the convenience of two-pedal driving but is considerably lazy when you need to move up or down the gears in a hurry. Besides the above, there was absolutely nothing to complain about. The ride quality, like most Renault cars, was fabulous, even on really bad roads. The AC in all the three rows was a boon and cooled the cabin effectively.
After relaxing for 3 days, it was time to get back. However, we decided to ditch the ferry on our return journey for one simple reason. The journey by road was worth half the time, besides it’s always fun to drive when you have a chance. The Triber has been returning around 14 km/l on the highway and around 11 km/l in the city. The car has only done around 1900 kms on the odometer and we expect the fuel efficiency to improve as the engine gets oiled up with more use. For now, the Triber has been quite impressive with the practicality it offers.
What’s Cool
- Spacious cabin
- Large boot and plenty of storage spaces
- AC in all three rows
What’s Not So Cool
- Engine could have done with more grunt
- AMT gearbox lags sometimes
Further Reading –
Renault Triber – Safest Mass Segment 7-Seater In India [Video]
Renault Triber Variants Explained – Hindi [Video]
A Road Trip Full Of Food [Video]
Renault Triber vs Maruti Wagon R In Hindi [Video]
Renault Triber First Look Review [Video]
Renault Triber First Look In Hindi [Video]