BUSES have a reputation for being ugly. If you want to emphasise how terrible something looks, you might say: “it looks like the back of a bus”.
While some manufacturers take the simple approach and stick to a basic slab-like look, others go out of their way to be creative. So, what we have here is the Renault Trafic Passenger, a nine-seater MPV and, in case you felt the need to correct our spelling, this Trafic is spelt with one “f”. One could say that French styling is either sexy or weird and quirky. This time it’s the latter! Strange, and, while some testers saw it as ugly, others said it was funky and bold. Make up your own mind, but one feature worth mentioning is the cab roof that has a mild dome, improving headroom slightly, but looking decidedly odd. Overall, we think it’s better to be adventurous than boring.
Up front there’s a straightforward sloping windscreen and bonnet, whereas the sides use different lines and angles to create the unique shape. Tail-lamps have plastic protective covers, and the rear hatch is massive, necessitating a couple of steps backwards on opening. The huge rear window has a wash/ wipe facility, and, talking of washers, the front windscreen set was overly enthusiastic, spraying more water onto the roof than on the glass.
Entering the cab requires a brief moment of low-budget mountaineering. With no grab handle, the driver needs to tug on the steering wheel or use the door for elevation. The front passenger has help in the form of an overhead handle, as do those sitting further back.
The vehicle’s height provides a commanding driving position with steering wheel and pedals well placed. The gearlever is incorporated into the centre of the facia, giving the centre seat occupant enough foot space. Seats are upholstered in hard-wearing cloth, with some extra padding for a more comfy ride. The driver has a folddown armrest on the left, but the only support on the right is the top of the plastic door moulding. Large sunvisors do a good job of keeping sunlight at bay behind the generous glass area.
Drinkholders are incorporated into both ends of the facia, together with mouldings to take oddments and documents. Door pockets are large enough to take cool drink bottles. There’s a respectable list of standing features that include a radio/CD sound system with facia display and remote control stalk, air-conditioning, electric front windows, and remote central locking with alarm system. Dual front airbags and front seatbelt pre-tensioners are part of the package. On the subject of safety, traction control comes as standard, which is an important consideration for a people mover.
The side mirrors are large, and have a second section providing a wide-angle view of the lower sides of the body. The attractive alloy wheels fitted to our test unit are available as an option to the standard steel rims.
Some items that we perceived as part of the furniture on all Renaults are missing on this model, including a fuel consumption readout, auto lights (on and off), and auto-lock on pull-away.
Access to the centre row of seats is by means of a sliding door (with a sliding window) on either side. The eighth and ninth passengers must use the left-hand door, as only the end-centre seat flips forward for access to the rear seat. All passengers are supplied with seatbelts and head restraints.
Legroom and headroom are fine all-round. For luggage space, a useful 720 dm3 can be utilised behind the rear seat without impinging on rearward vision, and with the rear seat collapsed and folded forwards, this increases to 1 888 dm3. With the seats removed, there is cavernous space, with a flat floor. However the middle seat is neither adjustable or foldable, so our luggage measurement figure is smaller than that of rivals VW Kombi and Mercedes Vito. But with the second and third rows of seats removed, the available space is 4 328 dm3, which is similar to the Vito’s figure, and just over 700 dm3 ahead of the long-wheelbase Kombi. Flooring uses easy-to-clean rubber matting and a full-size spare wheel resides under the rear of the vehicle body.
The Trafic is an easy vehicle to drive for its size, with car-like controls, a well-positioned gearlever, a light clutch, and hydraulically assisted steering that feels strong and provides good feedback. The 1,9- litre dCi turbodiesel engine pulls from as low down as 1 000 r/min, which is a huge plus as it eliminates stalling and clutch slipping. Some testers found the power band on the short side, particularly in first gear, with a brief surge from the turbo quickly running out of steam and requiring an up-change. Others said it was easy to drive with manoeuvrability, both in traffic and while parking, undaunting.
Acceleration takes place at a leisurely pace, the bus reaching 100 km/h from a standstill in 18,69 seconds, but in normal driving it’s rapid enough to keep ahead of most traffic. It is possible to move along at idle in gear while, at the opposite end of the spectrum, top whack is 159 km/h, providing sufficient reserve for overtaking. Ride and handling are both well sorted for a large, tall vehicle weighing-in at close to two tons. Handling proved better than expected, and the Trafic Passenger hustled around a tight, twisty mountain pass with no scary moments to speak of.
Fuel economy is even more impressive, with an overall index figure of 9,1 litres/100 km and a twoweek test consumption that was even better at 8,29 litres/100 km.
Test summary
If you need spacious accommodation for nine, or a relatively luxurious bus for hotel use and the like, then this is an easy-going, likeable medium for the job – economical, and plenty fast enough for general use. As for the looks? Well, that’s up to you…
