Renault Triber AMT

Car Tested: Renault Triber RXZ EASY-R AMT; Road Test No. 1205; Test Location: Mumbai

Price OTR Mumbai: Rs 7.31 – 8.50 lakhs

The addition of an AMT lends more convenience and also makes the Renault Triber an even better package

The Renault Triber has the advantage of being one of the most affordable 7-seaters in the Indian market today. When we drove this car last, we did come out impressed with the packaging that is offered for the price. The lack of an automatic was a negative point but recently Renault launched the Triber AMT and we’re driving it to find out whether it has any aces up its sleeve or not!

MotorQuest: While the Renault Triber shares its CMF-A platform with the Kwid, it is built with over 90% new parts that aren’t shared with any other Renault-Nissan vehicle!

Renault-Triber-AMT-16 — Renault’s excellent packaging gives the Triber a proportionate and attractive look

Exteriors – No cosmetic changes have been made to the Renault Triber AMT and it looks similar to the manual variant. Of course, there’s an Easy-R badge at the rear but that’s about it. The Triber is a compact 7-seater and measures under 4-metres in length and yet it manages to look very proportionate. The styling is pleasant to look at and the design has an “offend-none” feel. Renault also offers some nice colour options with the Triber. The vehicle gets 15-inch steel rims which have been styled to look like alloys.

Renault-Triber-AMT-4 — The cabin boasts of a long list of features and is extremely practical and spacious

Interiors – The interior of the AMT variant is again similar to the manual variant with the only change being the new gear lever and the absence of a clutch. The instrument cluster has a gear position indicator and it beeps a warning when you shift from N to D or R without pressing the brake pedal. Renault has very smartly packaged the cabin of this 7-seater and it has decent space in all three rows. The Triber is also decently feature-loaded and it gets 4 airbags, ABS, touchscreen infotainment system, manual AC, power windows, projector headlamps, push-button start, 4 speakers + 2 tweeters, reverse camera, 12V charging socket in the third row, etc. in the top variant which is indeed impressive. The seats are also quite comfortable and at par with other cars in this price range. Renault has also given a lot of important to storage spaces which are aplenty in the cabin.

Renault-Triber-AMT-22 — The 3-cyl engine is good enough for regular commutes but isn’t very punchy

Performance – The Renault Triber AMT gets a 1.0-litre, 3-cyl, petrol engine from the Energy series. It is offered on the Kwid but it gets Dual VVT on the Triber. This engine is tuned to deliver 72 PS at 6250 RPM and 96 Nm at 3500 RPM, which is the same output as the manual variant. The engine is quiet at low revs but gets vocal after you cross 2500 RPM. It’s a small unit but pulls the car decently. The Triber now gets a 5-speed AMT which feels smoother than the one on Kwid, but yes while upshifting you do feel the head-toss movement that is generally felt in AMTs. When you’re driving fast, gearshifts can feel slow but when you’re easy on the throttle, it feels smoother and manageable. Downshifts are a bit slow so quick overtakes on the highway need to be planned otherwise a slow downshift in the middle of an overtaking manoeuvre can get on your nerves.

Renault-Triber-AMT-17 — The manual mode of the AMT is very useful especially when you need to make an overtake

The AMT offers decently quick and smooth shifts when you’re easy on the throttle and also gets a manual mode

There is a manual mode too and it makes sense using it on inclines or sometimes to get better control of the gears while overtaking. The engine offers decent driveability in the city but the power delivery isn’t very punchy, in fact, power is delivered in a flat manner. The Triber won’t disappoint in day to day runs but you might have to take control of the gears sometimes. Renault is also working on a 1.0 turbo petrol engine and that one should really spice things up. The ARAI figures are 19 km/l (MT) and 18.29 km/l (AMT) so you can expect 12-13 km/l in the city and slightly better on the highways.

Renault-Triber-AMT-20 — The light steering and superb ride quality make the drive pretty easy and comfortable

Driving Dynamics – Just like other Renault cars, the Triber also comes with a very sorted suspension setup. The ride quality is really impressive and travelling on bad roads doesn’t really unsettle the car or offer a tiring experience to the passengers. The 182 mm ground clearance comes in to be really handy. The steering isn’t as feelsome as other Renault cars and it is quite vague, but it feels very light while driving in the city. The brakes offer good bite and the brake pedal has good progression.

Renault-Triber-AMT-2 — If you want an easy-to-drive budget MPV, the Triber AMT is a no-brainer

Verdict – The Triber AMT is offered in the RXL, RXT and RXZ trims and the pricing is higher than the manual variants by around Rs. 40,000/- ex-showroom and Rs. 46,000/- on-road. The premium for the AMT is totally worth it if you are someone who wants convenience and if you are going to drive the car in traffic regularly. This vehicle has always come across as a VFM offering. The Triber doesn’t have any 7-seater rival in this price bracket apart from the Datsun GO+ which is quite smaller in comparison.