New Trafic is the tradie’s day-to-day dream drive. It has upped the ante in every possible way, giving great performance and max all round comfort.
In terms of power, New Trafic’s 125kW turbocharged four-cylinder engine gives it the oomph to have you powering between worksites. But power can only do so much for you – it’s Renault’s understanding of the modern tradie and their needs that has seen Trafic establish a healthy fandom in Australia – its biggest market outside Europe.
Convenience embodied
Comfort and efficiency is what matters to Renault, said Renault Australia General Manager Glen Sealey.
“We were always thinking of the person who’s in there with the low access point from the rear, but also a very comfy cabin up front which is more car-like than it’s ever been,”Glen said.
It’s all about accessibility for tradies in LCVs– you need your van to access all manner of tight spaces and areas. With an uncompromising height not exceeding 1.97m (1971mm), getting into carparks and other low-ceiling areas is a piece of cake for New Trafic.
“We run with a single height because we’ve found the Trafic is really good for accessing car parks at that height,” Glen said.
“It’s important for tradies who are going in underneath an office building for doing any plumbing or electrical fit-outs for example.” A best-in-class 4.15m load length and maximum cargo-bay area of 6.7m3 with options for a long and short wheelbase gives the option for larger loads without compromising the height of Trafic. “It’s got a square entry from the rear, so putting pallets in isn’t a problem for the back and sides,’ Glen said.
Comfort is also much improved on previous editions thanks to improved design, materials, and ergonomics which deliver the perfect mobile office for the driver. All Trafic models come with comfy upholstery with an eight-way adjustable driver’s seat and leatherette steering wheel. For those who need bit of groove in the drive, the Lifestyle variant takes it a step further with a heated drivers’ seat, climate control, anti-slip floor coverings, three rear seats and those groovy step-in entrance lights.
The New Trafic takes another step ahead of the competition where tech is concerned, starting with an Easy Link 8-inch touchscreen with Apply CarPlay and Android Auto with Bluetooth, DAB+ and USB connectivity. Plus, on Premium variants, a wireless smartphone charger will keep your battery topped up between jobs.
It comes with all the navigation bells and whistles you need to get around your worksites, which includes satellite navigation on Premium variants, which displays speed limits and points of interest among other features. The New Trafic comes with a variety of option packs, but the Trade Pack should be the one that gets tradies excited. For only $2,000, your Trafic will be outfitted with a non-slip wooden floor, full-height wooden wall lining, an anti-theft spare-wheel protection basket, a heavy-duty battery and LED ceiling lights to truly transform it into a portable office.
Years of loyalty paying off
Andrew ‘Clubby’ Clubb has been a proud Trafic owner since 2007, having used them for his business which involves transporting heavy-duty bikes including dirt bikes. Clubby got his first taste of Trafic’s capabilities on a work trip in the forest. “I was on an assignment with some mates riding in the forest out back of Canberra, and one of them turned up in one of these Trafic vans,” he said. “I didn’t know anything about them.
From the outside it looked good and bigger than my van dimensionally. “He took me for a drive around the forests and it was night and day – nicer to drive and ride in than my van. I ditched my old van, picked up a Trafic and have never looked back since. I’ve been absolutely stoked with it.” Trafic has always been famed for its hefty payloads and ability to carry more than its fair share. Just ask Clubby, who routinely needs to keep decent-sized motorbikes in the back. “When I’ve got a couple of dirt bikes in there, there’s no issues. Even when I have a couple of larger adventure bikes which can weigh 200kgs (each)
– it’s really convenient,” he said. Clubby said he’s considering the New Trafic, with all the new bells and whistles that have it standing head and shoulders above the previous models.
Fuelling great work ethic
Clubby was amazed by the fuel efficiency of his Trafic, much like many who rely on the LCV to carry their work with them. “I’m going between Sydney and Melbourne every couple of months, and it’s just so comfortable on the highway,” he said. “Not only that, it’s faster and chews up less fuel than my previous van. I’ll easily do Sydney to Melbourne in one tankful.”
With an 80-litre tank and 2.0L engine, New Trafic is just as capable of long intervals without re-fuelling, if not more so. Automatic Trafic will only consume on average 6.5 litres per 100kms on the combined cycle, while the manual version will average an impressive 7.2L/100km. “The upgrades for the vehicle are significant from the previous model to the new one … it’s more economical than it was,” Glen said.
“You’re spending less time at the fuel station and more on the road being productive on the job. That doesn’t sound like much on a daily basis, but when you add that up, by the end of the year it’s significant. “It’s really annoying when you’re rushing between jobs to stop and get fuel … with the Trafic you spend more time on the road and less time in unproductive environments.” Not only are Trafic owners going to spend less time at the bowser, but they’ll be spending less time at Renault service centres too, with a generous service interval of 1 year/30,000km.
Safety First
With comfort and efficiency comes the best in safety additions, with New Trafic adding bucketloads of features to keep your tools and you in one piece. As well as adaptive cruise control, New Trafic sports a bevy of new features that not only make your drive more comfortable, but safe as well.
In Trafic Pro, you’ll find top new safety features, including lane-departure warning and car-to-car Active Emergency Braking Systems. In addition to those handy features, Trafic Premium comes with Traffic Sign Recognition, Blind Spot Warning, Tyre Pressure Warning as well as front and rear Sensors and Electric Folding Door Mirrors.