Renault Triber 7-seater MPV: 5 Things To Know

Renault globally unveiled the Triber MPV in India yesterday. And while we knew it would have a 7-seat configuration with a removable third row, Renault is offering practical touches and features which we have only seen in much larger MPVs. All this, while keeping its footprint under four metres. It even gets a new engine with both manual and automatic transmission options. With so much on offer, the Triber looks like a highly practical city car. Here are five things that you need to know about Renault’s latest offering.

1. Its big, yet small for all the space on offer

The Renault Triber is based on a new platform. It measures 3990mm in length, 1739mm in width and 1643mm in height. This makes it shorter and narrower than the Maruti Baleno, but considerably taller than the premium hatchback. Within this footprint, Renault has managed to squeeze in three rows of seats with clever packaging and a modular seating arrangement. But, more on that in the next point. What stands out here is the 2636mm wheelbase which helps it accommodate a third row of seats. This wheelbase is not only longer than all the hatchbacks it will stack up against, but also sub-4 metre SUVs available in India.

2. Seating for 7, 6, 5, 4, 3 or 2 passengers

The Triber packs what Renault calls EasyFix Seats for the third row. This means, the two seats in the third row can be individually folded, or removed. Once both the seats are folded, the boot offers more space than even the Ertiga. But, if you are looking to fit something larger, even the second row seats have a 60:40 split-fold. The second row seats can also recline, and slide to open up more knee and leg room. Renault has also named these seating configurations. The 5-seater configuration is called the Life Mode, 7-seater is the Tribe Mode, the 4-seater is Surf Mode and the 2-seater is called Camp Mode.

3. Lots of features, tonnes of practicality, and a few misses

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The interiors of the Triber look neat and premium, unlike other budget options we have seen from the brand. The dashboard gets a 7.9-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay support. This system is new and gets a different interface along with toggle buttons below the screen. The instrument cluster also has a fancy layout along with a 3.5-inch MID. In terms of practicality, the Triber packs keyless entry with push-button start/stop, two glove boxes, cooled armrest storage, and a lot more. In fact, the second and third row passengers even get their own AC vents on the B-pillars and the roof, respectively. Third row passengers also get their own side armrests and a 12V power socket.

The Triber comes with safety features like four airbags, ABS with EBD, rear parking sensors with camera, driver and co-driver seat belt warning and high speed alert. Even when it comes to the boot space, it offers 84 litres in the 7-seat layout, 320 litres with the 6-seat configuration and a massive 625 litres when the third row is folded. In terms of misses, we would have liked to see automatic AC, second row armrest, steering mounted controls, fog lamps and alloy wheels to be a part of the package as well.

4. A new 1.0-litre heart

Renault has decided to debut a new engine with the Triber in India. The 1.0-litre Energy Dual VVT is a 3-cylinder petrol engine which produces 72PS of power and 96Nm of peak torque. These figures are 4PS and 5Nm higher than the Kwid’s 1.0-litre unit. Gearbox options include a 5-speed manual and an Easy-R AMT. Renault claims a fuel efficiency figure of 20kmpl for the manual and 20.5kmpl for the AMT.

5. Rivals, expected price and launch date

While the Triber has no direct rivals in the market (no we haven't forgotten the Go+, but the Renault is more premium), Renault is positioning it as an alternative to B-segment hatchbacks. This will put it in the price bracket of cars like the Maruti Suzuki Swift, Hyundai Grand i10 and Ford Freestyle. Expect it to be priced between Rs 5 lakh and Rs 7.5 lakh and to be launched by mid-July 2019.

What do you think of the Renault Triber? Would you consider it for the modularity or skip it for popular hatchbacks. Let us know in the comments below.