Renault’s new Transit Custom-rivalling Trafic panel van is now available to order with prices starting at £22,800 plus VAT.
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Externally, the medium-sized van has been freshened up with a new front end that sees LED headlights and a more pronounced grille added to the mix. Smaller changes include the addition of new paint colour - Urban Grey - while the eagle-eyed may notice that the Renault badge sits in a redesigned holder.
Inside, meanwhile, the cabin has been redeveloped to make it more car-like. There are chrome finishers on the buttons and detailing, and the whole lot comes with a new ‘dark carbon’ colour scheme. There’s new upholstery, too, and a new gear knob.
Under the bonnet, customers get a choice of new, 2-litre diesel engines and the option of a new six-speed automatic gearbox. All three engines comply with the latest emissions regulations, and the power outputs range from 118 bhp to 168 bhp. Each engine comes with the six-speed manual gearbox as standard, but the six-speed automatic is an option for the 143 bhp and 168 bhp versions.
Perhaps more importantly, though, the new engines are more efficient than their predecessors. For example, the 143 bhp unit is said to burn more than half a litre less fuel for every 100 kilometres (62 miles) travelled.
But customers won’t just get a choice of engines; there’s also a bewildering array of body styles, trim levels and optional extras available. All in all, there are 53 different versions of Trafic on offer, and while that’s a reduction on the old model, which Renault deemed to have too complicated a range, it’s still plenty.
As well as the standard Panel Van version, the new Trafic gets Passenger and SpaceClass variants. Both feature the same styling and engine upgrades as the Panel Van, but the Passenger model, which is aimed at families, also gets new upholstery, a rear air conditioning booster and sliding windows. And although your £22,800+VAT only gets you the Panel Van model in basic ‘Business’ trim, you can upgrade to the more expensive Business+ and Sport versions to bag yourself a few more goodies.
At the same time, Renault has also announced the pricing for the larger Master van, which has also had a visual upgrade. Starting at £26,350+VAT, the Master also gets a refreshed design, extra kit and a new range of engines. The conventional 2.3-litre diesels, however, are joined by an electric version, which comes with a range of 75 miles and a 1.1-tonne payload. Despite the size of the vehicle, Renault says the Master Z.E. electric van is perfectly suited to “last-mile” urban deliveries.
Gallery: Renault Trafic Facelift (2019)
