Renault Triber long-term review: Introduction
The Renault Triber is the first 'entry-level' car that I've actually spent an extended amount of time with, although calling it a basic car would be doing it a disservice. Anyway, having lived with the family's Linea and then OD Garage's Captur, the Triber has been quite a happy switch.
That could be because I've spent all of my time with it on Mumbai's Metro-ravaged streets. The small footprint lets me in with a good shout in traffic-jam-one upmanship, and makes my tricky office parking a breeze. To top things off, it's also quite nice to look at, especially in the Metal Mustard shade of our car.
But the one bit that I haven't stopped fawning over in the last two weeks that I've had it is the interiors. The amount of space inside is outstanding. Every inch of the wheelbase seems to have been put to use. You can see out of it well, and a family of seven will fit without much shouting or screaming. I still haven't been able to try out the various seating combinations, but I have a feeling they'll work well enough. There's numerous, large storage spaces to complement the great interior design further. I'm also quite happy with the material quality and finish, a stray knob or panel might feel a bit hollow, but everything seems to be put together well. Even the doors shut with a mild thud.The only thing stopping it from being the nicest OD longtermer I've used is the drivetrain. The engine has a coarse note at low revs and also seems to throw out lumps, rather than a steady stream of power. It's quite lively after 3,500 rpm, but getting there is a bit difficult in Mumbai traffic. Not helping is the quite long and vague gear-shift, an effect that seems to be compounded by what seems like a weak clutch. It takes a while to engage/disengage and sends judders through the car in low-speed/heavy load situations.
But somehow I don't seem to mind that too much, the cushy grown-up ride and good body control help with that. The Triber has made my office commute much less stressful and super-practical cabin makes just the right amount of difference.
