On the road, the Trafic is largely the same as before, with a commanding view of the road, a comfortable driving position and good rearward visibility. The 2.0 dCi makes life easy because it’s so quiet, while the six-speed gearbox has a decent shift action.
Town driving, visibility and parking
That high driving position helps in town, while wide-angle mirrors – including the additional wide-view mirror in the passenger-side sun visor – help you to manoeuvre. A rear camera, front and rear parking sensors, lane departure and city braking are all available, too.
Renault’s EDC six-speed auto really takes the strain out of driving in town. We haven’t tried it in the revised model, but past experience reveals that it shifts smoothly, although it’s a bit slow to react when you accelerate. It also seems keen to kick down whenever you use the throttle, which can send the revs soaring. There’s a manual mode (but no paddle shifters), which is effective at holding gears when you’re negotiating a steep downhill slope.
Renault has plenty of expertise in the electric passenger car market, and we suspect the smooth power delivery of an electric motor will make the Trafic E-Tech the best version to drive around town.
Motorway driving and long-distance comfort
The suspension is tuned towards load carrying over comfort, but it doesn’t feel too bouncy when unladen, and the Trafic is pretty smooth on longer runs.
The Trafic has a simple cabin with decent kit, but newer rivals feel more advanced
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Renault has gradually updated the Trafic during its time on sale, and it’s now more like a passenger car than ever. The dashboard has been revised with an uncluttered layout and some brushed silver trim on the Extra and Extra Sport trims, while the climate controls and eight-inch infotainment touchscreen will look familiar to anybody who has driven a Clio or Captur in the past few years.
