2020 Renault Sandero Techroad Discussed

 

If your smartphone regularly updates you with motoring news, you will not only be able to catch all the updates while plugged into the Renault Sandero Techroad but you are also going to find out about the new third-generation Sandero that’ll be launched soon.

The new one, which made its global debut last month, has picked up a whole load more style than the Techroad specification being tested here. The segment it competes in recently dwindled with the exit of the Toyota Etios Cross and thus it competes with Ford’s new Figo Freestyle. You can include the smaller Suzuki Ignis and the larger Hyundai Venue in the mix.

People who buy small crossovers value space, simple running gear, some offroad height and an approachable price. They will not be disappointed with what the Stepway Techroad has to offer. There’s 2,590mm of wheelbase, a 292l boot and 193mm of ground clearance — all best in the segment. There’s also good head, shoulder and legroom and the rear seats flop down to increase loading space to make this a practical family car.

It isn’t an expensive-feeling interior but has a modern-looking fascia. The Techroad grade brings with it much standard spec, including unique cloth seats with blue-coloured sections that liven up the interior. 

When you plug in your smartphone into the USB port it becomes a hub of connectivity to your music collection, saved or streamed; and hands-free communication through Bluetooth and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto which also beams phone-based navigational maps onto the main colour display screen.

The Techroad is available with one powertrain option. It’s a 900cc three-cylinder turbo with 66kW and 135Nm mated to a five-speed manual transmission.

Renault likes to punt the F1 technology in its production engines yet the performance and refinement of this triple-cylinder motor is a wheezy affair. It just isn’t tractable enough at low speeds or anywhere else in the rev range. You’ll need a deft clutch and throttle work when faced with steep driveways, more so on cold mornings. This also makes it frustrating to get it up to high speeds quickly.

Only once on the move and highway and cruising speeds are locked into the standard cruise control does the Techroad get on with being a fair drive, and an added positive here is that it doesn’t quaff fuel. It returned 6.0l/100km on average during a week of living with it.

There’s also not much of a balanced ride and handling dynamism to its front-wheel-drive chassis. It’s not that it won’t handle; you can carve out tidy lines on twisty roads but you’ll need to work harder.

Thankfully the clutch and gearbox action is light and precise enough to save the day but, all in, it’s not as fluid in operation and it will not trouble the Ford alternative. It did claw back brownie points with a good enough showing on a dirt road where it remained supple and its higher stance gave me more confidence to climb over slightly bigger obstacles.

But all this may be pointless to anyone wanting to buy new, as the new-generation Sandero will be with us soon. But, if you’re looking for a Renault Sandero for sale - you can get a 2020 Renault Sandero for sale for an impressive price at Group 1 Renault.

Tech Specs

Engine

Type: Three-cylinder turbo

Capacity: 0.9l

Power: 66kW

Torque: 135Nm

Transmission

Type: Five-speed manual

Drivetrain

Type: Front-wheel drive

Performance

Top speed: 168km/h

0-100km/h: 11.1 sec (claimed)

Fuel Consumption: 5.4l/100km (as claimed), 6.0l (as tested)

Emissions: 124g/km

Standard features

Brake assist, ABS, stability control, four passenger airbags, traction control, navigation, Bluetooth connectivity, central locking, parking assistant with rear camera, USB port, aux input, air conditioning

Ownership

Warranty: Five years/150,000km

Maintenance plan distance: Two years/30,000km

Article sourced from: https://www.timeslive.co.za/motoring/reviews

Renault Triber: The New Budget Seven-Seater Tested

The all-new India-sourced Renault Triber 2020 landed in South Africa with a keen value proposition up its sleeve. Measuring less than 4 metres in length, but able to carry up to seven people, it's one of the smallest and cheapest ways to transport lots of people in one go.

Renault Triber 2020 prices started at R179 900 for the entry-level 1.0-litre Expression model and the mid-range 1.0-litre Dynamique model will cost you R10 000 more at R193 900. The car we have on test here, however, is the range-topping 1.0-litre Prestige, priced at R209 900.

With 100 seating configurations available, Renault says the Triber is highly adaptable to meet the dynamic needs of any consumer because it can be easily used as a one-seater utility vehicle, or a five-seater family car, or a seven-seater staff transporter.

With five seats in place, for instance, you have 625 litres of boot space available, which should be ample enough for holidays or monthly shopping.

Lots of kit

The Renault Triber is nicely appointed on the inside, particularly in the Prestige spec, coming standard with a reverse camera, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility and Keyless Entry and Engine Start. Other standard-fit items include electrically-operated windows, power steering and central locking; the kind of stuff you'll expect to find in a modern, new vehicle at Group 1 Renault.

One of the coolest features, no pun intended, has to be the Triber's separate air-conditioning controls for rear-seat occupants. Because it was developed in India, and it can get really hot in India, Renault saw it fit to give the Triber added interior cooling capability. I like this feature a lot because it's the kind of feature you find in premium cars such as the Volkswagen Caravelle and Mercedes-Benz V-Class.

Safety-wise, you'll be pleased to note that Renault's done all it can (considering the price) to build a safe car too. Our test vehicle came with anti-lock brakes and four airbags. The Expression and Dynamique models also come with anti-lock brakes, but only dual front airbags.  

Needs grunt

The Renault Triber range is powered by a new generation petrol "Energy" engine that is tuned to deliver a balance of performance and fuel economy. It's a 1-litre 3-cylinder naturally-aspirated unit that generates 52kW of power with 96Nm of torque. It's different to the engine fitted in the Kwid range thanks to the addition of variable valve timing for maximum responsiveness at all revs. Renault says that because it sips just  5.5l/100km and because it's been designed with low maintenance cost in mind, this engine is ideal for South Africa.

For now, it's the only engine you can get in the Triber (with a five-speed manual gearbox), however, Renault is planning on releasing a turbocharged version early in 2021. This turbo version will also come with an automatic transmission option that might appeal to people who sit in a lot of daily traffic.

New world, new mobility

Because we're living in pandemic times, we didn't get to hit the long road to nowhere in the Triber during the test cycle, but I did manage to get on the highway and take a loop around Johannesburg to see what it's like up here, after experiencing it at its coastal launch earlier this year.

The car performs well enough with just a driver on-board, but it does struggle to make haste and keep up with traffic once speeds climb over 80km/h. I found myself constantly stirring the transmission between fourth and fifth gear to maintain 120km/h and at that speed it also became very evident that more sound insulation of the engine bay is required. Overall, NVH levels are excellent at this end of the market, but it's the under-performing engine that just makes it a bit stressful to drive (which with six other people on board can become even more challenging once social distancing is a thing of the past).

There's no arguing though that the Triber has arrived at just the right time for South Africans as we march toward an ongoing battle with coronavirus and national lockdown. It's the kind of car that offers so much value and spec and nice-to-haves that it's very difficult not to like and recommend.

If you're looking to downgrade from something more premium but still want space and practicality, it's an ideal candidate. If you are buying your first new car, it comes with all the things you need to keep you safe and entertained on the road.

When you take the car for a test drive, pay attention to things like the gear throw, the clutch feel and the steering feel. If you find that you can live with its weightings and don't mind the lack of grunt from the engine, then it's a no-brainer in terms of comfort, space, useability and value in this segment.

All of the new Renault Tribers come with a 2-year/30 000km Service Plan and 5-year/150 000km Mechanical  Warranty.

Article from: https://joiedevivrevehicles.tumblr.com/post/643182985207742464/renault-triber-the-new-budget-seven-seater-tested