Renault Triber AMT long term review, second report

Our long-term Renault Triber AMT has been steadily munching the miles. Ever since our Lodgy went in for extended repairs, this practical MPV undoubtedly has been the busiest member of our long-term fleet; it has shuttled our camera crew and their equipment to every nook and corner of the city (and outside). This little MPV has crossed the 12,000km mark recently and still feels very new. This month, though, the Triber got a break from its busy duty and was my long-term ride for a few days.

HANDS FREE: Locks/unlocks the car when you are nearby.

While our office is now partially open, most of my work still gets done from home, which means I use the Triber less on office runs and more for other errands that include short but tedious trips in dense traffic. This is where the Triber shines with its automated manual gearbox. While an automatic gearbox makes driving a breeze in the city, the Triber’s transmission does have quite a bit of unexpected jerkiness. The creep function isn’t consistently linear and the car does leap sometimes when you release the brake pedal while moving from standstill. The steering is very light at low speeds, but the weight build-up at higher speeds is relatively weak. This is something that does become a point of concern once you cross 60-70kph.

LIGHT AND EASY: Very helpful in the city; especially helpful in heavy traffic.

What I really like about the Triber is the hands-free door operation – it unlocks as you go near the car and locks as you walk away – and that really feels nice and premium. The interior is quite spacious for an MPV of this length. Yes, it’s less than four metres long, but the excellent packaging and wide cabin ensures comfortable second-row seating for three abreast, as well as a huge cargo space if you don’t use the third row.

Some interior bits of the Triber are quite familiar, like the full-digital instrument cluster and the infotainment screen that are similar to my usual long term car, the Kwid Climber.

STUTTER BUG: Shifts are not smooth and it mars the auto ’box experience.

The water distribution project that I volunteer for had received an urgent request for drinking water as part of flood relief in some regions of Maharashtra. The Triber was thus put into action to transport water from the vendor to the team that was heading to ground zero. Its huge cargo space (with the third row folded) gobbled up almost 300 one-litre bottles easily, something which many other compact SUVs and hatchbacks of this size can’t do.

POWER DEFICIT: Engine needs to be revved harder to get going from a stop.

The Triber is with me for a few more days, but will soon return to its duty with our super-busy camera crew. While my stint with this clever Renault MPV is a small one for now, the Triber impressed me with its practical nature, a decent features list and city-friendly footprint.