Renault unveils Triber globally in India

Unveiling what is its first all-new product for India in nearly two years, Renault has taken the wraps off of its compact seven-seater, the Triber. Making its global debut in New Delhi, the Renault Triber measures under four metres in length and, barring the Datsun Go+ MPV, is the only sub-four-metre offering in India to get three rows of seats.

Based on a modified version of the Kwid’s CMF-A platform, the Renault Triber is compact and does bear resemblance to the Kwid, but has new headlights, a new grille, a sculpted clamshell bonnet, a squared-off rear section and an upright stance, which is further accentuated by the roof rails. With the Triber, Renault aims to provide a function-over-form design that makes it possible to offer lots of space in the smallest footprint possible. The top-spec variant will sport 15-inch alloy wheels shod in 185/65 tyres.

The Renault Triber’s interior gets a dual-tone colour scheme, a 3.5-inch LCD screen in the instrument cluster and an 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system, which is larger than the 7.0-inch unit on the Kwid, Lodgy, Duster and Captur. The infotainment system features Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, along with few intelligent functions such as driving-style coaching and driver economy rating. The second row is adjustable horizontally and comes with a reclining and split folding function. There’s a dedicated AC vent for the third row of seats, armrests and charging sockets. The third row can be removed altogether to liberate up to 625 litres of boot space.

The Renault Triber’s safety equipment list includes dual front airbags, ABS, rear parking sensors, and a speed warning system as standard. Higher variants of the Triber will get a reverse camera and two more airbags.

Powering the Renault Triber will be an upgraded version of the Kwid’s 1.0-litre (BR10), three-cylinder petrol engine making 72hp and 96Nm of torque. This engine is the same 1.0 SCe petrol motor used in international models like the Renault Clio and Dacia Sandero. The transmission options for the Triber at launch will be a 5-speed manual gearbox and a 5-speed automated manual transmission (AMT). By mid-2020, Renault will add a turbocharged 1.0-litre petrol engine to the Triber line-up.

The French brand claims that the total cost of ownership is 20 percent less than B segment hatchbacks. Expect Renault Triber prices to start at the Rs 5.3 lakh mark.