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1 year and 8,600 km with my Renault Triber AMT

14th February 2022, 13:12 by Ananth Iyer

Think of the Triber as a very capable and spacious 5 seater with the ability to occupy 7 adults when needed.

Bhpian Venky03 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

This post has been well overdue as my car completed its 1st year on 20th December, 2021.

Interiors

The plastics are still in a very decent condition, and no creaks/unwanted sounds yet. Have been dressing them every 4-5 months; mats are still the stock ones which were included in the basic package; they get the job done but as they're black they get dirty very easily.

Seats are very comfortable for long drives with decent thigh support, but one downside of having fabric seats is that they get stained very easily, have to keep the 3M foam interior cleaner spray handy. I've not noticed any back/neck pain during my 10-12hr non-stop trips.

The third row of Triber is fairly usable even for adults and cannot be dismissed as a kids only feature, only issue is the height limitation as the rear glass is too close to the headrest. Space and thigh support is more or less similar or even better than other 7/6 seaters available on the market.

As mine is the RXT (Mid variant) the charging port is missing on the third row, I would've really liked to add it on as an accessory, if it was present. Currently I'm using a 12v port splitter as I'm using multiple accessories.
All the power window buttons, fan knobs and other misc buttons(parking, lock/unlock) are holding up well. No signs of wear and tear or rattle.

The boot is pretty much non existent, so if you're planning to travel with full occupancy frequently, make sure to get a good roof rack.

AC cooling performance is excellent, just the noise from the blower used for 2nd and 3rd row is a bit high for my liking. When just the 3 of us are travelling it usually gets so cold that we have to turn off the compressor after some time.

The infotainment system is average in terms of responsiveness, they've preinstalled a matte screen guard. The audio quality surprised me, I wasn't really expecting much but after playing around with the equalizer realized that audio output is good enough and I don't feel the need to upgrade.

Attaching some pics :

Exteriors

The factory paint is a standard 2 coat affair and the clear coat is not too soft, perfectly suited for Indian conditions. All the trim surfaces are holding up good as well, cleaned and dressed every 6 months.

The paint was coated with Turtlewax SealNShine on day 2, reapplied every 6 months. I use the Jopasu duster to clean the loose dust and then clean it further with Proklear waterless wash if needed.

The car is mostly used only on weekends for long trips, so it spends most of the time parked and under a cover.

Doors and bonnet are fairly heavy and have that reassuring thud, but the tailgate is a different story altogether.

Engine, transmission and brakes

As mentioned previously, I'm a sedate driver and absolutely enjoy driving the car on highways. 0-80kmph (Even 100 if 5 onboard) is a breeze but after that you hit a plateau, the only time I drive at 80kmph+ speeds is on the Mumbai-Pune expressway and the car is perfectly stable and glued to the road at those speeds. Other than that, I don't think it is safe(or even permissible?) to drive at 100-120+kmph on state highways with Ertiga interceptors lurking everywhere.

I've gotten used to the automated manual transmission, leaving accelerator pedal while the shifts happen is instinctive now. Shifts are slow and sometimes the actuators are so aggressive that the reverse gear slotting in mildly jerks the entire vehicle. Other than that it is perfectly usable, the creep function is helpful in city traffic and kicks in 1-2 secs after you leave the brakes. One safety feature worth noting is that if your driver side door is not closed properly, the AMT won't initiate the gears and will rev in neutral. Another advantage of the AMT gearbox is that it likes to downshift if you brake beyond a certain threshold; effectively bringing in engine braking to the play.

Very satisfied with the braking performance; brake assist is readily available anytime you need it. So far never really got to test the abs.

Engine did feel a tad smoother after the first oil change and has been delivering an average of 20kmpl+ regularly for my highway runs now.

My most recent trip (5 on-board, both ac turned on throughout) :

Parts and service

I'm pleased with Renault's service experience and hope that they keep improving on the same, more on that here.

Apart from their service, the part sharing with Kwid and Kiger ensures that the prices are very affordable. Listing down OEM parts which will be required for regular servicing with their costs :

AC Filter : ₹173

Engine Air Filter : ₹199

Engine Oil Filter : ₹399

Oil Sump Washer : ₹79

Wiper Washer Fluid : ₹45

Apart from these, they used the Castrol PRO 15W40 A3/B3 oil (3 Litres).

Summing it up

I've missed a lot of opportunities to explore around due to COVID, hope to explore more places with my Triber this year. Personally very happy with every aspect of the car except the NVH levels, searching for good dampening options.

Are you looking to buy a Triber? If yes, consider the following points

Are you looking to buy a Triber? If yes, consider the following points:

What you get:

Spacious interiors
As a 5 seater, segment leading boot
Usable 3rd row
Decent ground clearance
Good fuel efficiency
Excellent ride quality
4-Star GNCAP rating
Low maintenance costs

What you don't get:

Premium interiors
No boot space in full occupancy
Well refined 4-cylinder engine
CVT/Torque Converter
Quieter cabin

Yes, you'll have to rev the engine harder when 7 adults are sitting in the car and the roof rack is fully loaded up with luggage; but just pause for a while and think about how frequently this scenario is going to occur in a year?

Think of the Triber as a very capable and spacious 5 seater with the ability to occupy 7 adults when needed.

As always, Live To Drive.