TRAFFIC SPACE (some text hidden) --NONE--

By Jonathan Crouch

Renault's Traffic Passenger is a more sensible kind of really big People Carrier. Jonathan Crouch goes to Switzerland to drive it.

Ten Second Reviewword count: 49

Renault offers the market's most sensible nine-seater People Carrier in the form of this Traffic Passenger model. As long as you don't prioritise up-to-the-minute technology or stylish looks and simply want space from your big MPV, it's very much worth a look. We flew to Geneva to try it.

Backgroundword count: 95

If you happen to need space for nine people in your next family car and don't want to venture into the used market, you might be expecting to have to pay a lot. But don't sign off a big outlay until you consider this model, the Renault Traffic Passenger. It comes in short or long wheelbase forms with a trusty 2.0-litre Blue dCi diesel engine in two flavours. And, though not very exciting, it may actually be all the MPV you really need. We put it to the test on the smooth highways of Switzerland.

Driving Experienceword count: 199

All Traffic Passenger models for the UK use the same four cylinder 2.0-litre Blue dCi diesel engine with 6-speed manual transmission, but it comes with a choice of two outputs - 110hp or the 150hp version we tried. Either way, it's quite a task for such a little engine to pull along a vehicle as big and heavy as this, particularly when fully-loaded, so we would strongly recommend that you find the extra for the 150hp version we tested. With this, the 0-62mph time falls from 16.5s to 13.6s and the top speed rises from 100mph to 110mph. Of more significance is the greater pulling power you get from the 150hp engine through the gears - 350Nm of torque, compared to 300Nm in the 110hp variant. That was useful on the steeper Alpine passes we encountered on our trip. Engine refinement was acceptable on the long smooth Swiss autoroutes, though there's plenty of wind noise from the state windscreen and the big side mirrors. But the firm ride felt very van-like; not a problem on the billiard table-like Swiss tarmac, but you'd certainly feel the potholes and speed humps of Blighty. All-round visibility is great around the glassy cabin.

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