The Renault Triber has always been an important car for the evo India’s crew. Being our photographer’ trusty long-termer, the car has been an unsung hero for our team – carrying the crew to places, and allowing us to create magic in the form of photos and videos by hanging out of its colossal boot. I have driven the Renault Triber manual transmission quite a bit more than anyone else in the team in the last six months. The AMT variant was always going to be on the cards for the Triber, and we have finally gotten our hands on it!
How does it look?
Nothing has changed on this front. There are no cosmetic updates to the AMT version, and the only difference is it gets an Easy-R badge on the tailgate – referencing Renault’s AMT technology. Even on the inside, everything remains untouched. However, being an automatic you will notice the distinct lack of a clutch pedal and a stick lever with silver-ish accent for the AMT, similar to what the Duster AMT had.
Drivetrain
Now here’s where we see a bunch of changes. As the manual variant, the AMT version gets the same 1.0-litre petrol engine as the Kwid, and the same AMT gearbox as well. The 72bhp power output and the 96Nm torque remain identical to the manual. At low revs, the engine is quiet but gets vocal when you try to push it beyond 2500rpm. The head-toss with up-shifts is a bit less as compared to the Kwid but it is still perceptible. When you aren’t being too demanding, downshifts are smooth but slow. Out on the highway, when you are attempting high-speed overtakes the slow down-shifts can get in the way a little bit and you need to anticipate your moves a little bit in advance. That being said, the uprated 1.0-litre engine does a good job of pulling along seven-seater MPV.
The AMT’s ride and handling
Ride quality on the Triber is set up for comfort and it deals with broken roads rather well. The steering though is lifeless and it doesn’t give you a sense of plantedness or confidence behind the wheel. It is a lot better than the Kwid that it shares a platform with but still feels a bit unsettling when driven hard. The brakes feel good though with good progression and give sufficient bite and feedback even on the wet roads.
Conclusion
The Renault Triber has been a special car to me as I have spent more time with it than any other car in our fleet. Even during the lockdown, the Triber was a boon to me with its fuel-efficiency, tremendous space and features. The addition of an AMT does add the element of convenience to the mix. The Triber has always offered great value – bringing the ability to move 7 at a great price. If your usage of the Triber is going to primarily be in the city, then the AMT makes sense as it frees up your left led in stop and go traffic. It has no direct rivals except the Datsun Go Plus, which is available with a CVT. At Rs 6.25 lakh, it offers you everything the Triber did with the added convenience of the automatic.