Ok, so I did about 20 km in the new Renault Traffic today running errands.
Before we go any further, the choice was the fabulous Jessie Ware and her song Imagine It Was Us. A base heavy track that would put any sound system to test!
The audio system is decent, but the cardinal sin, there is NO volume knob or buttons, only the audio controls hidden on a separate stalk behind the steering wheel. And the volume control buttons disappear from the screen after 5 seconds. Silly, silly arrangement. Amazing, Ford mastered remote audio controls with the AU Falcon in 1998!
However, the very first thing I noted was the heavy steering. Think older hydraulic style power steering in a BA or FG Falcon. It's nice on the move and makes the vehicle feel solid on the road, but its surprisingly hefty at parking speeds. Not a deal breaker, rather something that surprised me considered how most electric power steering systems can dial in more assistance at lower speeds to aid parking. The leather steering wheel is brilliant though, puts the material on my Mustang to shame!
And.........the DCT has that usual hesitation from rest. I haven't driven a DCT in quite some time, in fact it was the wet-clutch Powershift in our MC Mondeo. It certainly takes some acclimatization, you have to be patient with it from rest and resist the temptation to mash the throttle in panic. While I'm probably the only one who will use it, high five to Renault for choosing the correct orientation for the manual function!
Again, something that surprised me as most brands, including our VW Crafter, go the opposite and counter intuitive forward for up, back for down. As such, I found this so natural to use, and yes, the DCT does fire off nice quick shifts. But then so does the 8-speed torque converter auto in the Crafter.
The other thing I love about the Traffic is the dual sliding doors, one on each side. This makes it more convenient to work out of running deliveries and loading up stock. I did have to dive into the menu system to disable some of the locking nannies, the default locking of the cargo doors while the engine is running a bit over the top, I guess that would make sense in dodgy area's. Thankfully that is selectable in the menu system.
Engine noise is extremely well suppressed, only showing its presence in first gear above 2500 rpm. It's so hushed that it tends to highlight the tyre/road noise a bit. I also found the ride to be quite stilted and not as settled as the Crafter, the extra wheelbase and width of the Crafter makes it more settled, laden or unladen. Considering the vehicle only has 90 km on the clock, and I suspect the tyres are at the shipping pressures, I expect that to settle a little as it breaks in.
Very early days, but I think having this smaller van in the fleet will be extremely useful for us. It's also more approachable for the female staff. The Crafter will still do the bulk of the work, we need its size to fit large, advanced trees. But for shorter runs with less to deliver, the Traffic should serve us well.