Renault Triber MPV Launched: Should The Maruti Ertiga Worry?

Prices for the seven-seater Renault Triber start at Rs 4.95 lakh and go up to Rs 6.49 lakh ex-showroom.

Prices for the Renault Triber MPV are out. The Renault Triber seven-seater MPV comes in four variants priced between Rs 4.95 lakh and Rs 6.49 lakh ex-showroom. It is under 4 metres in length, so it qualifies as a small car, grabbing tax benefits too.

Renault Triber Prices

• Renault Triber RxE: Rs 4.95 lakh
• Renault Triber RxL: Rs 5.49 lakh
• Renault Triber RxT: Rs 5.99 lakh
• Renault Triber RxZ: Rs 6.49 lakh

However, is it really a spacious seven-seater that can give the likes of the Maruti Suzuki Ertiga, that's priced between Rs 7.5 lakh and Rs 10 lakh (for the petrol models only), a run for their money? Then there's also the Datsun Go Plus, which is about as long as the Renault Triber in terms of length, priced between Rs 3.9 lakh and Rs 5.9 lakh.

Here's more on the newly launched Renault Triber MPV and how it stacks up against its likely competitors.

Key Specs & Features of Renault Triber

Renault has built the Triber on a modified platform of the Renault Kwid. It comes with a 1-litre, three-cylinder petrol motor that puts out 72 bhp of power and 96 Nm of torque, mated to a five-speed manual transmission only.

While these power specs look fairly mediocre on paper, Renault is pitching the Triber as a lifestyle vehicle, with the flexibility of space for carrying luggage or people. Boot space ranges between 84 litres with all three rows up, going up to 625 litres with the last row removed. It can carry up to seven passengers, although the last row is a squeeze.

It comes with a digital instrument panel, touch-screen infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple Car Play, reverse camera, keyless entry and push-button ignition on the top variant. All variants get two airbags, while the top-spec RxZ model gets four.

Renault Triber Vs Maruti Ertiga & Others

There aren't too many seven-seat MPVs in the price bracket that the Renault Triber is in. So can it carve a space for itself in the market and steal some customers from the more expensive Maruti Ertiga? Or will it end up cannibalising some buyers of the Datsun Go Plus from its sister company Datsun?

First, the Maruti Suzuki Ertiga. It is far more expensive compared to the Renault Triber, but then it's also a bigger and more powerful MPV. The Ertiga is 4,395 mm in length, which offers far more interior space in all rows. Secondly, it comes with a 1.5 litre petrol engine (not comparing the diesel model here) that puts out 104 bhp of power and 138 Nm of torque, which is better suited for a seven seater.

The direct rival in terms of seven-seater vehicles would be the Datsun Go Plus. It has a 1.2 litre, three-cylinder petrol engine that puts out 67 bhp of power and 104 Nm of torque. However, the Go Plus is shorter in height and narrower than the Triber. On that count, the Triber is slightly larger.

Who then would look at buying a Renault Triber? Well, the price point puts it in direct competition with hatchbacks like the Maruti Suzuki Wagon-R and the Hyundai Grand i10. Buyers looking for a vehicle that is flexible in terms of space (and has a really large boot), could look at the Triber.

The Renault Triber is not for the performance enthusiasts, but more for those who want practicality, with one vehicle for all purposes on a tight budget.