Renault Master, Renault Trafic and Renault Kangoo van ranges all updated

By Tim Beissmann | March 12th, 2010

Renault is set to update its entire van range in the next three months with the New Master, Trafic Phase 3 and the New Kangoo Van Maxi all ready for European launch.

The full Master range is on sale in selected markets from May 7 with the Trafic and Kangoo will follow on June 4, but Australian customers will have to wait a little longer.

Our all-new Kangoo will be the first to arrive in July and a facelifted version of the Trafic will join it in the second half of the year.

Renault Australia managing director, Rudi Koenig, said the local division was still finalising the specifications and availability of the Master range, but confirmed it will be available in 2011.

The updated Trafic has mostly been revised to be more comfortable and driver-friendly.

The redesigned dash now incorporates more practical stowage spaces and Renault says the 2.0-litre dCi offers markedly reduced fuel consumption. Climate control, Carminat TomTom navigation and steering wheel-mounted cruise control all come together in the new package.

The Kangoo Van Maxi is an extended wheel base (around 40cm) version of the Kangoo and comes with either two or five seats. Load volume tops out at 4.6m³ and load length at floor level is 2.9m.

Available with a range of engines, the 63kW diesel is the most environmentally friendly, using just 6.4 litres/100km combined and emitting 140g/km CO₂.

The Maxi will make Renault the only brand in Europe to offer a compact van with three different wheelbases.

Renault has also announced that an all-electric version of the Kangoo will be available from the first half of 2011.

The Kangoo EV has an operational range of 160km and Renault says it will primarily be intended for use in and around built-up areas and will be particularly suited to business users looking for an optimised carrying capacity of 3m³.

Note: CarAdvice is waiting on a reply from Renault Australia about the specifics of the local Trafic and Kangoo ranges and will update the story as soon as word comes through.

Baddass

The little Kangoo was in need of an update, and now it looks even cuter. The Master looks massive, and the Trafic looks dated.

sammo

i agree the Kangoo is quite cute for a van type vehicle

Nightshifter

As always, Australian customers always get shafted so don’t hold your breath
Dlr1

Are you sure the load length at floor level in the Kangoo Maxi is 2.9m???? That is the load length of a LWB Hiace or LWB Transporter. Seems too big for a “small” van. 2.5m maybe, but 2.9??
OttoAu

*TRY* selling one of these 2nd hand or trading it, one word, orphan!

I think Renault need to stop dealers handing back the franchise, smaller and smaller choice of dealers, soon none will be left…..

I would/nt buy a Renault based on that, and the fact that they are very very ordinary low quality, and wayyyy overpriced to boot.

Better buy a Transit, Sprinter or VW if looking for a largish van, and a HiAce in the 1 tonner range, least you have some sort of back up.

The sooner they get Dacia here the better, for mine its the only thing that can save them…

Baddass

My guess is that Renault will run into major financial troubles soon, and completely shut up shop in Australia by 2012.

Baddass

The thing about Renault is, apart from their sport models which are excellent, the cars they sell have almost no desirability. The Laguna is a dismal failure: it’s marketed as a premium car (purely because it’s French), but the cheaper and non-premium Mazda6 and Accord Euro beat it senseless in every aspect, most notably value for money. With the RenaultSport models, I think Renault are taking this ‘halo model’ scheme a bit too far, too the point where the sport models are so completely different (for the better) than the bread & butter models, that the buyers are only buying the Sport models, thus Renault only selling these versions of the Clio and soon the Megane. The commercial side of Renault is doing reasonably well, with the Master being the main seller. Unless a MAJOR change (not the slightly weak effort with the new Megane) goes on at Renault, I think I’d be right in saying that it doesn’thave a future here, ore many places else.
James007

The all new Kangoo was actually released in Europe in 2008! That just goes to show what Renault thinks about the Australian market! Even Renault in Japan has had the all new Kangoo for a year now, while we keep soldiering on with the previous Kangoo. It’s the Kangoo Maxi that’s just been released in Europe. If Renault had any sense, they’d sell the standard and ‘Maxi’ versions of the all new Kangoo in Australia to compete with the Volkswagen Caddy, Peugoet Partner and Citroen Berlingo. Also, bring in an MPV version too, with diesel!!

Renault in Japan even get the bread and butter Clio’s and even the Twingo!! I didn’t think Renault would actually sell that many cars in Japan??

Renault actually does alright with their LCV range, you see plenty of Kangoo’s, Trafic’s and Master’s on the road, plus the Koleos SUV, but their passenger car range is none existent.

I really hope they don’t shut up shop here in Australia!!

Steve-Poyza

They most likely won’t, unless things get far worse. Renault stated that if things get worse here they’ll start relying on Nissan’s resources in Australia, such as showrooms and servicing. I agree that they’re not doing a good enough job here, all the model replacements arrive far too late and the range is too little.

I reckon that another reason Renault doesn’t sell well here is because they are too anonymous. People don’t know about them aren’t aren’t going to want to buy a brand they know and hear so little of.

I don’t agree with you Baddass, they’re regular cars do have qualities that are desirable. They’re new range has class leading build quality, they’re fuel efficient, obviously very safe, and to many people thy are good looking.

Baddass

I appreciate what you said, but in this instance I have to back myself. The build quality is not class leading, they have tiny model lines (with the only models sold are the top of the range, frenetic sports models), and they really aren’t anonymous in Australia as Renault has a long history here. Selling models well after their replacement models have gone on sale elsewhere is not a recipe for success either. But I agree that people don’t really hear much about them these days.

And when a buyer is going for a premium product, they’ll usually want the best that their money will buy them. Going halfway is kinda pointless. And in the small, premium (note I don’t mean 1-Series premium) market the Golf is the best that money can buy.

UMWAHT

man renault has some god-forsaken reliability

i cant even begin to list all the problems our Laguna has had. and we service it regularly and we don’t drive it hard (who the hell drives a Laguna hard?)

my dad’s master sometimes would just not move from the spot. some massive gearbox failure or something. he sold it and got a VW caddy
t39

The “Trafic” van, i have got one cheap, second-hand, it is the real driver’s van. Has actually really fun handling. very little body roll, great steering feedback and precision. This is the only van you can enjoy driving spiritedly.
Deane

My mother-in-law just waited five weeks for an alternator for her 2001 Scenic… and it cost her almost $1500.

Ouch, and the thing is worth just a few grand on the second-hand market.
PJK

One thing i’ve found with renault parts is that prices can vary from dealer to dealer. One quoted me around $1600 for a Laguna alternator and when I rang Renault HO to ask why it was so expensive they told me the list price was actually $1049. Another dealer quoted (and supplied it) at that price (Waverley Renault) so it pays to shop around. I do my own servicing on the two of our Renaults that are out of warranty with genuine parts and find their service parts (filters, oil, etc) less expensive than the wifes Mazda 3 or the daughters Astra, and both have been as reliable as anything else we’ve owned. So before you write them off as “too expensive”, maybe you should actually check… I don’t have any particular “allegiance” to any brand but there seems to be a lot of crap posted on here by people who’ve never owned or driven (except on their PS3′s) the cars they’re offering their expert opinions on.