As you might have read in our previous issues, the Renault Triber has been successfully fulfilling duties as a support car on our shoots and has also been Saneet’s daily driver for a while. During this period he often complained to me about how he was left wanting for more performance. And I had similar first impressions. The Triber is not fun to drive, but its abilities lie somewhere else.
After years of reading just about fast cars, our mind tends to expect performance from everything we drive, but one year of working as an automotive journalist has helped me gain some perspective. Unlike us enthusiasts, cars are simply a medium of transportation for the majority of people and practicality and affordable maintenance are a high priority. This is where the Triber shines. Its excellent space management means that there is enough space for seven people to travel comfortably for short distances. In fact there was a time when four to five of us would carpool in the Triber with the only complaint being that the DJ (front passenger) wasn’t playing the right tunes and the plastic quality wasn’t the best, especially at common touchpoints. The air conditioner is surprisingly effective too. From a driver’s perspective, I liked the light steering, visibility and compact dimensions that allowed me to easily sift through traffic. That being said, I felt the foot pedals are placed a little too inwards, which made it difficult to find a comfortable driving position.
Honestly, a bunch of young enthusiasts who are hungry for performance may not be the best people to appreciate the Triber’s qualities because our priorities are different. But for someone who just needs space and practicality at a very affordable price, there is hardly a better choice apart from the Triber.
