Picture this: You’re standing in a Renault showroom in Chennai, sipping watery coffee from a paper cup, when the salesman says—“Sir, this is not just a car. This is Triber. This is 7 seats, 999cc engine, 84 litres of boot space or 1500 litres (depending on how many relatives you leave behind), 6 airbags, 1 designer with Bugatti experience, and 100+ seating combinations—basically yoga on wheels.”
And you suddenly realize—this is not a car, this is India’s answer to IKEA furniture. Compact outside, expandable inside, and guaranteed to confuse your neighbours.
Available in both petrol and CNG options, the Triber’s price starts at ₹6.29 lakh (ex-showroom) and goes up to ₹9.16 lakh for the top-end model.
Design: Baby Arkana meets Desi Jugaad
Designed by Laurens van den Acker, the same guy who sketched the Bugatti EB110, the Triber proves that the man has range. From designing a 200 mph supercar to designing an MPV that spends half its life in Gwalior’s bumper-to-bumper traffic—respect.
From the outside, the facelift brings:
- A new bonnet that looks like it’s been to the gym.
- A grille with Renault’s new flat diamond logo (flat, because inflation deflated it).
- Automatic LED projector lamps with DRLs, fog lamps, skid plates—basically every accessory a kid would draw on MS Paint.
- Roof rails strong enough to carry 50 kg—i.e., one suitcase plus your saas’ emotions.
- Wheel-arch cladding that screams “SUV wannabe” even though this is strictly front-wheel drive.
And in case you’re wondering, yes, the Amber Terracotta Orange shade looks like Fanta got a PhD.
Dimensions & Platform: Small in Theory, Large in Practice
At just under 4 metres long, this is legally a small car (hello GST benefits 👋). But inside, it hides three rows like a magician hiding pigeons in his sleeves.
The CMF-A+ platform is shared with the Nissan Magnite and Renault Kiger, which explains why all three cars feel like cousins at a shaadi—different outfits, same DNA, fighting for space at the buffet.
Ground clearance? 182 mm. Enough to jump speed breakers but not enough to challenge Mahindra Scorpio owners.
Cabin: Desi jugaad meets French flair
Open the door, and you’re greeted by a black/beige dual-tone cabin with just enough wood finish on the dash to make you feel like a budget nawab. The seats? Sliding, folding, reclining, tumbling—basically they’ve signed up for Cirque du Soleil.
Some highlights:
- Fully removable EasyFix 3rd row seats – Yes, you can actually take them out and use them as patio furniture.
- 100+ seating combinations – Because sometimes you need 7 people + 1 goat, and sometimes you need just 2 people + 1500 litres of luggage.
- Cooled centre console & glovebox – Finally, Thums Up and kaju katli can coexist peacefully on a road trip.
- Independent rear AC vents – So that the guy in the 3rd row doesn’t plot your murder in peak summer.
- 8-inch touchscreen with wireless Android Auto & Apple CarPlay – The only screen in your life where buffering isn’t a problem.
- Wireless charger, TFT cluster, and mood lights – Because every MPV secretly wants to be a nightclub.
Safety: Five Stars of French Fearlessness
Global NCAP gave it 4 stars, which, in Indian MPV land, is like winning KBC Fastest Finger First. You also get 6 airbags, ABS, ESP, TPMS, hill-start assist, traction control, parking sensors front & rear, and even a take-a-break reminder (perfect for highway dhabas).
Renault proudly says the Triber was built under its Human First Safety Program, collaborating with “researchers, experts, and firefighters.” Translation: They actually asked real people instead of WhatsApp forwards.
Engine & Performance: Patience is a Virtue
Under the bonnet is a 1.0L, 3-cylinder, petrol engine producing:
- 71 hp (or roughly the power of 4 scooty Pep+ combined).
- 96 Nm torque (which explains why the driver sometimes prays before overtakes).
- Mileage: ~17 kmpl (manual), ~16 kmpl (AMT).
There’s also a CNG option for people who like saving money and living dangerously near gas cylinders.
Transmission options:
- 5-speed manual (with cruise control).
- 5-speed AMT (a.k.a. “lull before gear change”).
It’s not fast, but that’s okay—because your mother-in-law in the 3rd row won’t let you go above 60 anyway.
Accessories: The Flipkart of Add-ons
Renault offers everything as an accessory: from chrome garnish to mood lights, from seat storage bags to a dashcam, even a vacuum cleaner and puddle lamps with logo projection. At this point, it feels like Renault said: “Sir, jo bhi Amazon pe dikha ho, woh Triber ke liye hai.”
Verdict: The People’s Transformer
The Renault Triber isn’t about horsepower, torque, or Nürburgring lap times. It’s about fitting seven people into less than four metres without violating human rights treaties.
It’s a car that sells 30,000 units a year, exported to South Africa and Indonesia, with a warranty that extends up to 7 years/unlimited km—basically, Renault is saying, “We dare you to break it.”
So, should you buy one?
If you want a car that:
- Is cheaper than some iPhones when split seven ways.
- Has more seating positions than Baba Ramdev.
- Can be both a people-carrier and a furniture-removal van.
- And looks like a French designer sketched it during lunch break between a Bugatti and a Mazda…
Then yes, the Triber is your best bet.
Just remember: don’t challenge a Scorpio at a red light drag race. Unless you’re in a hurry to meet those 6 airbags.
