Renault Trafic returns to South Africa keen on disrupting segment flow

Trafic returns to South Africa after more than two decades. Picture: Charl Bosch Although one of its oldest nameplates in Europe having been around since 1980, the Renault Trafic remains a fairly unknown product in South Africa despite having had an on-off local market presence for close on 20 years. First launched in 2006 as a single passenger derivative, the Trafic also spawned equally short-lived rebadged models in the form of the Opel Vivaro and the Nissan Primaster, before departing without fanfare more than a decade ago.

Quietly returning in 2022 as a van, now in third generation guise that debuted in Europe 12-years ago, the Trafic is now the sole type of its kind offered in South Africa as its joint venture sibling, the Opel Zafira Life, made a discreet exit last year. Systemically updated since its 2014 debut, theTrafic makes its return to South Africa as a people carrierwith nine-seats as standard, and in an expanded line-up of more than one variant for the first time. Arriving as the latest model of Renault’s product expansion comprising new or updated products, the Trafic also becomes the rhombus brand’s new flagship, and the first to exceed R1-million.

Known at home as the Phase II in reference to its most recent facelift in 2020, along with the addition of the new corporate logo two years ago, the officially named Trafic Passenger comes in three variants, all based on what is known as the L2H1 bodystyle in Europe. In effect, this means a long wheelbase with the following dimensions: By comparison, thestandard wheelbase L1H1 panel vanretains the same height and width, but with an overall length and wheelbase reduction of 400 mm each. Its seats laid out in a 3-3-3 configuration, the Trafic offers up 1 890-litres of boot space with all nine seats in use, or up to 3 570-litres with the third row lowered.

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With the second row also dropped, packing space maxes out at 6 000-litres. Included from the start are manual dual-sliding doors and the ability to have the second and third rows removed entirely. What’s more, Renault has made two tailgate options available; the standard upwards-opening lid, or, as an option, dual barn-style doors as the panel van that can open up to 180 degrees.

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