Renault Triber compact SUV's new turbo petrol engine makes 100 PS

Renault India has revealed the 1 liter-3 cylinder turbocharged petrol engine that will soon be offered with the Triber at the 2020 Auto Expo. The triple pot turbo petrol engine (called TCe 100) makes 100 PS of peak power and 160 Nm of peak torque, both massive increases over the 72 PS-96 Nm outputs that the Triber’s current 1 liter naturally aspirated petrol engine (SCe) outputs.

The Triber’s turbo petrol engine will get a 5 speed manual gearbox as standard, and it remains to be seen if an automatic gearbox option is offered with this motor. If Renault does decide to go ahead with an automatic option for the turbo petrol engined Triber, expect it to be a CVT unit instead of the cheaper automated manual transmission (AMT) unit. However, the Triber’s current 1 liter petrol engine (naturally aspirated) will soon get a 5 speed AMT option, and such a variant has already been showcased at the Auto Expo.

Launched in the second half of 2019, the Triber compact MPV has turned out to be a big success for Renault in India, in fact emerging as the French company’s best seller. The new variants: AMT and turbo petrol, are aimed at keeping the sales momentum going. While the AMT trim of the Triber will cost about Rs. 50,000 more than the manual trim, the turbo petrol engined trim could be pricier. Expect to pay about Rs. 70,000 more for the Triber Turbo Petrol trim, which is essentially meant to fill in for a diesel engine, which will not be offered on the compact MPV.

The Triber shares most parts with the Kwid, and also sits on the same platform (CMF-A) as the hatchback. This has allowed Renault to price the compact MPV very competitively, and much of its sales success has to do with the affordable price tag. Apart from the great pricing, the Renault Triber has a bunch of things going for it.

1. It’s styled very attractively, and does NOT look like a cheap car. 2. The crossover-ish looks along with the high ground clearance of 180 mm+ gives the Triber good street presence and also makes it a very practical car for Indian conditions. 3. The flexible and modular seating that can either accommodate 7 people or a lot of luggage is another big selling point of the compact MPV. With Renault all set to add more variants to the mix, the Triber’s sales may sustain the strong momentum going forward, and even may show a nice increase over current levels.