Renault's new Trafic Crew brings seating for six

REMEMBER when diesels were slow, smelly and sounded like tractors?

Times have changed dramatically, best illustrated with Renault's latest offering, the Trafic Crew, built on the current LWB Trafic with 103kW/340Nm twin-turbo diesel engine.  

The mid-size van now has space for six inside, making it a good dual purpose vehicle capable of carrying people or payload. The latter, incidentally, being 1060kg.  

The $42,990 (before on-roads) Long Wheel Base Trafic Crew has double the seating capacity of before, with each of the six occupants getting three-point seat belts, there are dual glazed sliding side doors, two 49-litre rear seat storage boxes, front, side and lateral airbags and reversing camera.  

For $45,480 the Trafic Crew Premium adds the likes of 17-inch alloys, 7-inch touchscreen with Arkamys sound system and built-in sat nav, heated driver's seat, a "premium" dashboard and body coloured bumpers and mirrors.

Top spec is the $46,780 Trafic Crew Lifestyle, which also adds auto climate, hands-free entry and a dash of chrome.