French automaker Renault is accepting this challenge with its Triber facelift due in 2025. With the updated version, it is important to add features as the competition offers it all. But can the Triber facelift do this while still offering enough that one might consider buying it? We drove the MPV to find out.
Triber facelift launched in July, sales have started 5.76 lakh (ex-showroom). It's hard to beat this price in the MPV category. For the top-spec variant, users will have to pay ₹ 8.12 lakh (ex-showroom) for manual transmission and ₹ 8.59 lakh (ex-showroom) for AMT. We drove the top-spec Emotion. Although it lacks some modern features like seat ventilation and automatic climate control, these are not dealbreakers at this price.
Renault Triber facelift: Does it look the part?
External appearances matter. That said, we only received feedback from friends and acquaintances stating that the car looks beautiful and stylish. With a newly sculpted hood and redesigned bumper, Renault has elevated the looks of this MPV, and ultimately, it looks even better than its immediate rivals in the segment.
The new LED headlamps look small in proportion to the car, but not to the extent that it spoils the aesthetics. It gives a little beautiful touch to the fascia. From the front, the dual-tone paint accentuates the pillars well, while also helping to hide the stepped roofline to some extent. And as you know, the front of the car is the best angle to admire it.
At the rear, the Triber looks similar to the pre-facelift model. Changes like the new smoked LED taillights and revised 'Triber' lettering are subtle but noticeable. The rear now looks completely updated.
On the profile, the new alloy wheel covers steal the spotlight and do the styling job well. The blacked-out ORVMs with integrated turn indicators also add to the overall appeal of the vehicle.
Renault Triber facelift: How does it feel inside the cabin?
Triber looks quite good from inside. It gets dual-tone interiors with a new instrument cluster and a redesigned steering wheel. The dominant shade on the interior is light beige, due to which the cabin feels airy. To highlight these areas, a dark gray shade has been applied to key touchpoints like the steering wheel, infotainment, air conditioning and door switches.
Sitting on the driver's seat, you do not at all feel that you are sitting in an 'economical' MPV. With a driver's instrument display and floating style 8-inch touchscreen, it makes you feel welcome with all the modernity it has to offer. The graphics on the multi-information display (MID) look great for the most part. The animations feel a bit gimmicky, but again you can't ask for too much here.
All the useful toggles are placed at the bottom of the infotainment screen; These include parking sensor deactivation, defogger, emergency parking, door lock and traction control toggle. It takes a day or two to get used to the lock toggle location, as it is usually placed on the driver's door. However, giving credit where it's due, once you get used to the position, it actually feels much more convenient than the previous placement.
Adding to the convenience, the cabin gets ample storage for things. There are two places for storage in front of the passenger seat, in addition to the wireless charger, there is a place to put your phone on the center console, and another cool storage behind the gear shift knob and cupholders.
Moving towards the back, the second row has 60:40 seats, which can be adjusted in four ways. There are two adjustable headrests in this row and two in the third row. The third row gets a 50:50 split and can also be removed completely to create more space in the trunk. Folding the seats in Triber gives a boot space of 625 liters.
Renault Triber facelift: Driving and passenger experience
Now, cutting to the chase, let's talk about how the Triber drives. The 1.0-litre engine feels energetic in the city if you're driving alone and know how to utilize the car's powerband. Personally, I find it more fun to drive a slow car fast than the other way around, but most people won't drive a car that fast. Still, the 71 bhp fades away with every passenger added to the car, and at full capacity, overtaking the vehicles becomes quite a tempting task.
One saving grace for the Triber is the adaptive steering weight which remains light during slow motion and becomes heavier as you accelerate. The weighted steering wheel increases confidence and provides more feedback. The MPV feels mostly planned, except at highway speeds, where you'll feel it acting more nervously and the rear wanting to break loose with every sharp move.
In terms of comfort, considering the fact that this is an MPV, the seats could have done with a little more cushioning. People often buy it thinking of taking it on a road trip. We also tested the capacity in excess of the rated seating capacity and took the car for a quick 30-minute drive in the city, and none of the passengers had any complaints. On the same trip, the Triber also fitted a full-sized guitar in the boot with all occupants seated.
Braking performance is good, but there is still room for more. The wheels on the top variant are 15-inch, but the lower variant may need more grip with 14-inch wheels.
Renault Triber facelift: What needs improvement?
The Renault Triber misses the mark on a few fronts. These include a missing armrest for the second-row seats, as well as no USB-C charging port. The Triber doesn't get a dead pedal or enough foot space on the driver's side to rest your left foot when the clutch is out.
Now, to vent the evil, the cruise control switch has been placed in an awkward place; Placing it on the steering wheel would have been more accessible. The traction control toggle turns off immediately when tapped, increasing the risk of accidentally turning the toggle off. The hood release and headlamp leveler switches are also placed so low that they are very difficult to find. You'll often need to find a leveler as the main beam is decent at most, and you'll be relying mostly on the high beam to illuminate your path ahead at night. There is an audible gear noise, which is prominent at low speeds.
Renault Triber facelift: Verdict
Overall, the Renault Triber now looks different and has added features that make it contemporary as well. It is economical and has seating for seven or more passengers. The only thing you have to live with is the smaller engine, which may be useful to you if you value economy more than anything else. It offers a lot of value for its price.
First publication date: 02 November 2025, 13:49 PM IST