Renault Master 2012 Review

Renault Master

That’s despite the big French van being a dominant force in the light commercial vehicle market in Western Europe; helping Renault achieve sales dominance in Europe over the last 14 years including a 15 per cent lion’s share of that market in 2011.

The arrival of the new, third-generation Master should help boost Renault’s van fortunes Down Under. A fresh design inside and out and more powerful turbodiesel engine are amongst many improvements to the 3.5 tonne GVM van, which is built at the SoVAB/Batilly factory in France alongside its Opel/Vauxhall Movano twin.

Launched in early 2010 in Europe, the latest Master also offers a more appealing and user-friendly cabin and practical loadspace area, including pallet-swallowing side and rear doors able to swallow up to 1645kg of cargo.

The Master is also among the safest vans on the market with twin airbags, anti-lock brakes, stability control, glazed steel bulkhead and cargo barrier all fitted as standard.

Renault Australia is on a roll, so to speak, Down Under, with sales of its passenger car range up 89 per cent in 2011. Its three-model van range, which also includes the smaller Trafic and Kangoo, has also been doing well, clocking up 615 sales last year, a 72 per cent increase on 2010.

Renault is hoping the new Master will help boost its overall van sales in Australia to more than 800 in 2012.

“We’re very serious about our LCV range here in Australia and I personally see [the Master] as one of the greatest opportunities for the brand and our future growth,” said Renault Australia’s managing director Justin Hocevar.

PRICE AND EQUIPMENT
-- One engine, two bodies
While European markets have access to around 350 Master variants including rear-wheel drive and cab chassis, Australian buyers initially will only able to get their hands on medium-wheelbase and long-wheelbase versions; both with front engine/front wheel drive and mid-height roof.

Just one engine, a 2.3-litre dCi turbodiesel, is available, matched to either a standard six-speed manual transmission or optional Quickshift robotised manual gearbox.

Starting at $43,990 for the medium-wheel base/ manual version, the new Master comes well equipped for the money with six-way adjustable driver’s seat with armrest, power windows and door mirrors, air-con, trip computer, CD-MP3 radio with Bluetooth audio streaming, glovebox cooler, swivelling seatback table, cruise control, rear parking sensors, and remote central locking.

There’s also a range of new options including climate control, fixed cornering lights, dual split under seat storage, driver head and thorax airbag, wood cargo floor and plywood lining for cargo walls, and a rearview camera (instead of parking sensors).

Buyers can also choose from three option packs. The Convenience pack ($490) includes a passenger seat storage compartment, 12V rear socket, additional door storage, sunglass storage, and lidded dashboard compartment that can store a laptop. 

The Safety and Security pack ($1890) adds driver head and thorax side airbags, automatic headlights and front wipers, alarm, heated rear window, fog lights, and cornering headlights (except when the optional driver suspension seat is fitted).

The Premium pack ($1490) includes integrated sat-nav with display screen mounted above the rearview mirror, rear parking camera with sunvisor display (replaces reversing camera) and AUX and USB audio connectors.

2012 Renault Master pricing:
- Master MWB manual $43,990
- Master MWB Quickshift $46,490
- Master LWB manual $44,990
- Master LWB Quickshift $47,490

Renault says improvements to aerodynamics and gear ratios as well as a new gearshift indicator display have helped reduce fuel economy, which is 8.5L/100km (official combined cycle) with Quickshift-fitted vans and 9.0L/100km on manual vans. The Master has a 105 litre fuel tank and CO2 emissions range from 226-238 g/km.

New ‘longer life’ components include a fitted-for-life timing chain, 60,000km/48 months coolant, more durable brake pads and clutch, and a no-maintenance particulate filter for the exhaust system. The warranty period has been extended to three years/200,000km and includes free roadside servicing.

The Master rides on MacPherson type strut/anti-roll bar front suspension, with single-leaf springs at the rear utilising polyurethane bump stops for a smoother ride when carrying a big load.

While the Renault’s front-drive/front engine layout enhances packaging and space utilisation and enables a lower sill height for easier access, it does raise the likelihood of excessive front wheelspin in adverse conditions. To counter this, Renault says the Master has been fitted with “an advanced traction control system to limit any loss of traction”.

Quickshift-equipped vans also come with two electronic traction aids, activated by buttons on the dash. ‘Snowflake’ automatically selects second gear for take-off in slippery conditions, while pressing the ‘kg’ button changes clutch mapping when carting heavy loads.

The MWB Master measures 5540mm long and 2480mm high and has a 3680mm wheelbase. The LWB version is 6190mm long, 2490mm high, and has a 4330mm wheelbase. Both are 2070mm wide.

Externally, the new Master stands out with bolder front end styling including large vertical headlights, ‘cheese grater’ grille, asymmetric rear window design, big bumpers and side mouldings.

Other useful features include front bumper steps for cleaning windows, and side mirror indicators. LWB vans get perimeter lights down each side for improved visibility. You can also eliminate the whitegood-on-wheels appearance with nine bright colours available.

Most vans sold in Australia will have left-hand sliding door/rear barn doors, although a right-hand sliding door can also be specified (with or without window) and a rear, lift-up tailgate could also become an option as it is on the Trafic.

Loadspace is similar to the previous Master, although the fixed bulkhead and cargo barrier does cut a little into the space. To compensate for that the spare wheel has been relocated underneath the vehicle to free up some extra room.

The cargo area in the MWB version is 3080mm long, and 3730mm long in the LWB. Both are 1760mm wide internally, or 1380mm between the wheel arches. There are 12 tie-down hooks on the floor and pillars in the LWB Master and 10 in the MWB. Standing height in the back is a decent 1890mm.

The rear barn doors open as wide as 270 degrees and come standard with windows. With 543mm rear sill height (LWB) and a rear step, access to the cargo space has also been improved. 

The MWB Master can handle up to 10.3 cubic metres and two standard Australian pallets, which can be loaded either through the rear or the 1200mm wide side doors. The LWB Master takes up to 12.5cu.m and can fit three pallets

Stepping up to the driver’s seat, all-round visibility has been improved with revised windscreen and side window profiles, steeply sloping bonnet and driving position that’s now 49mm higher.

The cabin is 57mm longer, which means there’s more legroom and space behind the small, more vertically set steering wheel. The steering wheel is adjustable for height only, but the seat can be adjusted for lumbar, reach and height, so getting a comfortable driving position shouldn’t be a problem. 

The driver’s seat also has a bigger cushion and more reclined seatback angle which proved comfortable over hour-plus long stints behind the wheel. A fully adjustable suspension seat is also available as an option.

Fitted as standard are driver and passenger airbags (seat-mounted driver head and thorax airbags are optional) and three-point seatbelts with pretensioners are fitted to all three seats.

According to Renault the Master “boasts one of the shortest stopping distances in its class, able to stop in 44.7m from 100km/h when laden and breaking on a dry road”. Helping it achieve that, as well as safer handling, is anti-skid brakes with 302mm ventilated front discs and 305mm sold rear discs, and stability control.

Renault with the new Master is looking to steal market share from Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, Volkswagen Crafter, and Fiat Ducato. In 2011 the Sprinter led the pack with 2248 sales in Australia, followed by Ducato with 893, Crafter 469, and Master 68.

One advantage the new Master seems to have over its European rivals is pricing, with better specification in some cases and the inclusion of some standard features that are options on some of its rivals.

The Sprinter is available in more variants than the Master, and has some features the Master doesn’t offer like electronically opening sliding doors. But the Master’s 2.3-litre engine has more power and torque than Mercedes-Benz’s 2.1-litre turbodiesel. The Renault also has a greater towing capacity and appears slightly better priced on a spec-by-spec basis.

Also available in more variants, the Fiat Ducato comes with a less powerful 96kW/320Nm, 2.3-litre engine. The long-wheelbase/medium roof/auto Ducato at $49,090 (or $45,990 for the MWB) is similar to Master pricing, although the MWB Fiat has a larger two tonne payload and 11.5cu.m loadspace.

The Crafter is available here with three versions of the five-cylinder turbodiesel engine, with up to 120kW/350Nm and six-speed manual or auto. You pay extra for a passenger airbag and cruise control though, and standard pricing is marginally higher than the Master.

While there’s still a jump up into the seats, despite the low sill height, the seats proved supportive and comfortable over a day’s driving.  Visibility all-round was excellent, aided by a big windscreen, sloping bonnet, and massive side mirrors.

Low-speed manoeuvring was good too, with light steering and a tight turning circle, and parking sensors or rearview camera (if fitted) made reversing into tight spots relatively stress free.

We were also impressed with the number of storage compartments (a big step up from the previous model) with numerous cup holders, parcel shelves, door bins, dashtop compartments as well as general hidey-holes for small items like toll money and phones or even large items like laptops.

The centre seat backrest that folds down to reveal a large, swivelling ‘desk’ (or lunch table) is a particularly useful feature. There are also three grab handles in the cabin, as well as coat hooks along the bulkhead.

We also liked the optional sat nav display mounted above the rearview mirror, which allows the driver to more easily keep his eyes on the road. We’d prefer a touchscreen display though, rather than the separate remote control stored on the dash.

Another quirk we’ve noticed in other Renaults is the separate cruise control switches located on the dash and steering wheel. On the whole though, the bigger and classier interior would make a very pleasant ‘office’.

On the road the engine is smooth and tractable from low revs, the small turbodiesel working efficiently from as low as 1200rpm to 2000rpm. Even with 200kg of ballast the Master briskly gets up to highway speeds, and remains stable, quiet and fuss-free at 100km/h.

Driving over mostly dry bitumen on flat roads, we didn’t have any major problems with wheelspin, although we weren’t carrying a significant load or trying any fast getaways.

The automated manual ‘box is not as jerky as similar systems we’ve tried. There’s still some lag between gear changes, but it smooths out at higher speeds and in higher gears. It works best with manual changes, though, with the stubby, dashboard-mounted gear lever falling easily to hand. It will also adapt to your driving style in auto mode.

Despite not being quite as effective as a normal auto transmission, the Quickstart is still our pick for city driving, although the manual is light and easy to use.

Ride comfort was also excellent around town, with the suspension only really struggling with speed bumps or particularly rough patches of road.  A decent load would no doubt smooth out the ride further.

Fuel consumption in an unladen LWB auto driven mainly on the freeway was 9.8L/100km, whereas a MWB manual with 200kg load, driven around inner city Melbourne, was slightly thirstier at 11.0L/100km.

Overall, the Master shapes up as an impressive load hauler, with many handy features and modern comforts that would be appreciated over the long haul. Judging by how comfortable and easy to drive it was particularly in busy traffic, it’s no surprise the big Renault sells like hotcakes in Europe.

Launched with competitive pricing, the only issue is the limited number of variants available currently. But if it looks like it would suit your work requirements, we’d strongly recommend a test drive.

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