Review: 2016 Renault Master Single Cab

Name: Review: 2016 Renault Master Single Cab
Brand: Renault

Want a car-like drive but a commercial payload? Renault's Master Single Cab cab/chassis makes good sense

Renault Australia says its Master cab/chassis serves as a viable alternative to a light truck, while it also offers a significant step up in terms of payload and space from a traditional ute.

The Single Cab example reviewed here has a maximum payload of nearly 2500kg (minus the 444kg of the factory-fitted 4.5m x 2.1m Scattolini aluminium drop-side tray) and a towing capacity of 3000kg – all in a vehicle with a car-licence-friendly GVM (gross vehicle mass) of 4495kg.

That's fair load-lugging ability for a vehicle priced at $54,280 plus on-roads (as tested, including tray), and food for thought for prospective buyers weighing up their light-commercial options.

This Master's appeal becomes even more apparent once you've taken it for a spin – it's as easy to drive as any passenger car, with a level of refinement to put most trucks to shame.

Our test vehicle came in an extra-long wheelbase format (L4H1) with dual rear wheels, with its 2.3-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel feeding the urge to those rear wheels – unlike most front-drive Masters – via a six-speed automated manual transmission.

The dCi 150 engine produces a claimed 110kW (150hp) at 3500rpm and 350Nm from 1500-2750rpm, and shouldn't be confused with the twin-turbo unit (the Energy dCi 165) that appeared in the Master range early last year.

That engine, also found in Nissan's latest Navara ute, produces 120kW (165hp) and 360Nm, and in the Renault cab/chassis range is only available with a six-speed manual transmission.

AT THE WHEEL

A broad step helps you hop into the cab but there's no A-pillar grab handle. Once behind the wheel, however, it's all very car-like. The wheel (adjustable for tilt but not reach) is angled toward the driver and not up as in a truck, and the driver's seat (with all the usual adjustment, plus lumbar support and a fold-down armrest) is comfortable and supportive.

All-round vision is good and you sit high in relation to most other traffic, giving a clear view ahead.

There is one caveat here. At night, the rear window reflects the view out the front windscreen badly – to the point it's almost impossible to see behind you when reversing. Of course, this will be a non-issue in Masters fitted with a box body, and for traybacks a reversing camera is money well spent.

On the road, the Master's cab is a refined and cosy workspace. It's pretty spacious – certainly there's a stack of headroom – and the heating works a treat, as I found on several early morning starts when the mercury was nudging zero.

The dash layout is really good, placing all controls at or at least near your fingertips, and the HVAC (heating/venting/air-conditioning) dials are large and easy to use.

The central analogue speedo is also easy to read but it features the Euro emphasis – displaying 30, 50, 70, 90, 110, 130km/h etc – rather than one that favours our main Aussie speed limits. Then again, the speed limiter and cruise control will help when it comes to hanging on to those precious licence points.

Cab storage is good; the door pockets are large, ditto the (chilled) glove box, and there are three trays on top of the dash (one with USB charging slot). It's a pity at least one of them isn't concealed by a lid to keep prying eyes away from phones, wallets, cigarettes etc (let's face it, smokes are dear enough these days to represent a theft risk!), but then the twin overhead compartments serve this function equally well. There's also enough room behind the seating to store some gear, provided it's not too bulky.

There are plenty of cup holders dotted about the place but more bottle holders wouldn't hurt.

There's a fair bit of room under the twin passenger seat unit and the centre seat folds forward to provide a handy workspace. To be honest, we had this seat forward all the time, as with it up the headrest obscures the view in the rear-view mirror.

The cab is the usual LCV mix of hard plastics, which with their dark hues and hardy construction should prove robust and mark resistant over the long haul. The organic lines and flowing curves add to the overall sense of refinement, likewise the uniform and small panel tolerances.

On the subject of intrusive noise, the Master displays pleasingly low levels of NVH (noise/vibration/harshness). Yes, it's a commercial and it's never going to be as quiet in the cab as your average passenger car, but the engine, wind and road noise that does intrude is far from offensive. Listening to the radio or using the hands-free phone is easy, and we like the simple audio controls mounted just behind the steering wheel.

Speaking of hands-free, pairing a phone was initially easy but the connection dropped out several times over the week, requiring the phone to be 're-paired'.

The four-cylinder turbo-diesel 'dCi 150' is smooth, refined and perky. Before the arrival of the 2.3-litre twin-turbo this was the most potent Master engine available, and it's still a good thing.

At 100km/h around 2500rpm is registering on the tacho; there's useable low-down urge and, once the turbo has spooled up, there's a strong surge from below 2000rpm to approaching 4000rpm.

I'm not a big fan of the AMT transmission, which goes about its shifts in a workmanlike if fairly ponderous manner. There's nothing difficult about its operation, mind you, and the gear changes certainly become smoother when there's a load on board, but I'd still like to see a full auto option in the Master range.

Having said that, to its credit the AMT does downshift nicely under braking, the subsequent engine braking further slowing the show.

UNDER LOAD

We threw 1300kg in the back during the course of this one-week test. Without a weight the ride is actually surprisingly good – nowhere near as harsh as you'd rightly expect – but with a load on board a good thing becomes even better.

The suspension – a leaf/shock setup at the rear and a coil-over-shock arrangement up front – soaks up the bumps while the lurching shifts of the AMT smooth right out, and the engine's torque takes a load in its stride.

When empty, the trip computer was registering 10.5L/100km, the figure climbing to 12.3L/100km with the weight on board. They're some very respectable figures, ones that would give most dual-cab pick-ups a run for their money, and with a 100-litre fuel tank they add up to a very healthy range (approaching 900km).

At around 7m from tip to tail our test vehicle has a pretty hefty turning circle – 15.7m, according to Renault. This took some acclimatising after driving our last commercial vehicle, a light-duty Hino truck, but acclimatise we did.

The Scattolini tray is worth $4290 and it's a quality bit of gear. It's also offered as a factory item by other major LCV manufacturers; it's easy to use and appears very sturdy. There's a fold-out foot step on the rear of the tray – a handy thing as the tray itself is 900mm off the deck.

For safety, the Master comes with stability control with antilock brakes, electronic brakeforce distribution and traction control, and driver and passenger airbags (side airbags are available as an option).

At $54,280 plus on-roads, this Master Single Cab with tray makes sense on multiple levels. It's a value-packed alternative to many a light-duty truck, with a payload and towing limit to put most utes to shame.

Add in a three-year, 200,000km warranty, the backing of Renault's network of Pro+ LCV specialists, and 12-month/30,000km service intervals, and the Master Single Cab is worthy of careful consideration by anyone pondering their next LCV purchase.

2016 RENAULT MASTER SINGLE-CAB SPECIFICATIONS

Engine: 2.3-litre 'dCi 150' in-line four-cylinder turbo-diesel

Power: 110kW (150hp) at 3500rpm

Torque: 350Nm at 1500-2750rpm

Emissions: Euro 5

Transmission: Six-speed AMT

Drive: Rear-wheel drive

Front suspension: Coil over shock

Rear suspension: Leaf/shock

GVM: 4495kg

Payload: 2489kg

Wheelbase: 4332mm