Renault has announced the launch of a new, extended-wheelbase variant of the Kangoo van – the Kangoo Van Maxi. It’s nearly 40cm longer than the current Kangoo van and complements the other variant of the Kangoo, the Kangoo Compact, which is shorter than the regular Kangoo.

Smallest, small and not so small - the Renault Kangoo range

All of this Kangoo goodness comes in a low roof (1.82m), short wheelbase package that ensures that the Kangoo Van Maxi remains well suited for urban use and won’t have its progress impeded by car park height barriers, unlike slightly larger alternatives. It has an overall length of 4.6m with a load length of 2.1m (2.9m with the passenger seat folded down), a payload of 800kg and a load volume of 4.6 cubic metres – a full cubic metre more than the regular Kangoo van.

The Kangoo Van Maxi will go on sale in the UK on 4th June – more details nearer the time.

Trafic Phase III

The Trafic has sold more than 1.1 million units since its introduction in 2001 and remains very popular. It should be no surprise, therefore, that the Trafic Phase III is a definite case of evolution, not revolution. That said, it contains a number of desirable updates to the existing model that should appeal to Renault’s target market for these vans, described by the company as “tradesmen and traders”.

On the outside, it looks pretty much identical. Most of the updates seem to have been inside the cab and under the bonnet. Here’s a comparison of the new Trafic dashboard area with that of the outgoing model:

The updated cab in the phase III Trafic - replacing the one below

The dashboard layout of the outgoing phase II Renault Trafic

Changes to the updated Trafic include:

• In-dash Carminat TomTom satellite navigation, including TomTom’s IQ Routes software, which aims to use real-world traffic data (recorded by other TomTom users) to calculate the best route for your journey at that time of day.
• Automatic climate control
• Improved dashboard storage facilities plus a redesigned instrument console to improve “visibility and legibility of the information display”
• A new range of audio systems including USB and Bluetooth connectivity
• Cruise control and speed limiter with steering wheel controls
• Improved fuel consumption and lower CO2 emissions

Renault claim to have improved both fuel consumption and emissions on the Trafic, while leaving the range of engine and power choices unchanged. The same two engines will be available, a 2.0dCi (90hp or 115hp) and a 2.5dCi (150hp). Both 2.0 litre models now boast CO2 emissions of less than 200g/km and Renault claims that it has improved the fuel consumption of the 115hp model by 4.2mpg and reduced its CO2 emissions by 19g/km, to just 195g/km for the manual gearbox.

All have six-speed manual gearboxes as standard but both the 115hp and 150hp models are both available with Renault’s automated manual transmission, Quickshift. In both cases, this promises both lower fuel consumption and lower CO2 emissions than the equivalent manual models – in keeping with the promises made for this type of gearbox.