The seven-seat Renault RBC MPV will likely go on sale in the opening half of 2019; expected to use an uprated petrol engine from Kwid
A key success factor in the MPV segment is the ample space offered for occupants and the practicality of the vehicle as family-oriented buyers are primarily targetted. In recent times, their influence can be clearly felt across different price ranges the MPVs sit on, while being modern in appearance can make or break the selling proposition.
In the midst of Maruti Suzuki Ertiga and Toyota Innova Crysta enduring tremendous popularity in their respective MPV segments, their rivals could not replicate even half of their monthly volumes together. However, observing the obvious potential and the price gap between Ertiga and Innova, Mahindra has positioned its Marazzo diligently and the first impressions suggest the strategy is paying dividends.
Renault is the next in line fancying the entry-level MPV space below Ertiga and it could prove to be a success considering the lack of competition for seven seaters below Rs. 8 lakh. Codenamed Renault RBC, the MPV will likely go up against Datsun Go+ and open up new possibilities in the segment. Test mules of the RBC have come about a few times under spy radar, and it gives an opportunity for us to ponder a little deeper.
The exterior of the RBC looks well-proportioned and it has tall pillars and roofline possibly offering good head and legroom. The raked windshield and short bonnet are instantly recognisable leading us to think that it could have a long wheelbase close to the Ertiga and more than 2,450 mm wheelbase of Go+ while sticking within four metre slab for tax exemption.
A wider body than Ertiga and high ground clearance of around 180 mm may also be on the cards to tackle perplexed Indian roads. It will be manufactured at Renault-Nissan’s production base in Oragadam, Tamil Nadu. Based on the updated version of Kwid’s CMF-A+ platform, it will likely have high local content as the small hatchback and could be priced at around Rs. 4.5 lakh to Rs. 7.5 lakh (ex-showroom).
As for the powertrain, it is expected to be offered with a familiar petrol unit as the uprated 1.0-litre three-cylinder engine from the Kwid could be connected to a five-speed manual or an optional AMT transmission. It may produce more than 70 horsepower while being fuel efficient with claimed mileage of around 20 kmpl. We suspect a launch in the early parts of 2019 considering the production-ready prototypes evaluated in real-world conditions.
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