Over the course of two days, the 2014 MPG Marathon saw one van in the light commercial vehicle segment pick-up the titles of ‘best MPG’ as well as the ‘best percentage improvement’.
That van was the all-new Renault Trafic which, over a course that was 311 miles long, averaged 55.5mpg.
More impressively, the result is a 16% improvement on what Renault claims is the actual fuel economy its van can produce!
Renault Trafic is the most frugal for fuel
The aim of the challenge is not only to test fuel economy and performance but also test eco-driving techniques.
And by racking up an average economy of 55.55mpg to take the ‘best MPG’ title, the drivers managed to beat the official EU combine cycle figure of 50mpg.
That also led to the best percentage improvement in the same category.
Driver Dan Gilkes said: “The Renault Trafic Energy dCi Twin Turbo is one of the most economical vans which makes it tough to improve upon.”
Best fuel economy for a van
He added that he was pleased with the final result especially since a number of other vans struggled to reach even their advertised combined figure.
He added: “The Trafic was a pleasure to drive and never missed a beat.”
Dan maintained low rpm throughout the test to ensure maximum economy was achieved and the new 1.6 litre engine delivered plenty of torque to allow high gears to be used.
He also revealed that when the test was finished, the Trafic display was showing that it still had a potential range of 900 miles still left in the tank.
All-new Renault Trafic impresses for economy
Renault’s Trafic product manager, Mike Willis, said: “The Energy engine range in the new Traffic is designed to provide performance and economy as well as associated lower fuel bills that van drivers want.”
He added that the firm was delighted that the Trafic managed beat its own official economy figures during the marathon.
Since launch last September, the Renault Trafic has been a popular choice for many buyers.
The Trafic is available as a panel van, crew van as well as a passenger van which will seat up to nine people. There are also four efficient turbodiesel engines available in the range.
The van has also one of the best scoring reviews on the commercialvehicle .com website thanks to one of the best load capacities around and a number of clever and practical solutions to help make this a desirable choice.