Whats’s new ?
A new aerodynamic design for Renault Master means a fresh new look with a more curved front end & overall exterior that’s been designed & fine tuned in a wind tunnel.
Trims & prices
Two trims, Advance or Extra. Prices from £41,300, through £42,200 & £43,400 on Advance versions. Extra with the 170hp engine begins at £47,300.
Body sizes & dimensions
Renault are offering three body sizes offered in two lengths & two heights. So you can select from a Medium Wheel Base Medium Roof, Long Wheel Base Medium Roof, or Long Wheel Base High Roof.
Van dimensions Height Width Length Load Volume Payload
L2H2 van 2,502mm. 2,080mm 5,680mm 10.8 m3 1419kg
L3H2 van 2,502mm 2,080mm 6,315mm 13 m3 1419kg
L3H3 van 2,780mm 2,080mm. 6,315mm. 14.8 m3 1419kg
Engines
There are three diesel variants of the Renault Master, with power outputs of 128bhp, 148bhp & 168bhp. The 128bhp version is mated to a six-speed manual gearbox as standard, while the mid-range 148bhp version can be had with the same manual box or a nine-speed automatic gearbox, which is the only version offered with the most powerful engine. Heavy-duty Masters are only available with the 148bhp engine & manual gearbox.
Practicality & day to day usability
Renault have updated the practical aspects of the Master. It comes with an increased load length up to 3,855 mm, so that longer items such as piping can be safely carried. The load volume of up to 14.8m3 (panel van only) allows for the transportation of even more goods such as parcels for delivery & the wider sliding side door width of 1,313mm makes loading & unloading is safer & easier than before. A 1419kg payload means that transporting heavier items such as cement is also catered for & the towing capacity of up to 2,500kg offers flexibility when required.
Conversions
Not everyone wants a panel van & it’s good to know that the Master is also available as a tipper, a chassis cab, a platform cab & a crew van which can carry seven people.
Interior tech & comfort
Van drivers spend most of their working day inside their vehicle, so Renault have significantly improved the Master’s interior tech & safety to make journeys both easier & more comfortable. The seats taken from the Renault Austral car offer both comfort & support. Tech such as a 10.1″ multimedia system with Apple CarPlay & Android Auto, rear parking sensors & a digital rear-view mirror allow for hands-free communication & easier parking & reversing in your Master.
Equipment
Renault’s Master isn’t International Van of the Year for nothing. Separate climate control dials are easy to work, although the temperature isn’t measured in numbers but by clicks. Analogue dials also feature in front of the driver.
Advance model’s come with manual air-conditioning, electric windows, automatic light, rear parking sensors, automatic windscreen wipers, rear parking sensors, intelligent speed assist – with traffic sign recognition & overspeed prevention, a solid bulkhead, unglazed 180 degree rear doors, left sliding door, 6-way adjustable driver’s seat, lane departure warning & a passenger bench seat with mobile office with under seat storage
Extra trim adds Google Maps with voice control, blue upholstery stitching, LED load area lighting, front fog lights, active emergency braking & some an extra 12V socket.
Cabin practicality
Renault haver done well here with 135 litres of storage space around the cabin. These include two large cupholders, an overhead shelf, storage bins above the dashboard, storage space under both passenger seats, of which the centre seat can be folded down to create a desk with USB-C ports to keep phones charged.
Safety & Security
The latest Master comes with up to 20 advanced safety features such as Lane Departure Warning, Active Emergency Braking, Intelligent Speed Assist with Traffic Sign Recognition & Overspeed Prevention, Driver Drowsiness & Attention Warning, an Emergency Call System & driver, passenger and side airbags. Security includes a perimetric & volumetric alarm as standard.
Renault Master warranty
The Master gets Renault’s standard three-year 100,000-mile warranty. You also get three years’ roadside assistance.
On the road
Driving large vans get’s easier & easier & the latest Master is proof in point. We were driving an MM35 Extra Blue dCi 150 manual & the gear change was smooth & coupled to the light clutch & power assisted steering it’s a cinch to drive.
There wasn’t a reversing camera on our model so the rear parking sensors were utilised & I managed a week of parking in Sainsburys without incident. Trailer stability assistance will be a god-send if you’re towing up to 3,500kg & we’d seriously consider selecting the optional digital rear-view mirror especially if you deliver parcels.
When you’re out & about the 150bhp model doesn’t offer that much low down acceleration. The power dies off quickly between each gear change as you approach 3000 revs. Until that is you reach fourth gear, when there’s power galore & the Master accelerates swiftly. In fourth, fifth & sixth gears you really do notice the torque of 360Nm. If you select the 150hp model you’ll have no issues even if you’re fully loaded. We’d expect the smaller 130hp engine to be more of a struggle, the 170hp version better.
Thanks to the fabric trim on the inside roof & the full bulkhead the cabins relatively quiet, although the noise levels pick up when you let the revs rise & get up to motorway speeds. Whereupon things settle down nicely. The cruise control, not adaptive sadly, also works well, accessed via the left side steering wheel buttons. here’s also a speed limiter here useful for motorway speed changes & road works.
A word about the safety kit which is thorough. The Master features Renaults clever MyPerso set-up whereby you can personalise the vans safety settings to suit your requirements. The van always defaults to all systems on, so lane departure & speed warning are activated. Once you’ve customised your own choices, you can press the handy MyPerso button twice, it’s on the left side of the steering wheel on the dashboard & the annoying noises disappear. A feature we love.
Pros
Good choice of engines, conversions & sizes. Fuel economy at 38mpg is better than before. Easy to drive. Good on board tech & safety.
Cons
Not as many versions offered as competitors. No electric handbrake.. yet.
Verdict
We awarded the Master our coveted Large Van of the Year Award & whilst out may lack the number of versions & option software the Transit & Ducato, quality wise it’s up there with a Sprinter. It’s large van that take the headache out of driving & if you adfd the digital rear-view mirror its almost perfect. The 130hp version could be a bit underpowered so stick to the 150hp or 170hp if you can
A Large Van of the Year 4.5/5
Our test van
Master MM35 Extra Blue dCi 150
Price £43,990
Max speed (mph) 106
CO2 (WLTP) 199
Combined MPG (WLTP) 37.2
Turning Circle between kerbs 12.8m
Turning Circle between walls 13.4m
