Modest Maxity has Merit
Renault’s new 3.5 tonne chassis cab is subjected to the rigours of our full Scottish test. John Henderson reports back that minimal fuss best describes the Maxity’s solid performance! A FULL Scottish test for a van principally designed with the small builder in mind, I hear you say? Well, to be honest Renault arranged for me to use the Maxity for a few days and after running around faultlessly on my local roads, I decided that perhaps a full proper Transport News evaluation of the modern looking newcomer would surely be a more suitable challenge. It was back in April at APSE’s Aviemore show that I first viewed the new Maxity range which looks different from any in its peer group, but it’s certainly progressive with the large light clusters and smiley front grille giving an almost welcoming look. My first hour or so behind the wheel of the cheery wee Renault had me convinced I was driving a 7.5 tonner, such is the feel of the spacious cab! With the sizeable windscreen, side windows and flat steering wheel, my mind was going into large rigid truck mode whilst on the move and after giving other vehicles and hazards far too wide a berth, I found a quiet stretch of road and had a word with myself, carrying out some slow manoeuvres and parking to become realistically acquainted with the correct dimensions of the diminutive motor! Continuing with the interior, the flat floor offers plenty of space for three occupants and the centre seat back folds down to form an impromptu table if required. The grey and black dashboard and surrounds are brightened up by a light blue pattern on the seats which are comfortable and look robust enough. One small observation was the lack of height adjustment in the drivers unit, which left a six footer like me feeling I was sitting too low down and whilst operating the handbrake, care had to be taken to avoid contact between my elbow and the centre seat edge. That said, the gearstick is mounted on the engine cover and falls perfectly to hand, with unrushed deliberate changes being required as the new ‘box was still a bit tight. How many builders’ vans do you see nowadays with old Daily Sports, faded paperwork and used parking tickets crowding the inside of the windscreen shelves? Full marks to Renault who fit a great range of cupboards and cubby holes for every possible requirement, including a neat over windscreen shelf on the driver’s side. With independent suspension at the front and parabolic springs at the rear, complemented by all round shock absorbers, the Maxity handled well, never feeling over stressed or out of its depth over the few days that I lived with it. The Continental 195/70 R15 tyres fitted offered good grip and complemented the superbly set up rack and pinion steering which was particularly of note when cornering at speed, delivering the sort of feel and feedback akin to a good car. Equipped with 231 and 238mm vented discs front and back respectively, the stopping power of the dual hydraulic system was always firm and business-like with no trace of any pulls or fade at any time. The offside chassis leg holds a 90 litre diesel tank and its accessible filter, with the air cleaner, battery box and sealed fuse box fixed on the opposing rail. A centre mounted, under slung spare wheel can be accessed safely from the kerbside and above this, the aluminium dropside body contained well lashed ballast weights anchored to the steel eyes around the hardwood floor. The cab’s rear wall protection was courtesy of a robust steel headboard. On my first sector run north towards Perth I found the in-cab noise levels slightly loud with 70mph and 3,000rpm being displayed on the dials. I knocked the speed down by 5mph and the wee truck seemed far more comfortable and noticeably quieter at this pace. More frequent lane changing for overtaking is a regular feature of smaller vehicle tests and the Maxity’s excellent exterior mirrors came into play often and were much appreciated, especially on the regular busy stretch between eastern Glasgow and Cumbernauld, where it’s usually all happening! All the basic controls fall well to hand and the general operation of these is solid. Renault’s four cylinder DXi 2.5 diesel engine produces 110hp at 3,600 revs complemented by 250nm of torque from 1,600 to 2,800rpm. This unit meets Euro 4 compliance with Exhaust Gas Recycling (EGR.) A single plate, 240mm diameter clutch feeds the five speed manual gearbox and the left pedal is smooth in operation thanks to hydraulic assistance. At the business end a single reduction 32F rear axle smoothly turns it all into motion with a 4.11:1 ratio. The two timed hill climbs passed without any issues as the DXi’s relatively wide torque band coped easily and allowed both tests to be negotiated without dropping a gear. To add some extra user authenticity to this test, my lunch consisting of the traditional sandwiches and flask, was eaten in cab, followed by a snooze in the warm sunshine, stretched out across all three seats! Wide awake and back on the Fife circular route, the Maxity was easy work through the villages and junctions that often slow the larger trucks’ progress. The Kingdom loop also delivered the best fuel return of the day with 28.2mpg showing after a traffic clear journey of just 57 minutes. With no rain recorded, the main problem with forward vision was the continual hit of bugs on the windscreen, so the washers and wipers were indeed required and the effective swept area of the wiper blades is impressive considering that this truck is essentially a factory right hand drive conversion. At the second Forth Bridge stop, I gave the manual cab tilt mechanism a try and the passenger side operated bar locks are easy to use and re-secure. All the mechanical items for regular checking and topping up are well placed and the standard of engineering throughout the entire chassis has a well built look and feel to it. This Maxity offers 1,823kg of payload and although it will never have the refined ride of an integral van, the manoeuvrability on the climb back to Abington, around the Pentland hills, was encouraging with the well sorted suspension reacting reassuringly and soundly to the ever changing directions and gradients. Although I technically over-tested this cab-over-engine van, it proved an important point about this French manufacturer’s build quality and adaptability. The Renault Maxity 110.35/5 is correctly designed with local runs to the trade merchants and building sites in mind and although it won’t be taken up by the longer distance operators, it proved itself well worthy for the occasional foray further afield. With Renault’s customer service reputation and comprehensive nationwide support network, Maxity buyers will find much to merit with this new 3.5 tonne truck.