Road Tests: Renault Kerax 420.27

To borrow some advertising guff from a well known exterior coating supplier, the Kerax does exactly what it says on the tin. This truck has no pretensions of grandeur, there's no unnecessary luxury for the driver and ride comfort leaves a lot to be desired. But for all that it's a truck we soon came to like. The engine is gutsy, the cab's compact and the manoeuvrability, even in tight spots, is better than expected. We can only take its off-road credentials on trust, but if looks are any measure of ability it should be a capable performer. We've tried not to focus on the fuel economy too much on this test as this isn't a sector where efficiency is a high priority. No matter what sector you compete in you can't ignore fuel costs. But, while the 5.46mpg overall economy of the Kerax appears to be worryingly low, when its payload is taken into account the payload productivity analysis doesn't appear quite so eye watering.