Mileage: 1,439
Economy: 45.3mpg
What has happened to the Renault Scenic? The French firm’s big-selling family MPV brand has adopted the ‘if you can’t beat ’em, join ’em’ approach to the all-encompassing SUV onslaught that is currently gripping the car market.
All the signs suggest that buyers want the tough, big-wheeled looks and high driving positions of crossovers and SUVs, so that’s what the new Scenic gives them, albeit in a more measured way with extra sliding seats and storage options.
Even our new seven-seat Grand Scenic is on board with the latest direction. The once innocuous school run bus looks altogether more rebellious in its latest guise and we’ve been instantly intrigued by this stylish new model. Our mid-spec Dynamique S Nav version with the dCi 130 1.6-litre diesel engine weighs in at £28,605 as standard.
You’ll have your own views on the styling, but the super-size Renault family grille and rippling flanks certainly go beyond what we’ve come to expect from the MPV market in terms of visual drama. Plus, there are the party piece 20-inch wheels, fitted as standard across the range. Our car also gets an 8.7-inch portrait touchscreen, a colour head-up display, keyless entry, rear parking camera and panoramic glass sunroof as standard.
At this point, traditional Grand Scenic buyers who have yet to succumb to the charms of a crossover might be feeling slightly concerned. Has the MPV’s traditional practicality been sacrificed for some big wheels and a bulging equipment list?
That’s what we aim to find out over the course of this car’s time on our fleet, but first impressions suggest the Grand Scenic has its house in order. Storage is generous inside, not least from the clever sliding centre console between the front seats, which also houses four USB charging points.
The rear seats fold down to create a flat floor and there’s even a control panel in the boot that lets you drop them all automatically. Rear passengers benefit from tray tables on the seatbacks ahead of them, although they restrict legroom for kids sitting in forward-facing car seats, and the constant pinging of the elastic straps by your beloved children can get tiresome.
Space is good, with adults well catered for in the middle row, but you’ll need to slide the seats forward to squeeze anyone other than a child into the two rearmost chairs.
By the somewhat squidgy standards of most people carriers, the Renault resists body roll in corners well and stays relatively composed over gentle undulations. What it doesn’t do is absorb minor bumps all that effectively. Those 20-inch wheels don’t help and the net result is a ride that’s jiggly and occasionally crashy, although things improve on the motorway.
The Grand Scenic might be swimming against the tide in its bid to seize sales back from SUVs and crossovers, but it seems up for the fight. Smart looks, lots of tech and that practical MPV interior all suggest we’ll get on well during its time with Auto Express.
*Insurance quote from AA (0800 107 0680) for a 42-year-old in Banbury, Oxon, with three points.
- Model: Renault Grand Scenic dCi 130 Dynamique S Nav
- On fleet since: October 2017
- Price new: £28,605
- Engine: 1.6-litre 4cyl diesel, 128bhp
- CO2/tax: 119g/km/£140
- Options: Metallic paint (£550), LED headlights (£500), Parking Pack Premium (£500), Safety Pack Premium (£500), Bose pack (£500), spare wheel (£110)
- Insurance*: Group: 16/Quote: £913
- Mileage/mpg: 1,439/45.3mpg
- Economy: 45.3mpg
- Any problems?: None so far
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