Renault Grand Scenic

Despite Peugeot’s efforts to reinvent the family car with its new 3008 (here), Renault is sticking to a tried and tested formula with its Grand Scenic.

The design is evolutionary rather than revolutionary, but it’s the cabin that impresses. Legroom in the second and third rows is class-leading, while there are 40 storage spaces scattered around. And with the third row folded and the second row removed, there’s a massive 2,063-litre load bay.

We tried the new 2.0 dCi 160 engine, which pulls surprisingly hard thanks to 360Nm of torque. But the real revelation is the other new powerplant – the turbocharged 1.4 TCe 130. This punches well above its weight, revving freely.

The four-model range begins at £14,995 for the 1.6 VVT Extreme, which includes air-con, keyless entry and a multi-function instrument display that replaces all the analogue dials.

There’s also a world first collaboration between a car maker and portable satellite navigation expert TomTom, for an optional £450 integrated system. It all adds up to an impressive all-round package.