Renault Scenic

Renault Scenic offers chic French styling and MPV-like practicality

Auto Express Car Reviews

Rating:
Latest deal price: from £13,797 to £16,883
For : Hugely practical, smooth, punchy diesels, smart looks
Against : Limited resale value, dated cabin, seven-seater more flexible

When the Renault Scenic first arrived in 1996, the brand claimed to have invented a new segment. More than a decade later, the third-generation Scenic is stll top of a now well established class. Available in both five and seven-seat bodystyles, the clever seating system makes it hugely practical, and the range of refined and smooth diesel engines make the Scenic a comfortable and classy mode of family transport. The recently introduced 1.6 dCi with stop and start is one of the cleanest 130bhp engines on the market, so its also very cheap to run. All versions come very well equipped, with even base models getting cruise control, air-conditioning and electric windows as standard.

Our pick: Dynamique TomTom 1.6 dCi 130 Start&Stop 5dr

Video: watch CarBuyer's video review of the Renault Scenic

Styling

The Scenic proves that family cars don't need to look dull, and the smart, well-proportioned design does an excellent job of concealing its relative bulk. Nice details like the contrasting inserts on the grille and chunky side sills give it a dose of attitude. All but the base Expression model come with alloy wheels in varying sizes. All are very well equipped.

Interior

The cabin feels solidly put together, with a centrally mounted screen rather than a traditional set of dials displaying all the main information for the driver. It's not quite as attractive as newer rivals like the Ford C-MAX, but the simple layout is easy to use.

Driving and Performance

Sharing much of its suspension setup with the Renault Megane, the Scenic is very agile, and handles surprisingly well, with high levels of grip and good body control. The entry-level engine – a 1.6-litre petrol with 109bhp – needs to be revved hard to provide adequate peformance, but the turbocharged 1.4-litre engine with 130bhp is much more flexible. There are a range of diesels but the pick of the bunch is the newly introduced 1.6-litre engine - equipped with stop and start - is incredibly smooth and quiet, offering the best mix of pace and running costs.

MPG and running costs

The most efficient engine in the range is the new 1.6 dCi diesel with stop and start, which returns 64.2mpg and emissions of just 115g/km making it very cheap to run. All of the diesels are relatively frugal but both the entry-level 1.6-litre petrol and the 2.0-litre petrol automatic have very high emissions, with the latter producing 186g/km and returning just 34mpg, putting its yearly tax bill at a hefty £210.

Practicality

The Renault Scenic is designed to handle anything a busy family can throw at it, so the load space is very flexible. The rear row of seats slide back and forth, so you can switch between legroom or extra boot space, and this clever arrangement means a maximum luggage space of 522-litres. The boot lip is mounted low and is over a meter wide, making placing large items into the back easy. The back seats can also be removed entirely and, although you'll need somewhere to store them, this frees up a van-like 1,837-litres of room.

Safety and reliability

Renault has a patchy history for reliability, but there have no problems have been reported with the current model, and the interior quality is vastly improved compared to previous generations. It's also one of the safest family cars on the market, with six airbags, ESP and ISOFIX childseat mounting points as standard. The current model hasn't been rated by Euro NCAP but has performed well in independent crash tests. As the last model received a full five stars, this version should be no different.

For an alternative review of the latest Renault Scenic visit our sister site carbuyer.co.uk