Renault Scenic review
The electric Renault Scenic is an innovative and hi-tech car with sustainable features
Is the Renault Scenic a good car?
The Renault Scenic E-Tech is one of six SUVs that are offered by the French company, but it stands out by only being available with an all-electric powertrain. It shares its running gear with the Mégane E-Tech, yet as with previous Scenics, it’s larger overall, while the SUV-style body provides a more versatile, family-friendly interior.
Every Scenic gets a sizeable 87kWh battery fitted, and there are three trim levels available: Techno, Techno Esprit Alpine, and Iconic Esprit Alpine. Competitive pricing and generous equipment levels mean the Scenic offers good value for money when compared with its rivals, even in top-spec Iconic Esprit Alpine guise.
| Key specs | |
| Fuel type | Electric |
| Body style | Five-door SUV |
| Powertrain | 87kWh battery, 1x e-motor, front-wheel drive |
| Safety | 5-star EuroNCAP (based on the Renault Megane results from 2022) |
| Warranty | 3yrs/100,000 miles |
How much does the Renault Scenic cost?
While the Renault Scenic uses a name from the French firm’s past, there’s nothing dated about the current E-Tech model. Using older names is a growing trend for new EVs, with Renault also using the 5 and Mégane badges for its electric models, while Ford has also hit the headlines with its retro-badged machines.
The old Scenic was a family-friendly MPV that sold in big numbers across Europe and the UK. However, the E-Tech follows an electric SUV template, although Renault is keen to pitch it more as a family-friendly model like its ancestors – it just happens to be powered purely by electricity.
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Cash £15,387Unsurprisingly, the Scenic E-Tech is more expensive than the last internal-combustion-engined Scenic MPV, with the entry-level Techno variant starting at just over £37,000. Two more trim levels, Techno Esprit Alpine and Iconic Esprit Alpine, are also available.
As part of a pricing and trim level restructuring, the smaller 60kWh battery size had been dropped, leaving the 87kWh battery as the only size offered. Upgrading to the mid-range Techno Esprit Alpine will cost you just shy of £40,000, while the top-of-the-range Iconic Esprit Alpine comes in at around £42,000. All versions have had a dramatic price cut relative to their equivalent predecessor, making them even better value compared with rivals than they were before. There isn’t much extra to pay on top of these list prices, either, because there aren’t any options offered – even the six different paint options don’t cost extra.
The base model is still generously equipped, with 19-inch diamond-cut alloys, front and rear LED lights, a 12.3-inch driver’s display and 12-inch central screen, dual-zone climate control, heated front seats and steering wheel, wireless smartphone connectivity and charging, plus a rear camera.
Moving up to the Techno Esprit Alpine adds 20-inch wheels, sports seats, ‘Esprit Alpine’ badging on both the exterior and interior, a fabric grey dash, electrically adjustable front seats and blue cabin accents.
The plush Iconic Esprit Alpine has an uprated Harman Kardon sound system, hands-free parking, a 360-degree camera system, a digital rear-view camera and a panoramic glass roof. Perhaps most importantly for UK-based EV drivers, a heat pump is fitted as standard on all models.
Electric motor, performance & drive
There aren’t many flaws with the Renault Scenic driving experience. It’s not as much fun to drive as its slightly firm suspension might suggest, but comfort and refinement are good overall, while the well weighted controls mean it’s an easy car to drive. Performance isn’t thrilling by electric SUV standards, but the slightly muted powertrain and composed handling suit the car’s character. Read more about the Renault Scenic's electric motors, performance and drive here…
Range, charging & running costs
If range is your priority, then the larger battery in the Renault Scenic offers up to 381 miles on a full charge, which should be more than enough for you to take the scenic route. Our long term test Scenic achieved efficiency of 3.1mi/kWh in cooler weather, equating to 270 miles between charges in the colder winter months. A 15-80 per cent top-up charging speed of 37 minutes isn't the fastest in the class. Residuals are on par with the Scenic's main rivals, though. Read more about the Renault Scenic's range, charging and running costs…
Interior, design & technology
There are some smart design touches inside and out for the Renault Scenic, but there’s still plenty of functionality on board, too. Build quality is good, and there are some clever cabin touches to make the most of the space on offer, especially in the back seats. The Google-based infotainment system works well, while Renault has retained physical climate controls for ease of use. Read more about the Renault Scenic's interior, design and technology…
Boot space, comfort & practicality
A spacious cabin makes the Renault Scenic a good choice as a family SUV. There’s room for five adults, and if there are only two in the back, the manufacturer offers a clever centre armrest with extra features. Boot capacity is 545 litres, which is among the best figures in the sector, although a high load lip does hamper the car’s versatility. Read more about the Renault Scenic's boot space, comfort and practicality…
Safety & reliability
A maximum five-star Euro NCAP rating means the Scenic E-Tech maintains Renault’s strong reputation in this test, and there’s an extensive list of assistance technology fitted as standard. Customer-satisfaction scores for Renault models haven’t been great in recent years, but there are hopes that the new generation of EVs to which the Scenic belongs will help to boost the firm’s reputation. Read more about the Renault Scenic's reliability and safety…
Renault Scenic Iconic Long Range long-term test
Our Head of digital content, Steve Walker, has been running a Renault Scenic Iconic Long Range for a long-term test. Having previously run a smaller Megane E-Tech, the additional space of the Scenic has been welcomed by his two children, who found the family’s past test car was a little cramped in the back in comparison.
It’s been a reasonably versatile family car during his ownership so far, although the high-loading lip and lack of variable-height boot floor have been a little bit of a pain. The jury is also still out on whether the light interior colour trim on his Iconic trim car will stand up to daily use. You can read the full long term test here...
Renault Scenic alternatives
The electric SUV class is packed with competition, including the big-selling Tesla Model Y, plus the Ford Explorer and Ford Capri, the Skoda Enyaq, Volkswagen ID.4, Toyota bZ4X, Kia EV6 and Hyundai Ioniq 5. Arguably the closest rival to the Scenic E-Tech is the Nissan Ariya, which uses the same running gear.
The big advantage that the Scenic has over these rivals is pricing. It offers nearly as much range as the Tesla or Fords, but has a bit more space, while being less expensive than any of them. Decent efficiency means it can travel further on a charge than the Toyota, and the onboard tech is more user-friendly than the systems in the VW Group models.
Frequently Asked Questions
You get a three-year or 100,000-mile manufacturer's warranty like the rest of the Renault range, but the brand's electric range is also covered by a longer four-year or 100,000-mile policy for the electric motor, while the battery is covered to maintain 70 per cent of its original capacity for eight years or 100,000 miles.
