Renault in 1996 gave the world the compact MPV when it launched the first Scenic.A year later the clever Megane-based MPV made its debut in right-hand drive, while last September saw the Irish launch of the funky five-seat Scenic II.
This week I’m in the latest and greatest evolution, the ‘Grand Scenic’. What makes it ‘Grand’ is the additional 50mm added to the wheelbase and 180mm added to the rear that facilitates two extra pop-up seats.
Seven-seat versatility is king in the MPV sector and the French offering really points the way. Till now Opel’s seven-seat Zafira has been the mini MPV of choice while Hyundai remains the dominant force in the full-size MPV sector.
The arrival of Peugeot’s 307 SW, and more recently VW’s seven-seat Touran (and its five-star Euro NCAP crash score), has seen the Zafira’s reign come to an end. Now the new Grand Scenic sets the bar higher. The just-launched seven-seat Toyota Corolla Verso (I’ll be reviewing it shortly) is also a big step forward and is proof that the competition has never been hotter.
The Grand’s exterior retains the strikingly modern front end of the five-seat version plus the large glass area that makes the cabin an airy place. Side on, the Grand Scenic looks a little awkward next to its shorter sibling, so try to think of it
as a baby Espace and it isn’t so bad.
Honda (Stream) and Toyota (Corolla Verso) have succeeded to some extent in making a prettier side profile. On the move, the Grand Scenic rides very well. The standard Scenic falls short of the composure found behind the wheel of a Ford Focus C-Max but the ‘Grand’ in a straight line wins.
There is limited body roll, too, so cornering while seated in that high-up SUV-like position is never hairy. The overall comfort level is high and a trip to the south of France would be no hassle.
Inside the bright cabin some features stand out like the LED speedometer display and dash-mounted gear lever. The electronic handbrake is very practical and should help anyone who finds ‘hill starts’ a problem. The seats are comfy and supportive and spaced out in a two-three-two formation.
The middle row seats can each slide fore and aft (120mm) as required. The Zafira loses out here as it has a middle bench. The Grand has greater ease of access to the rear seats as only one seat has to be tilted. The rear two seats fold flat to the floor and pop up into position like a jack in the box.
All it takes is a simple pull of a strap and the seat springs into place. The clever Opel Flex-7 system is almost hassle next to the zero effort (and I mean zero) required with the Grand Scenic.
Like all MPVs the boot is tiny but, believe it or not, the 200 litres available when all seven seats are in place is fine for the shopping as it is similar to the average Supermini’s boot.
With the rear two seats down, the boot is huge (550 litres!) and if the middle row seats are in their forward position there is a massive 605 litres of luggage space to play with. If you want to use the Grand Scenic as a van you can remove the middle three seats and free up 1,920 litres of space.
Renault offers just three specification levels: Authentique, Sport and Dynamic. Engine-wise you can choose from one petrol (1.6) or two diesels (1.5/1.9) for the moment. Prices start at €25,970 (1.6 Authentique) with the cheapest diesel option costing €29,970 (1.5 Sport).
The 1.6-litre petrol unit I have on test makes a lot of sense if you are doing average mileage as it pushes out 115 bhp, does 0-62 in 12.9 seconds and returns an average mpg of 38.1 (impressive). For me the pick of the bunch has to be the 1.9 dCi (diesel/120 bhp, €33,980 – Dynamic) that pulls like a train and delivers close to fifty to the gallon.
There is loads of standard kit like ABS (soon to be standard on all European cars following a manufacturer’s agreement), EBD (electronic brake force distribution) and brake assist, six airbags, Renault card key, electric windows, split tailgate, steering column mounted stereo controls, electronic handbrake and electric door mirrors.
Renault Europe says up until the new model 50% of Meganes sold were Scenics, while it is expected that Europe-wide 20–30% of the new Scenic will be the longer wheelbase version. The Renault Megane Grand Scenic completes the most comprehensive model range out there with a Hatchback, Saloon, Estate, Convertible and two MPVs. Car sales people have never had it so easy. The Grand Scenic is very good and I like it a lot.
- Michael Sheridan
RTE Guide
