Renault Scenic Review

The initial Renault Scenic was introduced in 1996 and was the first car in Europe to be labelled as a small multi purpose vehicle (MPV). It has had four generations in its lifespan and the current version of both the Scenic and Grand Scenic have been discontinued as new vehicles to make way for a fully electric version of the model to be launched in the coming years.

Our Renault Scenic review will cover the latest models to have been sold in the UK and guide you through those as you look to choose your next new car.

Design and Style

The Renault Scenic and the Renault Grand Scenic are both striking cars from Renault with their rounded front and incredibly high windscreen, which has been copied by numerous MPVs. It's a little softer at the back and complimented by curves and creases in the right places around the rest of the body. It's stylish looks still hold up against any new model of people carrier or large MPV that comes onto the market.

This is all complimented by 20 inch allows as standard, huge wheels that you'd expect to see on a more luxurious or sporty car, but are needed for the large body to ensure a smooth ride every time. They've also done away with the backwards opening doors that some previous versions had but have kept the sleek design.

It's also 20mm wider than the previous model and comes with two tone paint as standard too, something you'd usually have to pay a premium for or specially order at original point of purchase when new. It's also a great option for those who don't want to have to climb into a large car, with 117mm of ground clearance compared to something like the Ford C Max which is much higher at 140mm.

Interior

The latest iteration of the Renault Scenic MPV has been vastly improved on the inside from it's predecessor from overall build quality to the layout of the console controls being much cleaner and user friendly.

The infotainment system update incorporates radio, sat-nav and climate controls to free the dashboard of unnecessary buttons. If you can grab a model that has the portrait orientated screen it's a great addition, especially when using the sat nav as it allows you to see more of your route clearly ahead of you.

This is matched with a 7 inch TFT screen in place of traditional counters and gauges although this isn't customisable like it is in other models, which is a disappointment but not a deal breaker in our opinion.

The addition of the panoramic glass roof from the Signature trim level really opens the space up to natural light and makes even the most full car feel more roomy. The rear bench also slides which allows you to choose between leg room and cargo space depending on who and what is in the car on any given day.

Comfort and Practicality

The Renault Scenic MPV is 4406mm long whilst the Renault Grand Scenic is 4634mm long to accommodate the additional row of seats. Both models have 56.9 litres of storage space throughout the cabin space which is phenomenal.

This is made up of a clever combination of storage wells in the floor, a central armrest which could hold a small handbag, and a slide out glove box that you'd easily fit a shopping bag into. But there's also other smart features like fold out picnic tables for passengers and the centre armrest slides too so that you can make use of the space however is best for you.

There's plenty of room for five adult passengers to sit comfortably and if you opt for the Grand Scenic you have an additional row of 2 seats which are, probably, best suited to smaller passengers. As far as passenger space goes in a people carrier, it's not necessarily the largest in passenger room (the Ford C-Max offers more headroom) but it is an ideal option for a growing family who need lots of room for passengers.

As a five seater, the Renault Scenic MPV offers 572 litres of boot space before looking at folding anything for additional room. The 3rd row of rear seats understandably take up room in the rear of the car in the Grand Scenic which reduces it's boot space to 233 litres when all seven seats are in use.

Folding the seats down in either model will give you more room with up to 1723 litres in the Scenic and a massive 2063 litres in the Grand Scenic. Using the Grand Scenic as a five seat MPV will still give you a big boot, with 755 litres of cargo space.

The seats also all fold completely flat for a better loading bay and more space. You can also use Renault's One-Touch folding control either through buttons in the boot itself or through the Renault R-Link 2 infotainment system from the Signature trim onwards.

Performance and Engine Options

The Renault Scenic MPV and the Renault Grand Scenic have two options available in the engine range: the TCe 140 and the dCi 120 which are a petrol and diesel engine respectively. Reducing the number of petrol and diesel engines to choose from makes it much easier to understand which is best for your needs.

The TCe 140 is a four cylinder petrol engine capable of 140HP. You can expect a combined mpg of as much as 47.1 with this engine with CO2 emissions of 141 g/km. This is the same engine that's used in other models in the Renault line up such as the Captur and the Kadjar so if you've driven either of those you'll know what to expect from the six speed manual transmission gearbox.

The dCi 120 also has four cylinders but is a powerful diesel engine. Understandably this has a better fuel consumption performance, with a high of 57.7 mpg combined and 129 g/km Co2 emissions. Renault describe it as "a great choice for fuel efficient everyday motoring."

Its well controlled body roll and well weighted steering means that you can comfortably drive on winding roads and tighter bends with no worry that the Scenic will lose any of its grip or ride quality. The extra torque that the diesel engine offers over the petrol is really useful if you've got the small MPV loaded to the rafters for a family getaway.

Trim Levels

The entry trim level for the Renault Scenic MPV is the Play which has 20 inch wheels, front fog lights, rear parking sensors, LED daytime running lights, automatic LED headlights, 7 inch digital driver's display, height adjustable front seats, tinted windows, automatic dual zone climate control, automatic wipers, cruise control with a speed limiter, a multi position boot floor, and a 7 inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple Carplay and Android Auto. The Grand Scenic has a 3rd row of 2 seats with 3 point seatbelts, cupholders and reading lights.

The Iconic adds a sliding centre console between the front two seats that houses 2 USB ports, a 12v socket, AUX input for rear passengers, and 2 500ml bottle holders. As well as this, it upgrades the sound system to the Arkamys Auditorium 3D system with 6 speakers, adds front parking sensors, and adds an integrated TomTom nav.

The Signature trim level adds a head up display with adjustable brightness, a rear parking camera, chrome detailing to the boot and front grille, a contrasting roof and door mirror colour, a fixed panoramic glass roof with electric sunblind, LED reading lights throughout the cabin, an auto dimming rear view mirror, one-touch folding rear seats, puddle lights, an 8.7 touchscreen system, and upgrades the sound system again to the BOSE pack which includes 11 speakers with a digital amplifier.

Reliability and Safety

The Renault Scenic and Grand Scenic have a five star Euro NCAP rating which was issued in 2016. This outperforms the Ford C-Max and Grand C-Max, which both have a 3 star rating, and is on par with others like the Volkswagen Touran.

This rating comes from a number of standard safety features such as ABS with EBD and emergency brake assist, AEBS with pedestrian detection, ESP with understeer control, hill start assist, and automatic locking of the doors and boot over 6mph.

Some used Renault Scenic's will still have some manufacturing warranty on them depending on when they were first registered. Those registered after 18th December 2019 came with a 5 year/100,000 miles warranty that stays with the car so you can still have some support from a Renault dealer if you have any issues during that period and keep running costs down.

There are also no known ongoing issues with the Renault Scenic of Grand Scenic models although there have been two recalls: one for the NOx sensor which was not correctly tightened during production and a second where certain models with a pre-catalytic convertor fitted may have had a lack of braking assistance.

Summary

If you don't want to hold out until the new Renault Scenic launches then a used car is an excellent option.

The Renault Scenic MPV is a really good car for families thanks to the copious amounts of room that it offers over other cars. The good news is that there are usually a good selection of used Renault Scenics for buyers to choose from, particularly as some models come out of their manufacturing warranty period and owners look for another brand new replacement.

Our knowledgeable team at Specialist Cars Renault are always on hand to answer any further questions that you might have after reading this car review and to show you around our full range of new and used cars.