A (Grand) Scenic surprise

I like surprises, especially when you get them from an unexpected source. Every now and then something comes along that warms the heart and restores the faith a little. This week the new Renault Grand Scenic provided that kind of surprise for me. 

If nothing else this week’s test drive in the new Renault people carrier taught me not to have preconceived ideas. My memories of the last Renault Grand Scenic is of a wallowing space vessel that provided unspectacular family motoring. Ok this new version is not overly spectacular either but it was a pleasant experience that shoots it up the scale of MPV vehicles out there. It is beautifully screwed together, has some quite brilliant features like the dash display unit and the moving centre console between the front seats and the low slung rear tailgate that makes putting stuff in the back so easy. 

And here’s another thing: Renault has put a bit of sturdiness into the Scenic which was absent in the past with many of their cars. The seats are firmer, the suspension is tauter and the overall build is more muscular even down to the solid clunk when you shut the door. Yet, Renault engineers have managed to hold on to one of their long-held traits: comfort. This spacious, luxurious seven-seater proves that you do not have to compromise on comfort for better driving dynamics.

Ok, the mix is not absolutely perfect but it is damn close. I tested the 1.5 dCi 106 TomTom Edition, which comes with the most up-to-date TomTom satellite navigation system built in. The screen is colourful and clear and it is simple to navigate. Indeed the whole information display is very colourful and clear. This is a triumph for Renault. I can see others trying to follow. Pity the sat nav screen is a little far away from the driver but then again that lessens the intrusion like some other systems. Also, I did miss a rev counter which the car doesn’t have. 

I have always liked the performance of this diesel engine in Renault and allied Nissan cars. In some applications it does struggle but not so much here. Although it won’t take your breadth away it is quiet at home and it is mated to a six-speed gearbox that is well spaced and pretty smooth. Zero to 100/kms will take you a leisurely 13.4 seconds while in this specification CO2 emissions are 135g/km with fuel consumption promised at 5.1L/100kms and delivery during my test 6.6L/100kms. 

From a passengers view point those in the back will have few complaints. There is lots of headroom even in row three. That said row three is tight but better than many in this category. When upright there is some luggage space behind this row but when flat that space is substantial. The second row is well spaced and there are ISOFIX child seat mounting points on all three 2nd row seats ideal for those with young families.  

Renault in Ireland has been on an impressive upward curve in terms of sales. Their prices have been slashed across the range in an attempt to raise the brands profile after a couple of dire years. They are now fourth in the sales charts behind Ford, Toyota and Volkswagen. That is a healthy place to be and even if Renault has cut margins to the limit, market share is very important for the brand. But apart from price at all, the overall ability and all-round quality of the Grand Scenic might have surprised me somewhat but it has been a pleasant surprise. The Renault Grand Scenic prices start at €21,590 for the basic 1.6 petrol rising to €25,690 for the test car which is the top of the range. Those prices will also be a surprise to many. 

Gerry’s Rating: 8.0/10