Renault Scenic review

The Renault Scenic was a massive hit with car-buying families in the 1990s, so you can see why it wanted to revive the name. But that was that and this is this. It's a long-ish wheelbase, long-range electric family car.

The original Scenic's one-box profile and its ultra-versatile interior, with three individual folding and sliding rear seats, are history. Fair enough: people gradually stopped buying those MPVs, and ultra-versatile (read ‘unused’) seats just add weight and cost.

These days the sales (and the legal mandates) are in stuff like the Tesla Model Y, Ford Mustang Mach-E, Hyundai Ioniq 5, Kia EV6, Nissan Ariya, VW ID.4, Skoda Enyaq and Peugeot e-3008. That's where the Scenic competes.

Renault has another family electric hatch, the Megane E-Tech Electric, but people have complained it's not roomy enough in the back. The Scenic is largely the same up front but has a 100mm longer wheelbase, devoted to the rear.

People also grumbled that the Megane's battery size isn't enough, so the Scenic comes with the option of a Long Range 87kWh one. That's 379 miles WLTP. Which ought to shut them up.

So no family-amusing cabin novelties then?

Actually, although the seats are straightforward, there is one. If there are only two people in the back, they can drop the centre armrest. That has two USB sockets, and trays for this 'n' that, and cupholders. Pivoting brackets around the cupholders act as little arms to grip and hold upright tablets and phones. They can be set either across the car so both people can watch the same screen, or at 45 degrees so each can see their own (scroll through the gallery above to see).

That armrest opens up more to turn into a ski hatch. Not that you’re likely to ski much, so just think of it as a gap for long stuff. There are more USBs for when the centre seat is occupied. In all the Scenic has six sockets and a wireless charging pad.

The top-spec version has Solarbay, a glass roof that can be rendered opaque by LCD switching, with separate LCD sections for front and rear. Less weight than a blind, and more rear headroom. Cool party trick too, and it’s voice-activated if you want.

Oh, and Jean-Michel Jarre (the celebrated French composer) thought up the pedestrian warning noise and the Scenic’s other beep-beep-boops.

How is it to drive?

It’s… decent. But we’ll stop short of giving it outright praise. In Comfort mode there’s a fair bit of pitch and roll, so you can’t treat corners with any gusto. Sport mode makes the suspension tauter and the steering quicker, but the Scenic doesn’t like sudden changes of direction very much. But so what? This is a family car. Drive it like one, and you won’t be disappointed.

Performance is easily strong enough for most people. There are two powertrains: one’s got 168bhp for 0-62mph in 8.6 seconds, the other 217bhp for 7.9s. Both are front-wheel drive.

Renault's driver interface is excellent. You get a big customisable centre screen, and physical buttons for most urgent functions… including one that will remember your preferred safety aid settings (they reset every time you start up by law). Halle-bloomin’-luja.

How is it to ride in?

It's fine. Adult-size people in the back have all the room they need, provided that the front seats are jacked up high enough to allow foot room. It'll do three abreast, and the flat floor means even the central bod has foot space. Headroom's not a problem either. You get useful storage in the cabin, and the boot's fine.

It's quiet over the road and through the air. The ride is firmish – think Kia EV6 rather than Hyundai Ioniq 5 – but bearable. Which should reduce the need for sickbags out back.

What are the electric stats?

Here in the UK we get two batteries: a ‘Comfort Range’ 60kWh capable of 260 miles WLTP, or the Long Range one we mentioned earlier. A heat pump and battery heater are standard in the UK, so low-temp range should hold up pretty well. Finally, the battery chemistry used here is different from the Megane's, and is able to deliver more of its rated energy down to colder temperatures, claims Renault.

Rapid charging is good too: up to 150kW for the bigger battery and 130kW for the little one. But it's not all about a headline-grabbing peak number, but the consistent rate as the battery fills. It has online charge planning and will precondition on approach to the charger, and can then average 110kW over 30 minutes if starting from 20 per cent. So about 50kWh in that time.

How much?

Prices start from £37,495, but that’s for the piddly battery in base trim. Get the Long Range model in no-mod-con-absent spec and it’s £45,495. More info on the Buying tab.

The Renault Scenic E-Tech is very likeable. And there are lots of rational reasons why: space, efficiency, superb tech and lightness (relatively speaking: it’s 1,850kg) count in its favour. But it's also good-looking on the outside and well-finished within.

But this is a very competitive arena. The Mustang Mach-E drives better; the Ioniq 5 is even more head-turning; the Model Y makes more of a statement. The Scenic’s draw is big range for competitive money.

We almost wish it wasn't called Scenic. It's a name that has long since evaporated from public consciousness in Britain, and in any case this isn't a Scenic. But it is a very good car.