Renault Scenic, A new landscape

Renault is widely credited with having invented the MPV in the form of the seven-seat Renault Espace in 1984. That car was so cumbersome, however, that it didn't revolutionise the maker's bank balance in the way Renault hoped it would.

Nonetheless, when it scaled down the concept the outcome was a little different. In 1996 Renault unveiled a smaller, five-seat MPV called the Scenic - and a new niche was born. The compact MPV struck a cord with family buyers Europe-wide thanks to its combination of relatively compact exterior dimensions yet more interior versatility than the average saloon could hope to provide. It also imbued its driver with a high, commanding - and thus 'safe' - driving position. It won European Car of the Year in 1996, but so many have copied the concept that it's easy to forget how revolutionary it was. The Scenic did not, unfortunately, do anything to shake off Renault's reputation for patchy reliability (only now is the maker making strides in that respect), but its uniqueness did bring thousands of new customers to the brand.

Mark Nichol