Renault Grand Espace Range : TOP OF THE CLASS

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Renault's long wheel base Espace has been brought up to date but does it still set the pace in the large MPV sector? Steve Ghosley takes a lookâ€¦

The Renault Espace was the original MPV back in 1984 and has had many imitators over the years. To keep ahead of the game, it's also had many revisions and the most recent updates attempt to maintain Renault's leadership in the large People Carrier category. The Grand Espace that we look at here is the long wheel base version, offering seven seats and more room for both passengers and their luggage than its shorter sibling.

So let's start with the basics. In return for increasing the size of your cheque to your Renault dealer by about £1,200, you get substantially more luggage space. Over 165 litres more to be exact when all the seats are in place, making a total of 456 litres. Which could make the difference between having to use a roof box or trailer and not having to bother. Should you be able to get ride of all the seats bar those at the front, the total carrying capacity rises to removal van standards, up by 190-litres to 3050-litres. The car has, in various forms, been on the market some time. So what's changed in the latest models? Not a huge amount to be absolutely honest. There are redesigned headlights, which Renault describe as an integral part of a `softer styling theme', along with a slimmer bumper and a simpler grille design. The lights can feature Bi-Xenon lamps for better illumination and they also pivot, taking into account steering input and vehicle speed. This helps illuminate roadside obstacles such as pedestrians just beyond the apex of a dark corner - or roadside debris that could cause an accident. Opt for any model from Dynamique upwards and chrome-trimmed fog lamps are included. An easy way to transform a vehicle's appearance is to usher in new designs of alloy wheel and the 17 and 18-inch rims that feature on this model Espace are a bit smarter than the old designs without being too showy. The rear lights have also been revised, while the interior benefits from a revised range of upholstery choices and trim colours.

"This generation Espace is an evolutionary advance over its predecessor rather than anything manifestly revolutionary"

It's not all window dressing though. Important safety upgrades have been introduced including rain and light sensors, "See Me Home" lighting, front and rear parking assist, a tyre pressure monitoring system and Emergency Brake Assist to beef up the response of the anti lock brakes. The Electronic Stability Program has also been improved with the addition of understeer control. Otherwise, there are the eight airbags and three-point seatbelts with load limiters that have ensured that the latest Grand Espace attains the coveted Euro NCAP five-star qualification. The Team version that most customers buy includes air conditioning with separate driver/ front passenger controls, seven individual seats, 4x 30W single CD RDS radio with eight speakers and fingertip remote control, electric/ heated door mirrors, Carbon cloth upholstery and height/ lumbar adjustable Captain's chairs with armrests. Move on up to the almost equally popular Dynamique model and you'll get, 17" alloys, chrome door handles, chrome roof bars and the option of that 175bhp dCi diesel engine along with the 170bhp turbocharged petrol. The plush Dynamique S adds a 4x40W dash mounted six CD multi-changer and remote control, carpet mats, part leather/ part Alcantara sports style seats with carbon trim and red stitiching, blue tinted electric/ heated folding door mirrors, automatic rain activated front windscreen wipers, automatic light sensor activated headlamps, cruise control with speed limiter and six rear sunblinds. If you've got the means to stretch to the range-topping Initiale model, there's `Vogue' full beige leather upholstery, six captain's chairs, climate control with separate row two passenger controls, electrically adjustable front seats with memory for driver's seat and door mirrors, carpet mats (row one to three) and boot mat, electrochrome rear view mirror, Bluetooth Nav-Com system with six CD dash mounted changer and remote control, tyre pressure monitor, variable power assisted steering and bi-xenon double optic headlamps with auto height adjustment and wash. This generation Espace is an evolutionary advance over its predecessor rather than anything manifestly revolutionary. What is surprising is that Renault have, if anything, toned down their recent excess of novelty and have restored some normality to the Espace. Whereas the MKIII model was built around a radical space frame chassis with composite parts, the MKIV Grand Espace instead opts for a more conventional steel monocoque platform shared with the Laguna. Only the wings and tailgate are now made of plastic composites, the doors and bonnet being fabricated in aluminium with a steel roof. The latest Grand Espace engine line up features a choice of five power units including the addition of a punchy 175bhp 2.0dCi unit. Able to accelerate the long wheelbase Espace to 60mph in a fraction under ten seconds and on to a top speed of 127mph, this state of the art common rail turbo diesel is also capable of turning in a combined fuel figure of 38.2mpg, quite something when you consider the Grand Espace weighs as much as a Mercedes S Class. It's a testament to Renault's engineering that a vehicle this big and rapid will churn out just 200g/km of carbon dioxide. The other diesel engines offered are a 150bhp 2.2-litre version and the mighty 180bhp 3.0-litre dCi unit. Also within the Grand Espace range, two petrol engines are available, a 170bhp 2.0-litre 16v turbo before there's a big step up to the 245bhp 3.5-litre V6 unit. Truth be told, there isn't a bad engine here and the diesel models are superbly economical. Even the 3.0-litre dCi powerplant manages 30mpg. With a prodigious slug of torque at its disposal, it makes an awesomely relaxed high speed cruiser in the best Gallic traditions. The 3.0-litre dCi engine now also benefits from a six-speed flick-shift automatic Proactive gearbox. The latest changes have moved the Grand Espace a little more up market and in doing so, Renault hope to poach sales from not only the better MPV rivals out there but also buyers of executive cars who have become a little jaded at the choice available. With its superior driving characteristics, the Grand Espace leaves behind the image of obligatory MPV lurching and wallowing, instead offering a drive that's reasonably tight. Only blasting it down a bouncy B-road will find the limits of the Espace's suspension travel. On balance, the latest changes to Grand Espace still make it the large MPV that all others will be judged by. It may not be the new kid on the block but it's probably still the best.

Facts At A Glance
CAR: Renault Grand Espace range
PRICES: £24,090-£34,240 - on the road
INSURANCE GROUPS: 11-16
CO2 EMISSIONS: 211-297g/km
PERFORMANCE: [2.2 150 dCi] 0-60mph 11.5s / Max Speed 117mph
FUEL CONSUMPTION: [2.2 150 dCi] (urban) 27.4mpg/ (extra urban) 44.8mpg/ (combined) 36.7mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front and side airbags, full length curtain bags, lateral airbags, ABS with brake assist, ESP with CSV understeer control
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: length/width/heightmm 4861/1860/1746