Renault GRAND SCENIC
Renaults Grand Scenic Makes Sense And Is Fun In 2.0T Petrol Guise. June Neary Takes It For A Spin
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mini-MPV may not be the most obvious choice for a woman with grown-up kids, but with my active life-style and the need to have a versatile vehicle that can perform many different roles, the Renaults Grand Scenic does make sense for me. When you throw in a 2.0-litre petrol turbo developing 165bhp, suddenly the prospect of some fun also gets added to the equation.
With an extra 23cm in length, the Grand Scenic is a good deal bigger than many of the early full-sized MPVs we fondly remember. Whats more, at 4.49 metres in length, its a mere 13cm shorter than something contemporary like a
Volkswagen Sharan or
Ford Galaxy. The Grand Scenics advantage over ordinary Scenic II models is mainly the two seats in the estate compartment that increase carrying capacity to seven.
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Much of that additional length has come about by extending the rear overhang by 18cm. The minimal 5cm grafted into the wheelbase means that the Grand Scenic doesnt look particularly different to its more compact sibling. My first impression of the interior was just how roomy it felt. I eased myself into the sumptuous leather-fronted seats that come as standard on the 2.
0-litre T Privilege trim level. My first concern, however, was in locating the instrument binnacle.
Renault have positioned this in the centre of the dashboard which meant that I was constantly flicking my head to the left as I drove. I found this quite distracting to start with but as I have driven the Scenic more Ive found that I actually prefer it to peering through the steering wheel.
Once I had sorted out where all the information was, I found the display to be very clear and easy to read. The legroom is particularly generous in the back, especially when the rear seats are slid into their rearmost position and the central seating position in the back can be removed and the remaining two seats repositioned to allow more elbowroom. There are storage cubbies in every conceivable nook and cranny as well as some you may never find. With the rear seats in position, luggage capacity is a respectable 410 litres and the glass tailgate window that opens independently makes loading of small items very simple.
Ive found it a very easy car to live with and its versatility is the Grand Scenics biggest selling point for me.
I have been really impressed with the performance of the Grand Scenic 2.0T. Buying an MPV is usually forced on young families because their practicality really suits the modern family life-style. This usually means sacrificing speed and performance in return for multiple seats, versatility and load carrying ability.
With this Grand Scenic however, you get the lot. The official figures claim a 0-60mph in 8.6 seconds and a top speed of 128 mph. I didnt attempt to verify either of these two marks but what I can say is that this MPV really shifts if you want it to.
I found the car very responsive and confidence building as I could quickly get away from difficult situations if the need arose. On a long run, driving the car was a very relaxing experience as it coped with most road surfaces in a very unruffled manner. The official combined fuel economy figure for this model is 35mph and although my experience was in no way scientific, the fuel economy was usually around this figure provided I hadnt been gunning it. As with all MPVs, their ride-height is a big advantage for me and the Grand Scenic is no exception.
All the controls are easy to find and extremely intuitive to use. My only one complaint is the absence of a conventional hand brake. If you look down and to your left when seated in the drivers
seat, youll notice a large void where the hand brake would normally be positioned. It took me a while to locate Renaults alternative, which turns out to be a rather clumsy push button with a secondary release button incorporated into it.
It took me a while to work out the right combination of pressing and pulling to release the brake, but once mastered it seems to function OK. At lease the central display binnacle is sophisticated enough to indicate when you have got it right.
The Renault Grand Scenic 2.0T Privilege costs £19,910, which is fairly steep for a
mini-MPV. Having said that though, the Privilege does come well equipped with goodies like automatic unlocking and ignition with the Hands-Free Renault Card system, a sliding centre storage unit, 16-inch Reinastella alloy wheels, a 60 Watt under-seat mounted six-CD multichanger and RDS Radio with six speakers and fingertip remote control, part leather/part cloth upholstery, electrically folding door mirrors, drivers sunglasses holder, illuminated vanity mirrors. Although I like the Renault card system and can see their reasoning behind it, Im an old fashioned girl and would prefer a key.
Safety in this Grand Scenic is well up to the standards for which Renault have become renowned. The EuroNCAP tests are in many ways the Gold Standard of all safety examinations and the Scenic has come out way ahead of the rest, notching 34.12 out of a possible 37 points. It is reassuring to know that a car of this power has the necessary safety features that include front, side and curtain airbags as well as having all seats fitted with five-point seat belts.
I certainly could. Apart from some personal preferences, I think that Renault have got the Grand Scenic just about right. It is an immensely practical car and it looks pretty impressive too. The Privilege trim level gives me all the creature comforts I could possibly need that 2.
0-litre engine delivers superb performance. Any parents feeling hard-done-by for having to opt for an MPV should take a look ant the Grand Scenic 2.0T. They shouldnt be disappointed.
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