Renault Scenic

Long Range Iconic

- ALLAN MUIR

This well-rounded, fine-value electric SUV proved to be so agreeable to live with that it completely changed its owner's view of the Renault brand.

WHO REMEMBERS THE Renault Avantime? It beggars belief that anyone thought an Espace-based three-door MPV coupé would be a good idea, yet around 8500 of them were made for a couple of years in the early 2000s. And what about the lofty Renault Vel Satis executive hatchback?

Another answer to a question almost no one was asking.

However, we shouldn't forget that the French brand has also made some outstanding cars over the years, including the original Renault 5 (R5), the Clio small hatchback and a long line of Clio and Megane hot hatches. In fact, the Clio still reigns supreme in the small car category to this day. For one of the richest veins of strong form, though, you need to look to Renault's current electric models.

The reinvented, electric-only Megane got the ball rolling smoothly in 2022, while the reborn R5 proved so impressive that we named it our 2025 Car of the Year. Much as I adore that car, though, the model that has succeeded in turning me into a Renault fanboy is the Scenic electric SUV that I've been running as a company car.