Renault Scenic

Renault’s latest take on its stalwart MPV means more tech, funkier styling and some enormous wheels. Will it add up to a satisfying ownership experience? Let’s find out

- John Bradshaw

The MPV class has suffered somewhat at the hands of the SUV and crossover. Gone are the days when affordability and practicality were the only considerations when buying a seven-seater: luxury, refinement and faux-by-four looks are now just as important to most buyers.

The Renault Scenic hasn’t been able to avoid this shift, despite being a car that defined the compact MPV sector back in the mid-1990s. Indeed, these days you’re much more likely to see a new Seat Ateca or Nissan Qashqai parked on your neighbour’s drive, so as a result, Renault has been rather more adventurous with the styling of its Scenic this time around.

Instead of fully embracing an off road aesthetic, as Peugeot has done with its new 5008, Renault has stuck more with an MPV body shape, albeit one that has allowed for some shades of SUV to creep into the design.

This new Scenic, then, which we’ll be running for the next six months, borrows design cues from the handsome 2011 R-Space concept. That means it gets 40mm more ground clearance than the old model, a more muscular profile and huge 20in wheels on all trim levels, even entry-level Expression+ models.

Renault says that despite the larger wheels, the standard-fit rubber, with specially designed high-profile sidewalls, gives a ride comparable to that of the competition. And cleverly, the low-rolling-resistance tyres should also counteract any impact the larger-diameter wheels have on the CO2 and, therefore, economy figures. With many long-distance journeys scheduled for this year, we’ll be putting these claims to the test.