RENAULT SCENIC

We say au revoir to one of our favourite family EVs

- Steve Walker

I CONSIDER myself something of an expert in the field of mid-sized electric family cars. I've got two kids, an off-road parking space with a home charger and I do a lot of short-trip urban driving, so when cars in this niche arrive on our long-term test fleet, they often get punted in my direction.

Over recent years, I've spent months living with the Renault Megane, Skoda Enyaq and Nissan Ariya, while also enjoying stints in the Ford Explorer, Audi Q4, Hyundai Ioniq 5 and a few others. The Renault Scenic beats them all.

Sadly, the Renault has now left the fleet, but here we have the chance to look back at what made it a star. It's worth saying that the mid-sized electric SUV sector is so crowded with talented options that buyers have a battle to differentiate one car from another. But the Scenic stands out, with its sharp lines and modern detailing, themes carried through to an interior that feels light, open and airy, helped by the Solarbay panoramic roof.

The cabin isn't the most luxurious, but the light fabrics on our top-spec Iconic model give it a modern feel and while the open storage areas in the centre console and wide door pockets can make things look a bit cluttered when they're full, you're rarely short of somewhere to put stuff in the Scenic.