UK Drive: Renault's disappointing Scenic update falls wide of the mark

What is it?

What’s new?

The latest Scenic is all-new and shares its underpinnings with the Megane hatch. To fool family buyers, Renault’s given its boxy body some clever detailing, plus some faux-muscularity in the wheel arches to give it more of an SUV style – far more appealing than its squared-off predecessor.
Everything else, including the majority of the engine line-up, is largely shared with the Megane – but the Scenic we’re testing here is fitted with Renault’s first ever mild hybrid system. More on that later.

What’s under the bonnet?

What’s it like to drive?

How does it look?

What’s it like inside?

Inside, the Scenic is disappointing. The back seats, though ideal for children with drop-down tray tables and a good view out, are desperately uncomfortable for tall adults, with sharp plastic edges digging into your knees and a lack of headroom in models equipped with a sunroof.
Standard trim also means a dark cabin, dominated by black plastic. Irritatingly, Renault’s clad the portrait-orientated infotainment screen in a cheap-looking material that attracts fingerprints easily.
The movable centre console is a clever but pointless feature, while the storage cubby it contains is far too deep to be practical. The door bins are only average and the glovebox is tiny.
The Citroen C4 Picasso and Volkswagen Touran offer far higher-quality and more practical interiors. Boot space is class-leading, though.

What’s the spec like?

Verdict

From the company that popularised the mini-MPV format with the original Scenic, we’re disappointed that this new model falls so wide of the mark. It’s poor to drive and remarkably cramped in the rear, while the dark interior is nothing like as pleasant as the Citroen C4 Picasso’s.
Worringly for Renault, the Scenic feels less desirable to family buyers than its own SUV – the Kadjar. Those with big families may be more tempted by the seven-seat Grand Scenic, but this smaller, five-seat model feels poorly judged.

FACTS AT A GLANCE

Model as tested: Renault Scenic 1.5 dCi Hybrid Assist Dynamique S
Price: £28,700
Engine: 1.5-litre diesel with electric motor
Power: 108bhp
Torque (Nm): 260Nm
Max speed (mph): 114mph
0-60mph: 12.7s
MPG: 80.7mpg
Emissions (g/km): 94g/km