Driven: Renault Grand Scenic 1.5dci

Transport seven people comfortably and efficiently. That’s the simple idea behind the third generation Renault Grand Scenic 1.5dci, compact people carrier, which returns 57mpg – better than quite a few small cars.

As the name suggests it is bigger than a standard Scenic and can therefore seat seven adults compared to just five making it ideal for chauffeurs, taxi drivers and those with large families.

When the third row of seats is in position it takes up almost the entire boot. However, it’s easy to remove by simply pulling the red strap at the back of each seat to push them down, creating a reasonable amount of room. 

It has always puzzled me as to how passengers sitting in the third row access their front-facing seats without being contortionists but in the Renault it’s just a matter of tipping the outer middle seat forward so that rear passengers can clamber in.

The Grand Scenic is comfortable, spacious and well finished while cubbyholes and bottle holders abound. The clever use of space allows us to transport wood for the fire, a full size Christmas tree and various presents for my baby daughter Harriett’s first Christmas with plenty of room to spare. And when the sun comes out we enjoy opening the twin sunroofs.

In the winter months my 50-mile daily commute is often delayed by road works, accidents and bad weather and the Scenic copes well under this pressure. Its frugal 1.5dci engine is surprisingly nippy when the opportunity arises. However, when crawling through endless traffic jams, the six-speed automatic gearbox doesn’t seem to like first or second proving much happier in the other gears. 

It takes a little while to familiarise myself with the placement of the speedometer, which sits nearer the centre of the dash and is all digital, which can be difficult to navigate at night. The Grand Scenic does feel a bit cumbersome to drive and its size makes it awkward to reverse although there are sensors to alert the driver to unseen obstacles. But it handles motorway driving well and the diesel engine is hardly audible from inside.

Parkers, the car experts, writes: “Renault claims to have invented the compact people carrier with the Scenic in 1996 and its third generation model remains among the best of its type.” The publication goes on to say that compared to the standard Scenic “the used market prefers the versatility offered by the Grand Scenic and its seven-seat layout”.


Renault Grand Scenic 1.5dci

New price range: £16,615 - £22,500

Economy: 57mpg
0-60mph: 12secs
Top speed: 112mph
Power: 104bhp

www.renault.co.uk


By Tim Saunders

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