Renault's Scenic E-Tech Electric aims to redefine the common family car. Jonathan Crouch drives it.

Ten Second Review

As thirty years ago, today we have a Renault Scenic that claims to re-invent what a family car ought to be. Today's Scenic E-Tech Electric isn't so much of an MPV. Instead, it's an EV less restricted by the shackles of the Crossover genre pursued by its rivals, but with the fashion sense, the practicality and the price tag to appeal to a mass market.

Background

Is this Renault Scenic E-Tech Electric 'a new form of family vehicle', as its maker claims? It's originating Scenic model line certainly was, on sale between 1996 and 2022 with a name derived from an ambitious acronym - 'Safety Concept Embodied in a New Innovative Car'. Over 53 million original Scenics were sold, with over 2 million still on the road. But those were compact MPVs - basically variations of the Megane family hatch, with extra space and versatility This new-era full-battery Scenic E-Tech Electric is the same - but different. Once more, it's a swollen version of an accompanying Megane, the Megane E-Tech Electric, with which it shares its CMF-EV platform. But this time, the Scenic isn't really an MPV. Perhaps more notably, it isn't really an SUV or Crossover either, significant because that's what nearly all its lower-mid-sized EV Crossover rivals are trying to be. Instead, it's something in between People Carrier, family hatch and SUV. An indecisive or potentially innovative solution? Let's take a closer look.

Driving Experience

The original Nineties Scenic was actually first called the 'Megane Scenic', a reference to the fact that all its mechanicals were shared with that Renault hatch. As is largely the case here. Predictably, the Scenic E-Tech Electric uses the same CMF-EV platform as its Megane E-Tech stablemate (and the Nissan Ariya). Other markets get a base 'Standard Range' version with the same 60kWh battery and 167bhp front-mounted motor combination we're now used to from the equivalent Megane, but range there is restricted to just 261 miles. Which is why the UK market restricts itself to the 'Long Range' version that uses a larger 87kWh battery mated to a single front-mounted 220hp motor. This provides for up to 381 miles of range. 0-62mph takes 8.4s but top speed is limited to 105mph. Renault's carried over the same quick darty steering ratio from the Megane E-Tech, which should make the car feel more agile than its family remit might suggest. Considerable efforts have been put into managing body roll. And Renault claims the multi-link rear axle will provide a good compromise between comfort and dynamics. As you might expect, there's a variable regenerative braking system - there are four selectable levels, from zero to 3, with the fiercest setting providing the 'one-pedal' feel that'll mean you hardly ever have to use the brake pedal to slow off-throttle. Finally, the usual EV external pedestrian warning sound has been curated by French composer Jean-Michel Jarre.

Design and Build

What exactly is this car? Not even Renault seems to quite know. Because the Scenic E-Tech has a long bonnet and lacks high wheel gaps, you can see it's deliberately trying not to be an SUV; more of a kind of cross between hatchback and SUV, but with the interior space of an MPV, thanks to a longer wheelbase length than most models of this size. The styling, from ex-Peugeot designer Gilles Vidal, draws on the company's new 'Visual language'. That means curvy bodywork, high-tech design elements and sharp character lines. There's a profile reference to the monobox shape of the original Nineties Scenic. But a much more modern look, particularly at the front where the nose sees a vertical Renault logo set a little back from a panel featuring a diamond motif. Size-wise, there's almost 4.5-metres of length but just 1.57-metres of height, with a wheel-at-each-corner stance and short overhangs. And to suit the current trend, there are big alloy rims - of either 19 or 20-inches in size. Finishing touches include flush-fitting door handles, specially designed door mirrors and a sculpted rear spoiler. Take a seat behind the wheel and you'll note the SUV-like raised driving position and the way the angled centre console cocoons you into a drive position predictably dominated by the 'Open R' digital cockpit arrangement we first saw in the Megane E-Tech. In this case, it offers a 12.3-inch instrument display which replaces the usual circular speedo with a speed line that changes colour according to speed and power demand. The screen is paired with a 12-inch portrait-style centre infotainment monitor featuring more than fifty apps. The cockpit area is 26% fashioned from recycled plastic, over 80% of the dashboard materials are recycled and leather has been banished. This model's MPV roots are referenced by the prodigious levels of cabin storage - there's 38.7-litres of it, including a big glovebox, deep door bins, an enormous compartment under the front armrest and further space under the centre screen. What will really appeal to families though, is the amount of space in the rear, where thanks to the 2,784mm wheelbase, there's 278mm of legroom and 884mm of head space. Renault has included what it calls an 'ingenious' rear armrest, which has 3.6-litres of storage, two cup holders, a pair of USB-C ports and fold-out stands that enable occupants to watch screens more comfortably. Another clever touch is the optional 'Solarbay' panoramic roof, which uses electrified Polymer Dispersed Liquid Crystals that can opacify one segment of the glass at a time, allowing different light levels in different parts of the car. Out back, there's a 545-litre boot that can be extended with a ski hatch. With the seats folded, there's 1,670-litres of space.

Market and Model

Expect pricing starting at around the £35,500 mark, after deduction of the available £1,500 government grant. With three trim levels being offered - base 'techno', then the 'techno esprit Alpine' version and finally the 'iconic esprit Alpine' model. The 'esprit Alpine' specs feature sporting cues inspired by the company's performance brand. Top 'iconic esprit Alpine' spec features linden wood trim picked from sustainable forests and ambient lighting that adjusts in step with human circadian rhythms to reflect the time of day - so it's cool during sunlight and warmer at night. Other markets get an entry-level 'Standard Range' model with a 60kWh battery, but here for the time being we're restricted to a 'Long Range' version with an 87kWh battery. Customers will be able to pair six exterior paint choices with a grey or black gloss roof to create a two-tone effect. Roof rails are standard. Also standard is the company's 'Open R' digital cockpit arrangement which pairs a 12.3-inch instrument display with a 12-inch portrait-style centre Google-driven infotainment monitor which offers a vast choice of apps, including 'SongPop', where passengers can try and name tunes by tapping answers into their smartphones. Safety has been prioritised, with over thirty driver assistance systems and on-board safety features. The key option is the 'Solarbay' panoramic roof.

Cost of Ownership

We gave you the EV mileage range figures in our 'Driving' section. To achieve those, you're going to need to make the most of the four-level regenerative braking system, adjusting the set-up using the paddles provided behind the steering wheel. This Scenic offers rapid charging ability that is supposed to allow a top up from 15-80% in around half an hour, while an AC three-phase charging system supplying up to 22kW also comes included. When you park up to charge, the powered seats can shift into a relaxed position and perform massages, while the ambient lighting, USB chargers, infotainment and glass roof remain powered for 45 minutes. A heat pump is standard, helping to maximise range in particularly cold weather. And the E-Tech system uses Google Maps to automatically begin pre-conditioning the battery when the car is nearing charging points selected in the app. That will mean the battery is then at a perfect temperature on arrival, which will allow you to charge it faster and more efficiently. The Google-based journey planner built into the system can even consider wind direction and speed to predict energy consumption. Both the batteries on offer use LG Chem nickel-manganese-cobalt technology, which is claimed to have a 6% higher energy density than the battery used in the Megane E-Tech. There's also now an included V2L (vehicle-to-load) adaptor which allows external 230V devices to be powered by energy stored in the car's battery - anything from a laptop to a coffee machine!

Summary

It's nice to see Renault returning to a spirit of innovation. Instead of slavishly following the Crossover SUV genre championed by virtually all of its lower-mid-sized EV family rivals, the Scenic E-Tech Electric goes its own way - and is all the better for it. Nothing's too radical here, but there are some genuinely clever design innovations - like the 'Solarbay' roof and the multi-purpose rear armrest. And it's all presented with fashionable exterior packaging that we think the market will like. Will that market like this car enough to pay the prices Renault will inevitably want to charge here? The brand talks of positioning the Scenic E-Tech Electric in the vanguard of what it calls 'phase 2' of the battery car revolution: 'EV adoption for the masses'. That won't happen with a car of this price, but the company's secondary objective - 'to make a car that doesn't force people into compromising' - looks as if it may have been met here. And in that respect at least, this model is a true Scenic.