Renault Scenic
Hello £25,445/£28,080
Of the various Renaults I’ve run over the past !" years# the stranger things got# the more I liked it$ Especially the giant MPV coupe with doors so big they needed double cantilevered hinges %yours for &'k now# guaranteed future classic# etc($
Renault’s design boss Laurens van den Acker would kill me if I said that the new Scenic was just weird enough# but in order to keep the flames of desire flickering in the fading MPV segment# it falls to the Scenic to boldly go where lots of carmakers have given up$ As Laurens says# if this one doesn’t sell then the segment deserves to die$ Eeek$
Chapeaux off# then# to the design team for reimagining the mainstream so vividly$ Channelling !*++’s R,Space concept# the Scenic could almost slot into the upcoming Blade Runner reboot# with its big graphics# big windscreen# and big panoramic roof %though maybe not in honey yellow with contrasting black roof($ Much has been made of the !*in alloys$ This is a car that has come off its designers’ power wall and onto the road exactly as they intended$ It would surely look rubbish on +-s$
Naturally# this turns a giant spotlight onto its ride quality# but Renault has dodged the bullet by keeping the tyres’ sidewalls relatively tall and the suspension compliant$ Not that the Scenic encourages enthusiastic driving$ Ours is the dCi ++* diesel# whose *./!mph time of +!$'secs is as leisurely as its +**g/km CO emissions are lowly$ ! Fortunately# this particular car has the optional /spd manual ’box rather than the dual,clutch auto# which gives you something else to do to fill the time$
The original reinvented family transport !* years ago0 the new one is a reminder that you might want to look again before shelling out on an SUV or crossover$ A teenager# a child and a large dog might make mincemeat of it# though the sliding centre console and four USB ports have gone down well so far with the former$ Ours has optional metallic paint# full LED headlights# the Premium Parking Pack %including hands,free parking and 1/*2 cameras(# the Safety Pack %cruise control and distance warning( and a pumped,up Bose audio system$ Let the experiment begin$