Published:
15 August 2013The latest Renault Grand Scenic is bigger than the last one – by 62mm in length, 26mm in width and a mere 9mm in height. The wheelbase is up by 34mm, too.
The altered proportions have allowed Renault to endow the car with a more dynamic visual profile than before. The gently sloping roofline towards the rear, with a rising beltline towards the tail-lights, gives the car a more aerodynamic appearance than its predecessor. At the front, Renault design chief Laurens van den Acker's influence can be seen in the larger lozenge logo and glossy Clio-apeing grille.
The Scenic range still includes a five-seater, but more than ever the long-wheelbase Grand version is its own car. Given the Espace's disappearance from the UK market, it has a bigger sales job to do, too. Just as well, then, that it has grown a bit.
The latest addition to the UK Scenic range, meanwhile, is the XMOD pseudo-crossover. Based on the regular Scenic and priced exactly like it, you get extra equipment here as well as ruggedised styling, mud and snow tyres, unique wheel designs and a special 'Grip Xtend' traction control system in lieu of proper four-wheel drive.
A new petrol engine has been added to the Scenic range as part of the 2013 update: a 1.2-litre turbocharged petrol with 128bhp and automatic engine stop-start, which rivals the diesels on CO2-based company car tax. Below that, the engine range consists of two less powerful petrols and two turbodiesels: a 1.5-litre dCi with 108bhp and CO2 emissions of just 105g/km, and a 1.6-litre oil-burner with 128bhp.
