Renault Grand Scenic Review and Prices

The Renault Grand Scenic is a large family MPV that combines the practicality of seven seats with wild styling that helps it stand out from the likes of the VW Sharan and SEAT Alhambra.

Take the Renault’s standard 20-inch alloy wheels for example. They’re larger than the wheels you’ll find on some Aston Martins and look like they’ve been pinched from some kind of sci-fi concept car.

You could say the same about the strange kink in the Renault Grand Scenic’s side windows – although this serves a practical purpose letting small children see out and stopping them feel car sick on long drives.

Less exciting is how the Renault Grand Scenic looks inside. If its exterior could make a convincing Star Wars prop, its cabin looks like it belongs on the set of Gone with the Wind. Almost everything’s either black or very dark grey and you’ll have to pay for a high-spec model if you want any kind of leather trim or mood lighting. Even the menus on the portrait infotainment system are a bit dark and dingy, but at least this touchscreen is relatively easy to use – if not quite as intuitive as the VW’s system with its extra menu shortcut buttons.

You won’t buy a big seven-seater just because its cabin looks nice, though – rather you’ll be persuaded to part with your cash if it’s easy to live with. In this respect, the Renault Grand Scenic’s clever sliding seats and roomy cabin grant it plenty of brownie points. There’s space for three adults in the middle row and just about enough space for two more in the back – although, a VW Sharan is a bit more spacious still.

The Renault Grand Scenic is a spacious seven-seater that could be your ideal MPV if how a car looks is just as important as how easy it is to live with.

The VW also has a bigger boot than the Renault Grand Scenic, but both are huge once you fold all the back seats down.

Even with the boot filled to the brim, the Renault Grand Scenic’s engines have enough poke to pull you along quite happily. The diesel version’s nice and quiet on motorways and is impressively economical. If you do lots of short journeys, especially in town, the petrol engine’s a better bet.

The Renault Grand Scenic’s big windows and raised driving position also help make it feel at home in cities. The steering’s nice and light to help you manoeuvre it easily and you get parking sensors as standard, but the Renault’s huge wheels highlight bumps and potholes more than the smaller wheels you get on the VW and SEAT.  

That being said, the Renault Grand Scenic’s still pretty relaxing to drive – especially if you pay extra for the optional automatic gearbox. It’s not the smoothest unit around but it saves you from having to constantly change gear in heavy traffic.

It also comes with automatic emergency braking and lane departure warning which help make the Renault Grand Scenic one of the safest MPVs on sale and certainly worth considering if you’re on the hunt for a safe and stylish family car. Check out our Renault Grand Scenic deals to see how much you can save on one.