Category: Small Family 
Price Range: £10,250 to £13,400
MPV-like space in supermini dimensions, easy to drive.
Slightly awkward-looking, weedy petrol engines, interior not as roomy or versatile as the Nissan Note's.
A useful and appealing small family car.
Renault launched its Modus mini-MPV to fill the gap between the Clio supermini (itself pretty large and spacious) and the larger Megane and Scenic models. A cross between a high-roofed supermini and a mini-MPV, and sharing its underpinnings with the Clio, the Nissan Micra and Note, the Modus' only real drawback was its lack of loadspace - an issue now addressed with this longer-wheelbase model, called Grand Modus.
It's 4034mm long (the standard Modus is 3,874mm long) with a 2,575mm wheelbase giving an extra 93mm between the axles. It's not the prettiest of stretch-jobs: the Grand Modus isn't as cute and cuddly-looking as the original, with a rather awkward rear end. However, with up to 1,454 litres of loadspace and a sliding rear seat allowing for plenty of legroom, it is considerably more practical. It's a shame the rear seats don't fold flat, however.
Engines on offer are 1.2 16v 74bhp, 1.2 Turbo 99 and 1.6 vvt 110 (auto only) petrol units, or the super-economical 1.5 dCi diesel in 67bhp, 85bhp and 105bhp formats. The 105bhp diesel comes with six-speed manual transmission and the Quickshift 5 sequential-shift gearbox is optional with the 1.5 dCi 85.
