Category: Compact MPV 
Price Range: £13,595 to £23,695
New free-revving 1.4-litre petrol engine, quiet motorway cruiser, car-like handling, comfy cabin.
Firm ride, rubbery steering feel, notchy gearchange.
Practical and comfortable, but top-of-the-range models don't represent good value.
The 'Grand' label is a good way for Renault to offer more choice to the buyer, but it can muddy the waters: why shell out £23k on a top-spec Grand Scenic when you can get a perfectly good mid-range, yet larger Espace?
In any event, Renault has taken the decision to launch the Grand Scenic ahead of the smaller Scenic, hoping to give the Grand a grander entrance. The Grand version goes on sale in the UK in May, the Scenic in July.
The new Grand Scenic has a sleeker look than the old model thanks to a longer more car-like bonnet. It's roomier than before, gets more car-like handling and overall it's just, well, more car-like.
Don't be fooled, though: this is a bona fide MPV. It has seven seats, 40 storage spaces and a highly practical fold-down seating system. There's also the option of a factory-fitted sat nav at the bargain price of £450 to tempt you.
Oh, just one more thing... it's cheaper than the outgoing model, with prices from £14,995 to £23,695. The range best-seller, the 1.6VVT Dynamique, is £660 cheaper than the current model and for the entry level model, the Extreme, Renault has sliced off just over a grand.
But is that grand off the purchase price enough to persuade you to go for a Grand? Read on to find out.
Latest Readers' Drives About the Renault Scenic
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