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I“We have changed everything except the name” is the slogan that Renault has come up with for its new all-electric Scenic model and, for better or worse, it is a fairly accurate assessment.
The old Scenic, originally the Mégane Scenic of the 1990s, was an ovoid multi-purpose vehicle. This new Scenic is a larger, straight-line vehicle, with a more SUV-like style, as is the fashion (a little confusingly, Renault still makes a Mégane, now electric, built on the same platform as the Scenic, but a little shorter).
Old Scenics had a range of petrol and, yes, diesel engines (strange as that may seem now), and the latest Scenic has the option of choosing between long- or short-range battery packs. The old Scenic was, well, a bit fragile and prone to corrosion; and we’ll have to see how this model copes with the ravages of time. First impressions suggest it should be more robust than its predecessors.
So yes, it's a break with the past, and the Scenic sits alongside a flood of new Renault models occupying roughly the same space in the market, some fully electric, some hybrid, most with unfamiliar names: Arkana, Austral, Rafale and, soon, Symbioz. I think I preferred it when Renaults were designated by numbers: 4, 5, 12, 16, 20… less of a feat of memory.
There are actually only a few variants of the Scenic itself: the cheapest ones feature a 60kWh battery paired with a 168bhp engine, and the most expensive versions a much larger 87kWh pack and a 215bhp engine. Both are front-wheel drive and available in three trim levels: Techno, Esprit Alpine and the opulent Iconic.
Almost inevitably, my press car was the top model, fitted with eye-catching 20-inch alloy wheels and something called a “Solarbay opacifying panoramic sunroof”. This is a real talking point for Scenic drivers. It doesn’t open, but unlike a conventional glass roof, it doesn’t have a sliding blind – instead, at the flick of a switch you can adjust its transparency (or opacity) and it’s a rather magical little trick.
The other novelty is what Renault has literally dubbed its “ingenious armrest” in the rear seats, a device that looks like a Swiss Army knife and unfolds to reveal a storage compartment, two USB ports, cup holders and a smartphone or tablet holder. Very practical.
The cabin is finished throughout with high-quality materials, including some soft leather upholstery for the seats and dashboard. The touchscreens are crisp and clear, and the bespoke Google Maps sat-nav system (no phone required) is fantastic, as is the head-up display and voice recognition system for the radio and sat-nav (which also operates the variable glass sunroof).
THE SPECIFICATION
Renault Scenic iconic
Price:£46,745 (as tested, range starts at £37,495)
Propulsion:Single electric motor, powered by an 87 kWh battery
Power (HP):220
Maximum speed (mph):105
0-60 (seconds):7.9
Economy (Wh/mile):286
Range (miles): around the year 290
CO2 emissions: 0
The Iconic version, with a range of almost 300 miles (in reasonably favourable conditions) and a level of equipment on par with any model this side of the super-luxury segment, is around £50,000, but you shouldn't be too bothered by the price. By the way, it may not be as new as there are the same big discounts you'll find on other EVs, but you should be looking at a discount of around 10 per cent off the list price.
Despite being a new model, it is not the most efficient in its class, and we all need to start thinking about that more in the electric age. People tend to obsess over total range, which is important, but it says nothing about efficiency. It's a bit like buying a petrol car just because it has a huge fuel tank.
The Scenic will consume around 286 kilowatt hours of battery power per kilometre travelled, which is marginally worse than rivals such as the Tesla Model 2 or a Kia EV6, but better than a Peugeot E-3008 or a Ford Mustang Mach-E.
I haven’t said much about the Scenic’s driving because it’s not very memorable, and given its mission that’s not a problem. Like all EVs, the electric motor provides more than enough urgency from a standstill and is always quiet, even with the synthetic hum “composed” by Jean-Michel Jarre, no less.
It's a handsome and fairly imposing car, with its striking Renault diamond grille patterns, but it's smaller than it looks and barely usable in urban conditions.
Like the old Scenics, I would consider it more of a commuter car, with a decent amount of space. It is simply not a multi-purpose vehicle with all the promise of adventure that that type of car, now almost extinct, offered.
That's the one thing, that versatility, that wouldn't have changed if I had been in charge of designing the new Scenic. But you can't have everything, right? Not even with a car that calls itself “iconic.”
