Can the reinvented Scenic raise itself above rivals like the Ford Explorer and Peugeot E-3008 in the crammed family SUV market?

Renault Scenic E-Tech Iconic Long Range review

October 4, 2024 Matt Allan

Can the reinvented Scenic raise itself above rivals like the Ford Explorer and Peugeot E-3008 in the crammed family SUV market?

The family SUV segment is one of the biggest in the EV world, understandably so.

But when you drill down into it, there are a lot of similarities between a vast number of models. From physical size and styling to battery capacity, range and motor power, many rival cars present very similar stats.

So it takes a bit of effort to stand out from the crowd, which is what Renault is trying to do with the Scenic E-Tech, which is mixing it with everything from the Ford Explorer and Peugeot E-3008 to the Skoda Enyaq and Tesla Model Y.

Design, interior and technology

The Scenic gets off to a decent start in standing out. It manages to have an SUV style — an angular upright front, tall back end, black body cladding – without the clunky, bloated appearance that often plagues the class.

That’s helped by its relatively compact dimensions which give it less bulk without compromising interior comfort. The Scenic is one of the shortest cars in its class but has the same wheelbase as something like a Ford Explorer, meaning it offers some of the most generous interior space despite its compact footprint.

Four adults, even tall ones, will fit comfortably inside, and a week being put through its paces by my family proved the rear bench is wide enough for three kids to fit without too much argument. As well as impressive legroom, the Renault has a wealth of clever in-cabin storage spaces and one of the biggest boots in its class, at 545 litres. The only issue is achieving that in a short footprint requires a deep loading lip that makes it tricky to easily load heavy items.

The original Scenic MPV was hugely innovative and while this new SUV model isn’t quite as clever, it still features a few neat touches. Elements like the rear armrest which features dual charging ports and swing-out phone holders show an extra degree of thought has gone into the car. And the Solarbay sunroof, which uses liquid crystal technology to switch from clear to opaque at the touch of a button, brings various configurations of shade without the need for a heavy blind that eats into the headroom.

Most new cars have a litany of tech that would take all day to list but the Renault has a couple of functions that bear special mention. A single dashboard switch allows you to save a personalised setting for the driver assistance systems and then access that at the touch of a button. In practice, that means that in two quick presses you can deactivate the dreadful lane assist, inaccurate speed limit warnings and various other bings and bongs which default to on whenever you stop the car.

Also worthy of note is the 12-inch portrait screen, which is powered by Android Automotive OS. That has the twin benefits of bringing a clear and logical interface and also allowing for battery preconditioning to work automatically with built-in Google Maps.

While the space and technology in the Scenic are exemplary, material quality is a little hit-and-miss. Key touchpoints look and feel good but the lower down the cabin you get, the poorer they are. I drove the Peugeot E-3008 back-to-back with the Scenic and the Peugeot’s quality was more consistently high.

Battery, motor and performance

The Scenic E-Tech comes with a choice of motors and batteries. Entry-level ‘comfort’ range cars match a 168bhp motor to a 60Wh battery while our Iconic-spec model uses a 217bhp motor and 87kWh battery that can be charged at 160kW.

Officially, that will return 369 miles on a charge. In the real world, I saw consumption of around 3.5-3.6m/kWh, suggesting a range of about 310 miles. That’s not disastrous but, certainly in my hands, it failed to exceed the efficiency of any of its major competitors by a meaningful amount. Its saving grace is that massive battery, but soon we’ll have an E-3008 with a 97kWh battery.

Its performance, too, was largely on a par with rivals like the rear-wheel drive Ford Explorer or the E-3008. That’s to say, perfectly adequate for most day-to-day use. Just because we can have 380bhp all-wheel-drive family SUVs doesn’t mean we need them and the Renault’s simpler approach feels responsive enough without compromising the efficiency.

The handling is a similar story – predictable, secure and utterly uninvolving, just like 90% of family SUVs. It’s only in the ride department that the Scenic falls down, with a far firmer and less forgiving setup than something like a Skoda Enyaq.

Price and specification

Where the Scenic seems to stand out among competitors is in offering impressive value.

The range starts at £37,495 and rises to around £45,500 for the top-spec Iconic trim. That’s a similar price bracket to the less spacious, shorter-range Kia Niro and means the Scenic tops out where things like the E-3008 and Explorer are just starting.

A BYD Atto 3 or MG ZS EV may beat the Scenic on value but can’t compete on range, quality or kerb appeal.

And you still get plenty for your money. The Iconic trim features everything from full LED headlights and hand-free parking to that clever sunroof, a powered tailgate and heated massaging front seats. There’s also a Harman Kardon sound system, camera-based rear view mirror and all the usual wireless and connected infotainment and phone systems.

Renault also deserves praise for including a heat pump as standard in every version of the Scenic. In variable climates like the UK’s this can help maximise efficiency and it’s frustrating that many brands charge an extra £700 or more for the equipment to do so.

Verdict

Its relative value is one of the areas where the Scenic really stands out in a now-crowded class.

At its upper end, it’s the same price as most entry-level rivals but has some of the best space, range and technology in the class, offering a compelling option for those not too worried about outrageous performance or all-wheel-drive ability.