Renault Scenic review

Is the Renault Scenic a good car?

The Renault Scenic E-Tech is one of six SUVs that are now offered by the French company, but it’s the only one that comes with an all-electric powertrain. It shares its running gear with the Mégane E-Tech, yet as with previous Scenics it’s larger overall, while the SUV-style body provides a more versatile, family-friendly interior.

There are two battery options available, 60kWh and 87kWh. Techno, Esprit Alpine and Iconic trim levels are offered, although only Techno can be had with the smaller battery. Either way, competitive pricing and generous equipment mean the Scenic offers good value for money when compared with its rivals, even in top-spec Iconic guise.

How much does the Renault Scenic cost?

While the Renault Scenic uses a name from the French firm’s past, there’s nothing dated about the current E-Tech model. Using older names is a growing trend for new EVs, with Renault also using the 5 and Mégane badges for its electric models, while Ford has hit the headlines with its retro-badged machines. 

The old Scenic was a family-friendly MPV that sold in big numbers across Europe and the UK. However, the E-Tech follows an electric SUV template, although Renault is keen to pitch it more as a family-friendly model like its ancestors – it just happens to be powered purely by electricity.

Unsurprisingly, the Scenic E-Tech is more expensive than the last internal-combustion-engined Scenic MPV, with the entry-level Techno variant starting from around £37,500. Two more trim levels, Esprit Alpine and Iconic, are also available. There are two battery sizes – 60kWh and 87kWh – although the smaller battery is available only in Techno trim. Upgrading to the larger battery adds £2,500 to the price, with the mid-range Esprit Alpine adding another £2,500 to that. At the top of the range the Iconic is roughly £45,500, which is relatively good value when compared with rivals. There isn’t much extra to pay on top of these list prices, either, because there aren’t any options offered – even the six different paint options don’t cost extra.

The base model is still generously equipped, with 19-inch diamond-cut alloys, front and rear LED lights, flush-fitting door handles, a 12.3-inch driver’s display and 12-inch central screen, automatic air-conditioning, heated front seats and steering wheel, wireless smartphone connectivity and charging, plus a rear camera.

Moving up to the Esprit Alpine adds 20-inch wheels, sports seats, ‘Esprit Alpine’ badging on both the exterior and interior, a fabric grey dash, a sports steering wheel and blue cabin accents.

The plush Iconic has a different 20-inch wheel design, an electrically adjustable driver’s seat with massage, an uprated sound system, wooden dashboard inserts, hands-free parking, a 360-degree camera system, a digital rear-view camera and panoramic sunroof. Perhaps most importantly for UK-based EV drivers, a heat pump is fitted as standard on all models.

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There aren’t many flaws with the Renault Scenic driving experience. It’s not as much fun to drive as its slightly firm suspension might suggest, but comfort and refinement are good overall, while the well weighted controls mean it’s an easy car to drive. Performance isn’t thrilling by electric SUV standards, but the slightly muted powertrain and composed handling suit the car’s character. Read more about the Renault Scenic's electric motors, performance and drive here…

If maximum range is your priority, then the larger battery in the Renault Scenic offers up to 379 miles on a full charge. If you’re looking at the entry-level model, you can save some cash by choosing the 60kWh model, which comes with a range of 260 miles. If you can keep the battery topped up between uses, then this could be all the range you need. Higher-spec versions of the Scenic only come with the big battery. Read more about the Renault Scenic's range, charging and running costs…

There are some smart design touches inside and out for the Renault Scenic, but there’s still plenty of functionality on board, too. Build quality is good, and there are some clever cabin touches to make the most of the space on offer, especially in the back seats. The Google-based infotainment system works well, while Renault has retained physical climate controls for ease of use.  Read more about the Renault Scenic's interior, design and technology…

A spacious cabin makes the Renault Scenic a good choice as a family SUV. There’s room for five adults, and if there’s only two in the back the manufacturer offers a clever centre armrest with extra features. Boot capacity weighs in at 545 litres, which is among the best figures in the sector, although a high load lip does hamper the car’s versatility. Read more about the Renault Scenic's boot space, comfort and practicality…

A maximum five-star Euro NCAP rating means the Scenic E-Tech maintains Renault’s strong reputation in this test, and there’s an extensive list of assistance technology fitted as standard. Customer-satisfaction scores for Renault models haven’t been great in recent years, but there are hopes that the new generation of EVs to which the Scenic belongs will help to boost the firm’s reputation. Read more about the Renault Scenic's reliability and safety…

Renault Scenic Iconic Long Range long-term test

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Our Head of digital content, Steve Walker, has been running a Renault Scenic Iconic Long Range for a long-term test. Having previously run a smaller Megane E-Tech, the additional space of the Scenic has been welcomed by his two children, who found the family’s past test car was a little cramped in the back in comparison. 

It’s been a reasonably versatile family car during his ownership so far, although the high-loading lip and lack of variable-height boot floor have been a little bit of a pain. The jury is also still out on whether the light interior colour trim on his Iconic trim car will stand up to daily use. You can read the full long term test here...

Renault Scenic alternatives

The electric SUV class is packed with competition, including the big-selling Tesla Model Y plus the Ford Explorer and Capri, the Skoda Enyaq, Volkswagen ID.4, Toyota bZ4X, Kia EV6 and Hyundai Ioniq 5. Arguably the closest rival to the Scenic E-Tech is the Nissan Ariya, which uses the same running gear.

The big advantage that the Scenic has over these rivals is pricing. It offers nearly as much range as the Tesla or Fords, but has a bit more space, while being less expensive than any of them. Decent efficiency means it can travel further on a charge than the Toyota, and the on-board tech is more user-friendly than the systems in the VW Group models.