Renault Grand Scenic 1.4 TCE Car Review

Facts At A Glance
Car: Renault Grand Scenic 1.4 TCe
Prices: £17,595–£19,795 - on the road
Insurance Group: 7
Emissions: 177g/km
Performance: Max Speed 121mph / 0-60mph 11.5s
Fuel Consumption: (combined) 39.2mpg
Safety: Twin front, side & curtain airbags / ESP / ABS with emergency brake assist / ISOFIX child seat mountings.
Dimensions: Length/Width/Height, 4560/2077/1645mm

SETTING THE SCENIC

Our Rating: 7.6 / 10

Turbocharged petrol power doesn’t liven up the Grand Scenic by much but it’s still a winner. Steve Walker reports.

If you find it hard to get excited about a seven-seat MPV, don’t worry, you’re not alone. These vehicles aren’t the most thrilling things on the road, not by a long shot, but they do perform a valuable role. As a result, it’s tempting for manufacturers to try and inject some extra interest into their MPVs with sporty handling or 4x4 design cues. In contrast, Renault’s Grand Scenic is a vehicle that prefers to concentrate on the basics of getting seven occupants, or five and a lot of luggage, from A to B. In 1.4-litre TCe guise, you could call it dull but owners tend to swear by them and in time you might too.

Renault has a lot of MPVs and faith in the sector’s future. The market for these vehicles has stagnated somewhat since 2005 as the rise of the 4x4 gave families a less frumpy way to get their hit of practicality. Sales have stagnated nice and high, however, and Renault is keen to mop up a big chunk of the total with its six-strong MPV line-up comprised of the Modus, Scenic, Espace and their respective Grand versions. It means customers can get a Renault that precisely fits their requirements with the spacious six spanning 3870mm to 4860mm in length.

The Grand Scenic sits below the standard Espace and the nature of the densely packed range is that its abilities and size are very similar to that car. Renault sees it very much as a family vehicle and a vital one in promoting the brand’s family-friendly image. It also expects the Grand to account for 30 per cent of overall Scenic sales.

The 1.4-litre TCe engine is one of the more interesting options in the Scenic range. A 1.4-litre petrol powerplant, it might initially sound a little compact to power a vehicle of the Grand Scenic’s bulk but a turbocharger helps it to 130bhp and there’s 190Nm of torque which is generated at just 2,250rpm. It’s a very smooth and refined engine that will cope easily with a lightly loaded Grand Scenic and adequately with a fully-loaded one. If you plan on travelling with a packed car most of the time, one of the larger diesels might be a better bet. Otherwise, the TCe is a great choice.

Performance over the 0-60mph sprint is measured at 11.5s and there’s a 121mph top speed. The engine is mated to a six-speed manual gearbox that shifts up and down the cogs in an acceptably positive manner. The Scenic’s real strength lies in its ride comfort but it can hustle through corners without any problem thanks to tight body control and is only let down by a lightness in the steering which makes it better suited to driving in town than on rally stages – sensible really.

There’s no shortage of space inside the Grand Scenic. The front seats are comfortable with plenty of room and a good view out courtesy of the large windscreen. In the second row, three adults can be accommodated without any difficulty and leg room is as generous as that of anything in the compact MPV class. Slide these second row seats forward a touch and it’s also possible to seat a couple of six-foot adults in the rear. Their knees will be bunched up a little as the chairs are set close to the floor but it’s far from uncomfortable and smaller occupants will have no problem.

The third row seats fold into the flat boot floor in a one-touch motion, increasing boot space from 208 to as much as 702 litres in the seven seat model. The middle row of seats can fold and tumble forwards, enabling reasonably dignified access to the third row, or be removed completely to create a massive 2,063-litre space. Seat back trays, a deep glovebox and segmented door pockets add to the Grand Scenic’s strong practicality score.

Available across the entire Grand Scenic trim level range with the exception of the entry-level Extreme models, the 1.4 TCe engine is an important one for the car. Diesel will be the more popular fuel choice and there’s a good range of oil-burning units to consider but the majority of petrol buyers will select this engine, despite its £1,000 premium over the 1.6.

All Grand Scenics come with electric front windows, air-conditioning and a basic CD stereo. In Expression trim there’s also