What's the news?
Remember the stylish, big-wheeled new Renault Scenic shown at this year's Geneva Motor Show? Well, here's the slightly bigger one. And yes, it's called the Renault Grand Scenic again.
Exterior
The same dramatic exterior styling as seen on the five-seat Scenic is extended slightly for the new Grand Scenic and like the smaller MPV, the Grand is characterised by large diameter (20-inch) wheels that are also very narrow (195-section), which results in a deep 107mm, 55-profile sidewall. Renault says that means the ride comfort is preserved. Available in five- or seven-seat guises, the Grand Scenic has an extra 240mm of metal in its midriff compared to the new fourth-gen Scenic, which equates to an additional 193 litres of boot space, meaning at least 765 litres with all the seats in place.
And it's bigger compared to its immediate Grand Scenic predecessor too, in every dimension bar its rear overhang, which is 6mm shorter. It's 4,634mm long (+75mm), 1,865mm wide (+20mm), 1,660mm tall (+15mm) with 160mm of ground clearance (+30mm), the wheelbase has grown 35mm to 2,804mm and the front overhang is extended by 46mm to 931mm. It has broader front and rear tracks, and that boot is also 63 litres bigger than the old Grand Scenic. Like its smaller brother, you can opt to have this Renault MPV in a two-tone paint finish, if you so desire, and that body colour you can see in the pictures? That's Vision Brown, a Grand Scenic-specific shade.
Interior
As already stated, the Grand Scenic comes with the ability to carry either five or seven occupants, fitting between the Scenic and the Espace in Renault's people-carrier line-up (not that we get the current Espace in Ireland). It has the same modular interior design as those cars and the same sort of in-car tech, such as the R-Link 2 infotainment control, which is handled by a 8.7-inch touchscreen multimedia tablet in the console.
Mechanicals
Five diesels and two petrol engines make up the motive power choices, which is one diesel fewer than is available for the smaller Scenic. Like that MPV, the Grand Scenic has Hybrid Assist as an option on the 110hp dCi unit in some markets, which features an electric motor-generator and 48-volt battery to improve performance and reduce fuel consumption. We're told that Irish buyers will not be offered the Hybrid Assist function. The 110 diesel can be had without electrical assistance, though, with either a six-speed manual or a seven-speed dual-clutch EDC transmission. There's also a 130hp dCi with a six-speed manual, and a 160hp diesel with a six-speed EDC. On the petrol side, it's a six-speed manual gearbox only and the choice of 115- or 130hp Energy TCe powerplants.
Sitting on the Common Module Family (CMF) C/D platform that underpins the Renault Megane and the Kadjar, the Grand Scenic comes with a wide variety of driver assist and semi-autonomous safety systems to make driving easier.
Anything else?
Full prices and specifications for Irish market Renault Grand Scenics will be revealed later in the year, nearer the time it goes on sale alongside the smaller Scenic. We'll bring you more details as and when they arrive.