After its presentation at the Munich Motor Show in September and before its first deliveries next spring, three automotive media were able to preview the wheel of the new 100% electric Renault Scénic. L’Automobile Magazine, Caradisiac and Autocar agree: the car seems well born!
Communication is a profession. Thus, to get people talking about a product when the presentation and marketing dates are a little too far away, certain automobile brands do not hesitate to lend a pre-production vehicle to a few media to fill the field (and, why not , to be able to make some final touch-ups before arriving at the dealerships).
This is what has just happened with the Renault Scénic E-Tech, since the brand organized a mini test session with three media: Automobile Magazine And Caradisiac for France, as well as the English ofCoach. The three reviews have just been published, and the least we can say is that there is a global consensus on this car.
Exterior: it changes!
“Fresh and modern” : Autocar’s terms are chosen, and very representative. The line of this fifth generation Scénic actually changes completely compared to the previous ones. And for good reason: the car abandons its minivan form to offer itself, under the pencil of Gilles Vidal, a much sharper and somewhat SUV style. Fashionable, then.
Only Autocar raises an interesting question: this Scénic, by dressing fashionably, seems to favor form over function. Will the habitability live up to the model’s history?
Habitability: good and bad
With a length of 4.47 m, this Scénic grows especially in terms of the wheelbase (the space between the front and rear wheels), theoretically guaranteeing greater habitability. And the three media approve: the rear seat is very generous, with royal legroom and a flat floor, even if Caradisiac only goes back “the middle seat doesn’t seem particularly welcoming”. And for good reason, the latter hides a central armrest whose merits Autocar and L’Automobile Magazine praise, thanks to a “good attitude” And “two USB ports”.
Renault Scénic E-Tech // Source: Renault
Renault Scénic E-Tech // Source: Renault
Renault Scénic E-Tech // Source: Renault
Still, everything is not perfect. The three magazines agree: the abandonment of the three independent and sliding seats is a shame, given the heritage of previous Scénics and the family nature of the car. And if the three agree to find the 545 liters of the trunk very generous, Autocar grimaces at the sight of the step between the loading threshold, too high for his taste, and the floor of the trunk. And to continue: the bench seat, once folded, does not form a flat floor. Too bad, again, for the practical side.
Quality, presentation and technologies: high level
Moving to the front pleases the three journalists. First of all because the quality of finish seems to be of a very good level, even though it is a pre-production car. The Solarbay glass roof impressed them, with its ability to become opaque on demand.
As for the screens part, there too, everyone is there: it’s a good job. No surprise on this point: the Scénic uses the architecture of the Mégane E-Tech, with these two L-shaped panels integrating Google Automotive on the 12-inch central screen. A system that continues to receive praise, thanks to its clear interface and easy handling, helped by maintaining the physical air conditioning settings.
On the road: a good synthesis of comfort/dynamics
The three journalists were obviously able to drive the electric Scénic on around 150 km of varied roads, enough to give them a good taste. Here too, the feedback is unanimous: the Renault minivan-SUV is very comfortable, despite the large 20-inch wheels of the test models. More than the Mégane on which it is based, Caradisiac goes back to us.
It is true that the latter is known to be very incisive; the more family-friendly positioning of the Scénic therefore makes a more flexible adjustment of the chassis logical.
However, don’t think that the Scénic drags itself on the road! L’Automobile Magazine is clear: the car is more dynamic than its rivals (Volkswagen ID.4, Kia Niro and Hyundai Kona), thanks to good body handling and well-tuned driving aids. The French magazine also reminds us that Renault has managed to make its Scénic relatively light (1,870 kg with the large battery), which should help in this situation.
Some flaws? Very little: if Autocar appreciates being able to adjust the power of the regenerative brake via paddles on the steering wheel, the English media regrets “an inconsistent brake pedal at high speeds” — a shortcoming also highlighted by Automobile Magazine, which took the opportunity to raise a fairly vague midpoint in the direction.
Autonomy: a single number, and not very representative
Obviously, we were impatiently awaiting the first feedback on the autonomy of this new Scénic, especially since it has a large 87 kWh battery. Surprisingly, only Caradisiac gives us a consumption figure, and automatically warns us: the aim of this first test was not to do eco-driving. In fact, the 24 kWh/100 km recorded are very probably not representative of real use… and that’s a good thing, since the figure is really very high. The official WLTP consumption (taking into account charging losses) is around 16 kWh / 100 km.
Autocar and L’Automobile Magazine simply take the official ranges, displayed at 635 km WLTP range for the large battery and 420 km for the 60 kWh battery. Renault announces 370 km of autonomy on the motorway. Recharging has not been tested either, the three tests simply recalling that AC charging rises to 7 kW as standard and 22 kW as an option, while DC fast charging is announced at 130 kW max for the battery. 60 kWh and 150 kW for that of 87 kWh.
Renault announces, for its part, a 30-minute recharge for 2 hours of highway driving, with the long-range version.
Summary: three good tastes
Autocar is the only one to give a score: with 4/5, the English magazine concludes that the Scénic “not particularly innovative, but deserves to be a popular choice”greeting “pleasant driving” while regretting that he did not “the practicality of a real minivan”. L’Automobile Magazine is more conciliatory, confirming “that it has lost none of the advantages of the Mégane E-tech (dynamics, comfort, connectivity, etc.), while adding “the pragmatism expected of a family car”.
As for Caradisiac, it focuses on the dynamic performance of the Scénic and emphasizes the neutrality of the behavior: “all cursors are placed in the center, without bias”. A choice that reminds the journalist of the Volkswagen Golf, in its way of being good everywhere, without shining anywhere. As for us, we should be able to get behind the wheel a little before the official launch. We will keep you informed !
Price and availability
The Renault Scénic E-Tech should be available from around 40,000 euros with its “small” battery compared to around 45,000 euros for the “large battery”. There will be different finishes which will obviously increase its prices. The first deliveries will take place in spring 2024.