Bad times for minivans. This family segment, so popular for the past 30 years, has gradually collapsed in the face of the growing success of SUVs. But when you’re an icon, and even more so when you’re the initiator of a new trend, stepping back from the scene isn’t necessarily easy. The Espace Mk1 is thus often considered the first European minivan, with its seven independent seats, the five rear seats of which were removable to provide a flat floor behind the driver.
However, the latest generation did not convince, victim both of internal competition with the Koleos and Grand Scénic, and also because of a lack of ambition in its engines. A glitch can soon be fixed with the arrival of this sixth generation of Space.
The manufacturer has indeed revealed that not only will the new large 5 and 7-seater SUV bear this name, but that it will also be based on the Alliance’s CMF-CD platform. Thus the Espace, which according to the manufacturer “has been able to evolve with the times to better meet customer expectations and fit in with the times” will finally pass on the side of the crossoverspresumably to compete with the successful Peugeot 3008 and 5008.
If there is therefore a good chance that this new Espace will ultimately only be an elongated Austral, it will undoubtedly carry its E-Tech hybrid engines with the 1.2-litre three-cylinder turbo petrol engine coupled to an electric motor developing 160 hp and 200 hp.
Renault announces that the new Espace will be presented in the spring of 2023. This will be an opportunity to see if this new version will gain in style without losing practicality. To be continued…