The 2018 Renault Scenic Car Review

The Renault Grand SCÉNIC is a practical, well-equipped and well-assisted MPV that clinched the title of “Best MPV 2017” by U.K. Car of the Year. We are all well aware of the features the Grand Scenic has to offer. Now, meet the Grand Scenic’s little brother – the All-New Scenic.

Following the trend of compact SUVs, Renault has unleashed the All-New Scenic. The five-seater compact SUV comes in an eccentric design and styling. Which surely makes it stand out from the crowd. Especially when you compare the Scenic to its competitors of the same class.

The Scenic’s design and style isn’t the only thing that stands out. With a monstrous set of 20-inch rims and ample storage, the compact SUV is not only comfortable and easy to drive but extremely practical.

Unconventional Design

The All-New Renault Scenic looks bold, expressive and pretty outrageous. It really shouts for attention when driving through the city. So there are only two ways you’ll look at it – love it or loathe it.

When we first laid eyes on the Scenic, we were actually quite turned off. But give it some time and it tends to grow on you. Maybe it’s the edginess and uniqueness of the car. Or maybe we just like the attention. Either way, her distinctive looks grew on us pretty quickly.

Available in two trims, the Scenic and Scenic Privilège. But we must add, the differences are barely noticeable. Especially to the untrained eye. The most obvious difference would be the panoramic glass moonroof. Which adds an extra bit of charisma.

Functional Interior

Even though the Scenic has a distinctively styled exterior, her interior exudes class without compromising on practicality. Which is attractive to both families and the upmarket crowd. The five-seater compact SUV comes with 13 storage compartments. Which guarantees a place for you to store all your stuff, no matter its size.

Just like the Grand Scenic, it comes with the One-Touch Folding rear seat control. Which makes storing really big items convenient and most of all, possible!

With two foldaway tables at the back of the front seats, it feels like you’re on a plane but with way more legroom.

Fitted with an 8.7-inch touchscreen display, it’s pretty much an in-built tablet. However, the display wasn’t as responsive as we’d like it to be. But overall still okay. We also felt that the navigation system was quite difficult to operate. Or maybe it was just a matter of getting used to. Also, making adjustments to your seat wasn’t automatic, which was quite a chore.

Other cool features that are nice to have but not must-haves include the five colour ambient lighting, customizable instrument cluster and a head-up display. While the display is meant to add convenience and safety while driving, we thought that it was quite distracting.

Some of the features didn’t really live up to the elegance of the interior, which was a bummer. But we can live with it.

Comfortable Drive

With the way the Scenic looks, you might expect a subpar drive. Especially with the assumption that large rims lead to an uncomfortable drive. However, large tyre sidewalls on the massive 20-inch rims nullify the notion – the ride is a breeze.

The drive is comfortable and even with a massive road presence, the Scenic is easy to handle. Whether you’ve just passed your driving test or if you’re an experienced driver, handling sharp turns and cruising through the city isn’t a problem.

In the heart of the Scenic is a 1.5L Turbo engine with 260Nm of torque. While the stats might not be impressive, the Scenic pulls really well. The acceleration is really responsive while not compromising on its control and handling. However, the brakes were quite sensitive and will need some getting used to.

Toggling between different modes was quite an experience. On Sports mode, the Scenic feels special. With the easy handling on a car that has so much presence, it was such a joy.

One of the best parts about the Scenic is its fuel-efficiency. At impressive figures of 4 litres per 100 kilometre, it is truly first in its class. The car also has a Vehicular Emission Scheme (VES) banding of A2, which qualifies for a $10,000 VES rebate. Making it slightly more affordable.

Peace of Mind

No matter how safe of a driver you are, you can never truly protect yourself from accidents. Whether it’s you or another driver’s recklessness, there’s no surefire way to avoid accidents.

Luckily, the Scenic offers some safety features that can help you.

And although many of these features aren’t exclusive to the Scenic, they’re really helpful to keep you safe and aware of your surroundings. Especially when driving through Singapore’s dense roads.

A Blind Spot Monitoring System acts like an alarm while driving. However, we felt that the system was a bit too sensitive. At times, the warnings would sound off when we’re actually not close to anything, causing unnecessary stress. But overall, the pros outweigh the cons.

Another feature that helps a lot is the Handsfree Auto-Park Assist. It makes parking a breeze, helping you in all sorts of situations.

Last Words

When you think Renault, you instantly think unreliable. It’s the most common connection people will make to the brand. But is it called for?

Over the years, the French automakers have been making strides forward to dispel this notion. And it’s noticeable. More and more people are putting their trust in the brand.

For us, the unrivaled fuel-efficiency is a huge draw. We all know that cars in Singapore cost a bomb. So, having a car that’s economical with fuel makes a lot of sense.

While the Scenic comes with “love it or loathe it” looks, the practicality and quality of the drive is undeniable. Spacious, safe and efficient. What more can you ask for?

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