Renault doesn't believe that MPVs are dead. In fact, its sales have proven some European buyers are not tricked by the supposed ruggedness of a crossover.
Still, the brand new Scenic has a bit of Captur striped socks underneath its pleated skirt. The first thing that struck us when seeing it in the metal at the Geneva Motor Show was just how complex it was - every surface is intricately sculpted and filled with details.
The 2016 Scenic is the car Renault chief designer Laurens van den Acker hopes will make people "fall in love again" with the MPV. As a result, this is the first Renault that looks good in standard trim, thanks to 20-inch wheels that are free. When a Porsche 911 comes with 19-inch ones, you know that your neighbor will order the Scenic in a heartbeat.
The headlights feature the same U-shaped LED elements as the Espace and Talisman. They get a lot of attention, as does the deep recess in the side of the doors. While the A-pillars have the built-in glass for extra visibility, just like the C4 Picasso, the rear windows taper sharply for a coupe look.
On the outside, the Scenic 4 is 40mm longer (1.6 inches) and 20mm wider. Thankfully, they resisted shortening the ground clearance so you should be able to climb curves. The trunk is a spacious one at 572 liters, and there are plenty of convenience features dotted around the cabin.
All the engines are borrowed from the Megane and include four flavors of diesel and two small turbocharged gasoline units. The 1.5 dCi is rated at 95 PS (5 more than usual), but the Eco2 stamp belongs to an 110 PS Hybrid Assist version that features regenerative braking and a 48-volt battery. It's not a hybrid, but it should emit as little as 80 grams per kilometer.
For now, the most powerful engine is a twin-turbo 1.6-liter diesel. We can't tell you if it's good or not since the Megane hasn't got it yet, but it will be more efficient than older 2.0 units that have been all but discontinued.
What we really think: It looks almost perfect, but it needs a 1.6-liter TCe turbo and more engines available with the EDC. The fake leather dash with white stitching reminds us of the Laguna.
Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida. Full profile
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