Renault Scenic Road Test

Renault Scenic Conquest

In the back, the three seats can be moved, removed and reclined, independently of each other. The outer seats have ISOFIX mounts, as does the front passenger seat and, to keep the kids occupied, the front seats have airline-style tables on the back. One of the optional extras I would recommend is the Comfort Pack, which comprises an electric, panoramic sunroof, which helps to keep the kids happy and reduces travel-sickness, hands-free entry and start, electrically folding mirrors, footwell lighting and the under-seat autochanger. It adds £900 to the bill but is well worth it for the sunroof alone. That said, all of the items in the pack can be bought separately.

Storage for the kids stuff or valuables is taken care of by the useful, under-floor cubbies, front and back. For the larger stuff, the boot has a capacity range of 406- to 1840-litres and there’s always the roof rails, if that’s not enough.

At present, there are only two engine options; a 2.0-litre, VVT, 136PS petrol (£17,945) and a 1.9dCi, 130PS, diesel unit, priced at £19,135. There are plans for two more engines at some point in the future. For now, the dCi engine that was in the test car is the best option for fuel consumption and towing. As well as the 130PS at 4,000rpm, it produces 300Mm of torque at 2,000rpm. The low-down torque allows the Conquest to complete the 0-62mph dash in 9.6 seconds and from there, the top speed is 119mph.

As a diesel, it is inherently mean, with fuel consumption figures of 38.2mpg for the urban cycle, 53.3mpg for the extra-urban and the combined works out as 47.1mpg with 159g/km CO2, emitted through the tailpipe.

I liked the easy gear-change of the non-optional, 6-speed manual ‘box and the higher driving position. The car feels quite taut and behaves well on fast country lanes and at motorway speeds, there’s plenty left for safe overtakes.

ABS with EBD and EBA are standard safety features and Renault tells us that the passive safety features mirror those of the standard Scenic, which carries a maximum, 5-star crash test rating.  The front passengers are protected by dual-stage airbags and front and rear curtain airbags are standard.

The Renault Scenic Conquest is certainly a little out of the ordinary. It’s a car that is practical, offers good visibility and fuel consumption and will, despite the lack of 4WD, take you a little way off the beaten track. It’s a city country thing.

Renault Scenic