Say hello to…
…the all-electric Renault Scenic. While the Scenic is a household name in the UK for popularising the mini-MPV sector in the late 1990s, the latest, version is now a mid-size SUV that’s purely battery powered.
The battery in question, in the long range version, is a fairly large 87kWh which gives the 220hp Scenic an official range of 369 miles. The Scenic is also available with a 60kWh battery, a 170hp motor and range of 267 miles.
The Scenic is available in three trim levels.
- Techno
- Esprit Alpine
- Iconic
Standard equipment on the Techno includes a heat pump, 12-inch infotainment system, wireless phone connectivity, front and rear park assist, rear view camera, adaptive cruise control with speed limiter, powered boot, 19-inch alloys, two-zone climate control, heated steering wheel and drive modes.
Esprit Alpine adds 20-inch alloys, sports seats, driver and passenger heated seats and blind spot warning.
Iconic adds an uprated stereo, sunroof and surround view camera.
Is The Renault Scenic Suitable For My Fleet
With a claimed range of 369 miles for the bigger battery version tested here, even in winter, the real-world range is going to be close to 300 miles. An impressive figure such as that means fewer stops at expensive rapid charging points and more home charging.
As a mid-size SUV, the Renault also suits most fleet users.
Leasing A Renault Scenic
Intelligent Car Leasing is offering the Renault Scenic in Iconic long range form for £517 a month on a 3+36 contract with 10,000 miles a year. Gensen Reports forecasts maintenance cost at £40 a month. Class 1A NIC comes in at £12 a month.
Driving A Renault Scenic
The new Scenic is a world away from the car that first brought us the name, but that’s no bad thing. We’re now in an age where SUVs are king and to stand out – for good reasons – is difficult. Fortunately, Renault has produced an ace of a product.
Exterior styling sleek and not overly complex, giving an immediate quality vibe. Flush doorhandles that pop out when you walk up to the car are a very desirable feature.
Climb in and the cabin isn’t a sea of single colour plastic like many mass-market rivals, there are soft-touch textiles on the dashboard, the seats are lighter colours and the balance between buttons is an screens is well-judged.
In fact, the Scenic is the first car that FleetandLeasing.com has driven that has a dedicated programmable button that with a quick double press turns off the warnings for speed limit and lane keeping. Other manufacturers should learn from this.
The portrait orientation infotainment system is simple to use and quick to respond to inputs.
If there’s a criticism of the dashboard it’s the speedo which features a design that bisects the speed reading and as a result makes the speed readout fractionally more difficult to read than it should be. But we’re being picky, here.
The rest of the cabin is roomy with good rear seat passenger legroom, even behind taller drivers.
The boot is a good size at 545 litres, but if you fold the rear seats, the load floor isn’t flat and there’s no false floor which could solve the issue.
On the move, the Renault Scenic has light and precise steering with suspension that’s judged well between comfortable and sporty. The ride comfort is good on UK roads and body roll is very well controlled when cornering.
The car’s also relatively efficient. We drove the car in the first frosty week of autumn and saw a 3.3 miles per kWh figure. However on some warmer days the single journey figure was much closer to 4.0 m/kWh and at this level a range of nearly 350 miles seems perfectly possible. Maximum charging speed is also a healthy 150kW.
The overall simplicity and ease of use of the Scenic is what shines through. It’s this ethos that makes using the new SUV a positive experience.
FleetandLeasing.com Verdict On The Renault Scenic
A high quality, interesting and appealing car with excellent range and good equipment levels.
Renault Scenic
- Model: Scenic E-tech Iconic long range
- Power: 220hp
- Torque: 300Nm
- Max speed: 105mph
- 0-62mph: 7.9s
- Official range: 369 miles
- Test range: 287 miles
- CO2 emissions: 0g/km
- BIK tax band 2024/25: 2%
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