The Scenic and Grand Scenic models are still the same basic cars that Renault has been selling for five years now. The manufacturer has updated both over the years, and the most recent refresh has brought minor exterior visual changes, but not much else.

Carbuyer recently tried out the larger Grand Scenic seven-seater, and the points of positive interest were, as usual, the high perceived quality inside, the decent design and the generally good practicality.

What isn’t so rosy is the awkward access to the third row of seats, the lack of new active safety tech and the somewhat dated-looking switches and displays used inside.

Renault needs to replace it soon, because it’s already trailing many of its competitors for modernity. Hopefully, the upcoming Espace will bring Renault back to the forefront of the MPV class, in Europe. However, it will be rather hard for them to compete with the super-sleek looking Ford S-Max.

By Andrei Nedelea

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