Renault Scénic continues as electric crossover – Preview

Highlights

• Competitor of Skoda Enyaq and Kia EV6
• No MPV
• On CMF-EV basis

If you’re reading this, the last Renault Scénic has probably just rolled off the production line. At least, the last one for now. In its traditional appearance as an MPV, Renault no longer sees any benefit in it, just like all competitors. The Citroën C4 SpaceTourer, the Volkswagen Touran, the Opel Zafira and the Toyota Verso models have all disappeared from the scene in recent years. However, that does not mean that Scénic will disappear as a model name, as we learned in the spring of 2022. Then the Renault Scenic Vision was presented, a concrete harbinger of a car that will actually be launched on the market next year. It will most likely be called Renault Scenic E-Tech Electric and will be the big brother of the Megane E-Tech Electric. Both cars use a well-known, old model name, but in both cases they are completely new models that technically and externally have nothing to do with their former namesakes. Where the electric Megane meets the Volkswagen ID3, the Scenic operates in a class higher. The fairly hefty crossover enters what is currently the most important global EV segment, competing with cars such as the Volkswagen ID4, Skoda Enyaq, Kia EV6, Hyundai Ioniq 5, Nissan Ariya, Toyota bZ4x and Tesla Model Y. segment, which will become even busier with the arrival of this Frenchman.

Renault Scénic (Illustration: Larson)

New Renault design language, Scénic resembles Vision

The production version of the Renault will look very similar to the Vision concept. That is not our thought, it is confirmed by Renault itself. In fact, the production version secretly already exists and served as the basis for the concept car already presented, which is of course decorated with some futuristic details. So our draftsman had it easy for once. With the removal of the extreme wheels, the 3D light units that are difficult to clean and the wafer-thin window styles, a very nice picture of the car that will soon be found in the Renault showrooms has already been created. With the recent Megane E-Tech and Austral in mind, the result might raise some eyebrows. The Scenic is certainly not an enlarged version of the electric Megane, but emphatically puts down its own style. Consciously, of course, because Renault introduces an evolved form of its existing design language with this model. This new shape is characterized by tighter angles and straight folds and less voluptuous curves. The brand logo is a lot smaller and also plays a less important role on the nose in the whole. The striking LED strings that we have known since Renault’s Talisman do not return in that form either. Instead, we find tighter light units, which make the car look tidier, but are perhaps also less distinctive.

Catching up in the EV field, a lot of Nissan Ariya in Scénic

The fact that Renault is only now introducing an electric car in this globally popular segment is remarkable in itself. After all, Renault was once just as much of a forerunner in the EV field as it was in the MPV field, with the Zoe already on sale in 2012. Just like with alliance partner Nissan, it took a long time before that initial lead led to a follow-up, but the French and Japanese are now seriously catching up. They do this with the same platform, the CMF-EV base that can already be found under the aforementioned Megane and the Nissan Ariya. Given the larger size, we mainly look at the Ariya for the technical specifications of the Scenic. It is available with battery packs of 63 and 87 kWh, good for a range of 398 to 533 kilometers. The powers at Nissan range from 217 to 306 hp. It is not said that Renault will also use exactly these values ​​– and also all versions – for the Scenic, but it certainly gives an idea.

Rear seat Scénic no MPV experience

What is special about the CMF-EV platform is that the front wheels are driven in a two-wheel drive configuration. According to Renault, this saves space and that is important for a car that has to uphold the Scénic name. Still, you should certainly not expect an MPV-like interior. The new Scenic will most likely just have a rear seat that folds down in two unequal parts and will do without a third row of seats. The luggage compartment will be large, but not groundbreakingly large. There is quite a lot of legroom for the rear passengers. In addition, the car benefits from a completely flat floor, which provides a spacious and airy experience both in the rear and in the front. With the Megane E-Tech, Renault is already showing that it can make high-quality and attractive interiors and the larger Scenic will certainly not be inferior. 2024 will be an important year for Renault, because in addition to the electric Scenic, the electric 5 will also appear. Yes, a compact electric retro model that is an unadulterated reference to the R5 of yesteryear. Reverting to the past, whether recent or not.