Who wants to be beautiful…
The Renault Espace was not only one of the first full-size MPVs in 1984, its name still lives on. Although the latest Renault Espace is little more than an extended Austral, its predecessor was no longer the pure space car it used to be. With the new Espace in prospect, we ask ourselves: which features of the ‘old’ were and were not appreciated?
Although the Espace, introduced in 2015, looks more like a spaceship than ever, the actual interior space was not too bad. The car was clearly lower than its predecessors and more stylized as a crossover than as a pure MPV. At the same time, the car was decorated more luxuriously, with the top version Initiale Paris as icing on the cake. In terms of technology, the car surprised especially with optional 4Control four-wheel steering and relatively modest engines.
Under the hood were no longer up to 3.5 liter V6 engines, but 1.6 and 1.8 liter turbo engines with 200 and 225 hp respectively. Diesel drivers had a choice of a 1.6 with 130 or 160 hp and a 2.0-liter Blue dCi with 200 hp.
The dashboard of the outgoing Renault Espace.
On board a spaceship
The luxurious ambiance does not miss its effect. “I was really blown away when I got in. I think Renault has taken good steps with this. The seating position is fine and the car has a lot of space,” is the first impression of the driver who drove the Espace as an intermediate car. “If you use it as a seven-seater, there is even some space left in the back, but completely insufficient for a holiday. It just fits two weekend bags.” ‘
Another goes on holiday with a maximum of five people, with no one to complain about. “Been fully loaded with five adults on winter sports and summer holidays in addition to many business kilometers. Both times without problems and complaints from the passengers, who have a lot of legroom in the back.” Renault has not only thought of the rear passengers in terms of legroom. “There are also dedicated USB connections for the phones, which proves to be particularly important on long journeys”.
Not everything on board the Espace turns out to be hosanna. “There is relatively little storage space in the interior,” says the driver of the Espace dCi 160. “Of course there is a large compartment in the armrest and a reasonable glove compartment, but there are no decent cup holders. There are two under the gear lever, but they are useless while driving because the seat and my leg shield them.”
Flexible, but different
The comparison with the previous generation Espace is regularly made and the crossover withstands that quite well. “The comfort is just as good despite the slightly tighter interior dimensions, I think the seats are even better,” said the owner of a luxurious Espace Initiale Paris. But there is more: “The most striking benefit is the folding seats. My arms still hurt from ten years of lugging heavy chairs.”
Folding down is via a button cluster in the boot, but there’s a second way that makes life even easier. This one is described by the next owner, who describes the aftermath of the visit to a furniture store. “Fold down the second and third row seats from the central touchscreen, open the tailgate automatically, load and go. Raise the second row. Even bigger than I thought!”
Chassis not convincing
When it comes to space and seating comfort, the Espace still scores points with its drivers. The handling, on the other hand, is remarkably often negatively assessed, especially the tuning of the chassis is not appreciated. “On the highway that is absolutely a wonderful travel car. However, if you drive on a B-road, things will go hopelessly wrong. The suspension is totally unable to properly support the car. Thresholds you really (really) have to take it easy, otherwise the suspension will go through and you will continue to bounce,” describes a dissatisfied driver. He’s not the only one. “The standard rear suspension is bad,” writes another, “at every speed bump and on/off ramp, the car – even unladen – bounces too far and hits its final stop. This is also evident in many test reports. You have to be able to handle this and I just can’t get used to it.”
The four-wheel steering has friends and foes. The owner of an Espace Initiale Paris experiences an uncertain feeling when cornering. “On a smooth highway it is a Persian carpet, in the city, on bumpy roads and with a lot of maneuvering it is not a pleasant car. I suspect the 4Control of the slippery feeling.” It could also be a matter of taste and the four-wheel steering also has a positive side, which the owner of a 2018 Espace likes to point out. “The maneuverability is very good for such a long car.”
And that upright touchscreen?
A striking element in the Espace is the upright central touch screen. Well, Tesla drivers knew no different in 2015, but for many others it was quite innovative. Yet Renault has not done its homework quite well, according to this owner. “The interior, especially the dashboard with central section, looks very nice. You feel like you are stepping into a time capsule. However, there are so many functions hidden in it that after more than three months I am still thinking about where certain functions are hidden.”
For another driver, the learning curve turns out to be even steeper: “I’ve been driving it around for half a year now, but it still keeps searching.” The upright screen itself is fine, the menu structure can be improved. For those who are considering the new type after this Espace: it uses a new system based on Android Automotive, just like in the Austral.
Renault Espace
Maintenance, repairs and annoyances
The big Renault turns out to be not entirely problem-free. Above average, noises from the chassis are mentioned, which are caused by the front reaction rods. The noises sometimes occur after 20,000 kilometers. The driver who chose the same car again after his first Espace puts it into perspective with a wink: “The well-known marble bucket sound occurred, the reaction rods had to be replaced. Now ‘only’ at 65,000 kilometers, my previous Espace had already been turned 2x. So they are moving forward.”
Those who opt for a used Espace with EDC automatic transmission should pay extra attention to the condition of the clutch plates. “Replacement of clutch kit (both sides), oil, etc: €3,611.97. That is a shock if you can tick this off privately.” The repair was carried out under warranty at the owner who was struggling with this. It is also possible to have bad luck, experienced the owner of a dCi 160. After an internal coolant leak and subsequent overheating, the diesel engine was replaced after 90,000 km – under warranty. It has not stopped him from choosing an Espace again after this.
Renault Espace, always a four-cylinder TCe or a dCi, a diesel.
Engines and powertrain
Under the hood of the Espace are only relatively modest four-cylinder turbo engines. Experiences with this vary. About the tCe 200, one writes ‘that it is not inferior to the old V6’, while another runs into the limitations on holiday. “Just spent a week in Spain. Four adults, motorcycle equipment and a trailer behind it with two motorcycles on it. Then you really can’t get up the mountain without giving full throttle at very high revs. The 1.6 is seriously lacking there.”
The driver who is satisfied with the engine power is less happy with the EDC automatic transmission. “If the engine stalls nicely at the traffic light (stop & go) and you have to accelerate, it usually happens in three jerks. The first to get moving, the second to get up to speed (the turbo comes in?) and third to switch to second. Oddly enough, it’s not always that bad. Sometimes things just go smoothly.” A used car buyer is very pleased with his machine.
“It shifts very smoothly and does its job comfortably. The reactions to manual shifting are a bit slow.”
In terms of space and practicality, Espace drivers are still very pleased, despite the reduced interior space. The design of the exterior and interior appeals, but the ease of operation can be improved and whether the modest engines are sufficient depends strongly on personal preference and conditions of use. Finally: those who desire large engines will probably have to swallow again: the new Espace comes with a 1.2 three-cylinder in combination with two electric motors…
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– Thanks for information from Autoweek.nl