2006 Renault Scenic Reviews

I’ve always been bewildered by motorists who upgrade their cars every couple of years.

Finding the best transport for your family has always been difficult. Once there was the family favourite station wagon, until it became better known as a rep’s car, then there was the four-wheel drive, until most of us worked out that it was too expensive to run and often wasn’t big enough anyway, and of course there was the peoplemover, which felt like driving a van and had questionable safety.The problem is that vehicles suited to transporting the family have never been cool, but that was until carmakers realised there was a serious need for cars capable of accommodating a family and still be safe and appealing.The Japanese have attempted it with some success, as have the Americans, but it’s the Europeans that seem to have done it the best.The Renault Scenic is one of those. It will swallow a decent sized family, it isn’t huge and unwieldy to drive, and being based on a Renault passenger car platform it has decent road manners.MODEL WATCH The Scenic proved a runaway success when originally launched in Europe in 1996 and in no time at all there were imitations everywhere.It was essentially an upright styled mini-wagon built on a sedan platform.While its styling screamed family wagon its European heritage somehow made it acceptable. It’s unlikely a sales rep would ever be seen in a Renault after all.It was inside that the Scenic really came into its own. With a flexible, and adaptable seating arrangement it could accommodate five, or seven in three rows of seating that could be split and folded, even removed, to suit the number of people you wanted to transport and the gear that was to go along with them.It really was sensible transport, but with a touch of French flair to take some of the serious edge off it.At launch its power was delivered by a 1.6-litre double overhead cam four-cylinder engine putting out 79 kW and 148 Nm, but in 2003 this was replaced by a more powerful 2.0-litre unit developing 101 kW and 188 Nm.It could be linked to a five-speed manual gearbox or a four-speed auto, with drive through the front wheels, and there was also a high-riding 4x4 model available with all-wheel drive.Renault offered three levels of equipment, starting with the Expression, then moving on to the Dynamique and the Privilige.All were well equipped with plenty of standard features.The Expression boasted air, power windows and mirrors, central locking, tilt adjustable steering wheel and height adjustable driver’s seat, trip computer and a chilled storage compartment.Add climate controlled air, a CD player, leather and alloys and you had the Dynamique.At the top of the range the Privilige then got you remote central locking, rear sunshade and a central armrest.An update in 2002 saw roof rails introduced on all models, and twin sunroofs added to the Privilige.IN THE SHOP Before buying a Renault, any Renault, check where you can get it serviced and it’s worth finding out how competent they are while you’re at it, perhaps by talking to an existing customer or two.Renault isn’t well serviced with dealers outside of the major cities and it’s important to know that whomever will be wielding the spanners on your car really knows the make.Too many owners report having serious engine damage because the cam-timing belt has snapped while they’re driving along.It seems it often happens before the car gets to the scheduled change point of 100,000 km.If you’re buying second hand check that the belt has been replaced as per the service schedule. If it hasn’t been it would be wise to have it changed.The Scenic’s interior tends to wilt under the relentless attack of the Australian sun so look for signs of wear and tear on the trim and broken or buckled plastic bits and pieces.Parts can be expensive when they fail so keep that in mind before taking the plunge.IN A CRASH The Scenic was well equipped to crash with front airbags for the driver and front passenger as well as side front airbags.ABS antilock brakes were standard across the range, along with electronic brakeforce distribution for added safety under braking.AT THE PUMP The 2.0-litre engine is quite economical in general use, so expect to get 8.0-9.5 L/ 100 km depending on the type of driving.OWNERS SAY Ricky Bryan and his family owned a 2001 Scenic until last year and while they mostly liked it there are some things they don’t miss. As a car for a young family it was just about perfect, Ricky says. His wife loved the high driving position, the ease of getting their daughter in and out of her capsule, the boot space for the pram etc., and versatile interior. They both loved the looks, the safety gear and the trinkets, part leather seats, twin sunroofs, climate control air, and all the storage compartments. But they didn’t like the quality, servicing costs and availability of people who could service it, and nor did they like its reliability, re-sale value and its general lack of oomph in anything but flat going. There were numerous problems with the trim, from early wear to failure of parts like the sunroof motor at a cost of $3000 to repair, but the big problem was that their dealer made a mess of the cam belt change and the motor was heavily damaged as a result. They’ve now moved on to a Holden Astra, but miss the Scenic in many ways.Daniel Hale bought his 2001 Scenic 4x4 one and a half years ago and says his family enjoys it very much. The handling is great, no matter the quality of the road, and the four-wheel drive is good for light off-road work. While the 2.0-litre engine won’t win any speed contests he has pulled a fully laden trailer with no problems. It is surprisingly roomy and he likes the ability to pull the back seats out individually. He says it gets 8.2 L/100 km on the highway and 9.2 L/100 km around town, with an average of about 8.7. He has not had any trouble with regular services, but says the more involved jobs can be tricky for bush mechanics. Once, the cam belt snapped after being incorrectly installed and the engine had to be rebuilt. Apart from this there have been few mechanical problems and it’s now done 170,000 km.Stan Caple and his wife were attracted to the Scenic having owned a 1972 Renault 16 TS and had enjoyed the clever design and practicality of that model for family carrying, touring, comfort, and economy. The inner space and flexibility of the Scenic won them over and they bought a Scenic I before moving on to a much improved Scenic II after 16 months. At 70 years of age Stan likes the ease of getting in and out of the Scenic. He also likes the luggage space and the clever hideaway recesses built into the car’s interior. It’s economical, getting 8.3 L/100 km on average, the servicing has been reasonably priced, the ride and handling competent and the brakes superb. Stan’s only concern is the availability of dealers once you leave the big cities.In 2004 Phil Dixon and his wife were looking to update their faithful 1991 Holden Nova to a bigger car for the arrival of a baby. They wanted something that was a little different from the rest of the pack and decided on a 2003 Dynamique. Their first test drive of a used Scenic almost turned them off it, but they changed their minds when dealers were offering “unbeatable” deals in early 2005. For them the Scenic had the size they wanted, the space for a pram, the high ride height they liked, the safety of front and side airbags, and the different look they preferred. Having bought it they have found it to be reliable, economical, with good visibility and surprising performance. Their gripes are that it needs premium unleaded, and the auto trans, which they don’t like.Nigel Beddoe bought a second hand 2003 Renault Scenic with 85,000 km on the clock. The main reason for buying it was that it was easy for his wife, having had back surgery, to get in and out without having to bend; it was also easy to out their new baby into to the car seat. He says the seats are exceptionally comfortable and the layout very versatile. He also says the 2.0-litre engine is gutsy, but also economical on a run. Overall he says it is a great and versatile little car.LOOK FOR • compact outer dimensions• surprisingly roomy• flexible seating• high seating position• timing belt failuresTHE BOTTOM LINE Roomy interior with flexible seating arrangement make the Scenic an ideal choice for family transport.RATING 65/100

Diesel will power Renault sales within two years, with the company conservatively estimating that 30 per cent of its passenger sales will be dCi models.In reality, that figure's more likely to be half, which is why Renault views the new 1.9-litre Scenic diesel as a key car to build recognition of the dCi range, even though the people mover is projected to sell at only 15-20 vehicles a month.Renault already sells the Megane and Laguna diesels here but sees the need - sooner rather than later - to offer an oil burner in every segment.For a company that sold a mere 2897 passenger cars in Australia last year, the Scenic fills a small but crucial niche.Renault managing director Rudi Koenig concedes the diesel will take sales off the petrol models, but says it's what customers want.“We're seeing customers who go overseas, and often end up renting a Scenic diesel, coming back and asking for the diesel model here,” Mr Koenig says.“It's fair to say we've lost some sales because we haven't had the diesel.”The dCi stacks up well against the two-litre Scenic petrol models, with 96kW of power and 250Nm of torque compared with 98kW/191Nm.While performance is comparable, the diesel has a much more moderate thirst, downing 7.1 litres of fuel every 100km to the petrol's 8.6 litres/100km, with an equal drop in exhaust emissions.In a car park filled with soft-roaders and crossover wagons, the Scenic stands out as a car-based people mover - and for that prominent rear end.Like the engine, the styling is lifted from the Megane hatch and Mr Koenig says it's slowly gaining acceptance with buyers.“The Megane was ahead of its time when it was introduced but now other companies have followed that (bulging rear-end) trend and it's become accepted,” he says.“The Scenic for me is a real disappointment . . . it is a very good product that hasn't found it's place in this market.”Mr Koenig concedes the Scenic's compact external dimensions can work against the car, with families not putting it on the shopping list because they don't realise how much interior space is available. “It's a genuine five or seven-seat people mover that doesn't have the weight penalty of a four-wheel drive, but still has the same hip-point access to easily load and unload kids and prams,” he says.The diesel model is only available with five seats and as a four-speed auto. It is priced at $37,990.And there aren't many options you'll need to tick - the standard kit includes electronic stability control, brake force distribution and curtain airbags.Under typical acceleration it's a quiet and smooth-driving unit, with enough mid-range urge to make urban-speed overtaking a breeze. Heavy use of the right foot will produce a muted drone as the engine holds second gear until you've built up to cruising speed, but the noise of the kids is likely to drown that out anyway.The handling is reassuringly benign - this is a vehicle you'll be carrying the little treasures in, after all - with the stability control intervening at the first loss of front-end grip.Visibility is another strong suit, with the Scenic easy to park and reverse. There's enough storage under the seats and in the doors to stash the toys, pens and books required to amuse the family, and the rear seats will slide back for more legroom should you have extra adults to transport. 

For the Scenic seems very French; or at least, very different to the average mid-sized five-seater hatch currently on the market in this country.And without claiming any expertise in voitures Francaise there's a lot to like about the French philosophy of motoring as expressed in the Scenic.The first thing to like is the easy interior. The visibility all-round is excellent; the inside trim on the Expression test model, stylish and uncluttered; the electronic instrumentation bright and easy to read.Behind the wheel, the differences between this car and – say – a Holden Astra, are instantly obvious.For one thing, there's no key as such.This car uses a credit card-sized "smartcard" to activate the ignition, the door locks, the remote entry, the boot.To get underway, you push the card into the slot on the dash – it's a bit like going to the ATM – then press the starter button, just like in the old days.But the drive is anything but old-fashioned.A collection of very neat technical "tricks" in the Scenic add a great deal of enjoyment to the motoring experience. The six-speed manual transmission on the test car was smooth, and the clutch action light and forgiving.The gear shifter itself is cleverly integrated into the dash rather than poking up from the floor, which makes for more leg room in front and a more functional layout.Braking nowadays is something you don't tend to think about – you just expect that it will be good – and on the Scenic, the feel through the pedal inspires confidence.The car stops easily with minimum pedal pressure, conveying the sense that it would pull up very smartly indeed if an emergency stop was required.On the subject of brakes, the automatic parking brake took a bit of getting used to – but once you get the hang of it, it's a thing you'd want on every car you drive. Activate the little brake handle on the dash to the right of the wheel and the old juggle of brake, throttle and clutch to execute the perfect hill start is a thing of the past. In the Renault, the parking brake is automatically released when the car starts to move forward, so every hill start should be perfect.Designed as a genuine family car, the Scenic has tons of appeal. There's storage space absolutely everywhere – in the doors, under the floor, in the dash, between the front seats – and the luggage compartment is surprisingly cavernous.On a weekend running around the city – including a trip to Homebush with four members of a marching band, plus their instruments (okay, trumpets and clarinets rather than tubas and drum kits) the accommodation was ample. Plenty of head room, leg room, stretching out room, places to put your book down, places to put your can of soft drink – terrific.And everywhere, a new, tricky piece of innovation, like the moveable storage bin between the front seats, the fold-away arm rests, the fold-down tray tables.Finding them all was half the fun.Performance-wise, the Scenic was very hard to fault. The 2.0-litre, 16-valve engine was smooth and responsive, providing reasonable torque across the rev range – even with the band members on board.It's quiet, smooth-riding, and comfortable; it all works. Just a good thing all round.All it really needed was a view of the Eiffel Tower out of the front window to make the experience absolutely parfait.

The visibility's great. A cross between a sedan and a people mover, the Scenic has passengers sitting a cut above the rest ... elevated but not "perched", and surrounded by huge windows.The view is, well, very Scenic.Then there are the gadgets. I love gadgets – especially when there are this many gizmos.Start with the key that's shaped like a fat credit card. Push a button to open the door, insert the card, foot on the clutch and push another button to start and stop the Scenic.It's all so simple being pampered. But it takes a bit of getting used to not looking for the key and reaching for the handbrake when you stop.This is a neat-freak's dream car, with storage compartments in all the right places – room in the doors, drawers under seats, flip-top wells under foot and they're carpet-lined to help stop rattles.A console between front seats takes the cake with a roll-top lid (bit like a bread box), cup holders and adjustable arm rests – and it slides all the way forward or back.But there's more ... The glove box is airconditioned; just in case you need to keep drinks cool, the back windows have lift-up sun screens; and there are flip-up tray tables for rear passengers. I love the dash, with its sleek veranda over digital readouts that politely remind you to insert or remove the key card or that the handbrake is still on. And there's no mistaking how fast you are travelling with the speed right there in big, bold numbers.The KISS concept works well in the Scenic but falls just short with a radio that takes a bit of trial and error to master.All these gadgets are within easy reach and there are extra controls on the steering wheel – not that you need to think of much yourself.Most essentials are automatic; lights come on in the dark, windscreen wipers spring to action in the rain and the handbrake comes on when you stop.The Scenic has been designed with flexibility in mind. It is really comfortable and perfect for a family of five, with the option of taking fewer people and more "stuff". The three rear seats operate individually and each can be removed completely to allow for bigger loads.I'm not sold on the big-butt back end but the longer you have it, the more it grows on you.The story of my life, really.

It's a compact wagon with lots of space, excellent flexibility, solid performance and prices from as little as $29,990.The Renault has incredible space and flexibility for a family of up to five. It looks more like an oversized hot hatch than a Tarago-style mini-bus.It would be better if it had three rows of seats, but the stretched Scenic in Europe will probably come Down Under as part of the total rework on the Megane, which has had a big II added for punctuation.The Scenic II is unproven as a secondhand deal, and unlikely to reverse the slippery slide in Renault's resale figures, but that's one of its few shortcomings.We do wonder about long-term quality and the durability of some of the cabin finishes, but that's about it.On the plus side, the Scenic II has everything you need for family motoring – from an eager two-litre engine and a full list of standard equipment to pricing that puts it clearly into the affordable range of family wagons.There are three models and even the basic Scenic II Authentique comes with airconditioning, cruise control, electric front windows, CD sound and Renault's flexible rear seat system – which means a three-way split with folding backrests and the ability to remove the seats for load carrying.The Scenic II is a top scorer, too, on safety and won a five-star rating in European NCAP tests.It has twin front airbags, curtain side airbags and emergency brake assist, which Renault believes will be the next safety breakthrough as it allows people to avoid a crash – or crash at a lower speed.The original Scenic didn't do much in Australia, despite a huge following in Europe, but that was probably down to its quirky looks and the timing of its arrival.It was a member of Renault's comeback family in Australia, at a time when the brand was struggling for any sort of acceptance and forging a new local link with its global partner, Nissan.The Scenic II is bigger and, to our eyes, better looking than the original and Renault has done a great design job.You see it in everything from the four storage compartments in the floor to back seat benefits that include pulldown sunshades, fold-down desks and unique two-buckle safety belts.It has grown from front headroom to boot space, and Renault says it is much more refined.The 2.0-litre four with variable-valve timing produces 98kW and 191Nm, fed to a six-speed manual or four-speed automatic.The suspension has MacPherson struts in the nose with a torsion beam in the rear, a bonus for rear floor space, and the brakes are anti-skid four-wheel discs.The model line-up runs from the basic Authentique up through the Expression to the Dynamique, with prices that take the automatic flagship to $37,690.The only options are a $1990 panoramic sunroof on the Dynamique and metallic paint for $650.ON THE ROADIT IS easy to get engrossed in the Scenic II's gadgets. There are storage bins everywhere and a super-flexible set of seats. Even the wipers are set on a pair of giant sweeping booms.But that would mean overlooking the car's real strengths: comfort, easy driving and plenty of space for a family.The Scenic II is a great way to get around. It will easily meet the needs of most Australian families on everything from a short sprint to the shops to a long interstate haul.The seats are comfy, there is incredible storage and, even though the Scenic is labelled as a multi-purpose vehicle, it drives as well as or better than most mid-sized family cars.Now that many brands, including Toyota with its Camry, have finished producing or importing wagons, there is a big gap for the Scenic to exploit.We did our test time in an Expression automatic, which means a bottom line of $33,690. But it has everything you need in a new car, from excellent automatic aircon to cruise control and even steering-column buttons for the sound system.The Scenic is surprisingly lively from the lights and it also cruises along nicely.The fuel economy is good. We tried it on both premium and standard unleaded and could not notice any real difference.The ride and handling are excellent, either one-up or with a family on board.The brakes are great, the headlamps are good and it is surprisingly easy to park.We could write a small book about the flexibility of the Scenic, but it's something you really need to see for yourself.It is hard to fit the car into a convenient category, at least to set it up against its rivals, and it's not even classified as a people-mover.So it's a five-seat mid-sized wagon, meaning it should be shopped against everything from a Subaru Liberty wagon to a Chrysler PT Cruiser.But it sits on its own in many ways and scores well, particularly the big cabin, regardless of what you see as its rivals.THE BOTTOM LINEWE WERE not sure what to expect when we collected the Scenic, but we are sure now that it is one of our first favourites in 2005 and a car that should be winning lots of friends in Australia.

The not quite a hatch, not quite a people mover, is extremely well equipped, with a speed limiter standard equipment on all models.It's not something we normally see outside a Benz and comes as a real boon for speed camera-shy city drivers. Dial in the speed and it won't exceed the limit unless you tromp the accelerator.It's cars like the Scenic II that redefine where the family sedan is headed.Scenic II is priced from $29,990. Add $2200 for automatic transmission.Scenic II sits on the same platform as the Megane II hatch and sedan and shares much of the same componentry, including of course the engine. Style-wise it gets the controversial French bustle but it is not as pronounced as in the hatch.The car seats five with individually moulded seats for the rear three passengers instead of the normal bench seat. The centre rear seat is slightly smaller than the other two.The 2.0-litre, variable valve equipped four cylinder engine delivers 98kW of power at 5500rpm and 191Nm of torque at 3750rpm. Not the most powerful or torquiest of engines around but works well in combination with the transmission. Good fuel economy too.Transmission is a choice of either six-speed manual gearbox or four-speed "pro-active" tipshift style automatic. Our test car was fitted with the standard manual change mounted high on the dash within easy reach. It is smooth and intuitive and delivers the best performance the engine has to offer.The Scenic is a gadget lover's dream, with a digital speedometer and lots of switches to twiddle. It all takes a bit of getting used to, but once you work it out the car is user friendly. Kids will love the underfloor hidey holes.Scenic II scores a full five star safety rating. Safety features include dual front and side airbags, curtain airbags and front and rear seatbelt pretensioners. ABS brakes with elec- tronic brake force distribution (EBD) and emergency brake assist are also standard.Fuel economy is good at an average of 9.6L/100km from the 60-litre tank. And like the old one, it prefers premium but runs happily on standard unleaded.You don't get alloy wheels with either of the lower grade models. Standard model also misses out on climate controlled airconditioning, rear power windows, an automatic parking brake, and a mirror for communicating with rear passengers and a few other little things – but that's about it.There's always a catch and in this case be warned that any colour apart from white attracts a premium of $650.

"The runout of the current model has been so successful that our dealers are crawling all over us to get the new car as quickly as possible," Renault Australia's Lenore Fletcher said in France this week."There will be about 20 cars going into dealerships in the next two weeks, really just so that they can show them off."An on-sale date for the five-seater will be around the Melbourne Motor Show with the Grand Scenic following about a month later."Fletcher says that pricing is being argued with the factory and is unlikely to be settled until closer to the launch. Suggestions from others at Renault point to an entry-level five-seater at a tick under $30,000 while the Grand Scenic would need to arrive around $40,000."We will most likely have three specification levels and a single engine choice – the 2.0-litre petrol from the Megane – in both the five and seven-seaters," Fletcher says. "There is a possibility that we could also look at the 2.0-litre turbo but that would be some time further down the track."Styling for the Scenic has caught up with the innovative look of the remainder of the Megane family with its sharper lines and bustle-back rear end.Renault's Christophe Deville says: "The driver's eye level is exactly the same but the angle of the steering column, wheel and relationship to the driver's seat has been refined to make it less bus-like."The interior of the Scenic II is stylish with an acre of dash leading out to the raked windscreen. The digital instrument display is housed under the sweeping binnacle. While the readouts are small they are easy to read. A discordant note is the intrusive automatic gear lever, which is mounted on the dash. The designers have chosen a large leather dust pouch. It doesn't work.What does work is the huge bits-and-pieces bin between the front seats with a roller-door cover. The space is big enough to take a small handbag or a number of smaller items. There are various storage areas spread around the interior, which is light and spacious.Rear seat passengers in the five-seater are well treated for room. But the third row in the Grand Scenic is for small children only.The twin seats fold away to give a flat floor but when extended they are sited well forward, almost hard up against the middle row. While the three middle-row seats can slide forward it means less leg room for the second or third rows – or both.The Scenic II is a quality drive and is 4.2m long on a wheelbase of 2.7m. It is straight off the Megane platform and behaves as you would expect. The extra 200mm of height raises the centre of gravity and promotes slightly more lateral body movement.Ride quality is good with all but the very worst road undulations filtered by the standard suspension geometry – Macpherson front and torsion beam rear with outboard attachments and programmed deflection. The Scenic does not wallow and while there is a slight tendency to dive under braking it gathers itself and retains poise.With 3.2 turns lock-to-lock the steering is not sharp but it does offer reasonable feedback and a good sense of what is happening through the 15-inch front-drive wheels.There is little danger of being overpowered by the 2.0-litre engine's 98kW – peaking at 5500rpm with a redline just over 6000rpm – but the delivery is willing and with 191Nm of torque on tap the Scenic gets along nicely.What does let the engine down is the aural coarseness it displays from outside the cabin. Sound insulation from with the cabin is exceptional – aided by sound-deadening foam in the body and chassis cavities.The four-speed automatic has well-sorted ratios with a kick-down that is easy to induce. The lower gear will be held well up into the power band and a six-speed manual gearbox is an option.Anti-lock brakes and electronic brake force proportioning are standard across the range with ESP offered as an option in overseas models. Satellite navigation is another function that is likely to be an option for Australia.

Renault Australia is gearing itself for a record year in 2003, with new models and a significant improvement to its top-selling line-up. The brand has given the entry-level version of the Scenic two-wheel-drive and four-wheel-drive compact people mover a major power boost to maintain momentum in 2003.The 1.6-litre engine in the Scenic Expression has been replaced with a beefier two-litre motor.The Scenic Expression comes to market at $27,990 for the five-speed manual and $29,990 for the automatic version. This is $2112 more than the 1.6-litre version, but Renault says additional equipment as well as increased power more than justifies the price increase.Renault Australia will get the three-door and five-door Megane models - plus a stunning new Megane Cabriolet - in the final quarter of the year.The brand expects the additional volume will help it reach its 2003 target of 5500 vehicles - about 1000 more than last year. Scenic was Renault's best-selling model in 2002, with combined sales of two-wheel-drive and four-wheel-drive models accounting for 1851 of the brand's 4565 sales. The motor now offered in all Scenic vehicles generates 101kW at 5500rpm and a useful torque output of 188Nm at 3750rpm, 90 per cent of which is available between 2500rpm and 5500rpm.In two-wheel-drive models, the engine is available with either a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmission.Every vehicle in the Scenic range has a total of six airbags, safety belts with pyrotechnic pretensioners and load limiters, close-contact head restraints and an anti-lock braking system with electronic braking distribution and emergency brake assist.All Scenic models come standard with the extremely flexible sliding rear seats - offering a wide variety of seating/carrying combinations. Storage capabilities are enhanced by under-seat drawers, in-floor bins and an adjustable rear parcel shelf. Passenger comfort is maximised by a chilled cold-drink unit in the front centre console.The standard entry-level model comes with airconditioning, remote central locking, electric windows and door mirrors, trip computer, front armrest and an audio system with satellite controls and in-dash CD player.The mid-spec Dynamique gets alloy wheels, climate-control airconditioning, partial leather seat trim, leather steering wheel and gear knob, roof rails and opening rear window.The range-topping Scenic Privilege picks up full leather seat trim and twin sunroofs.