Review of the new Renault Scenic Team Range

If you're after a mini-MPV, then it's pretty likely that Renault's Scenic is on your shortlist. But maybe not at the top of it. Now you know the thinking behind the entry-level 'Team' versions we're looking at here.

Renault's marketers are offering up pretty simple reasoning here. Ditch the entry-level Extreme and Expression trim levels and replace them with one that throws in a little more for no extra money. So it is that 'Team' versions of the Scenic, 5-seat Grand Scenic and 7-seat Grand Scenic boast all-round metallic paint, satin chrome finish door handles and body-coloured door mirrors. On the inside, they benefit from air conditioning, an RDS CD-radio, a leather steering wheel, an automatic handbrake and front and rear electric windows. There's also dark grey upholstery with blue stitching and the same charcoal cabin finish as seen on plusher Dynamique versions.

All this costs from £14,495 to £16,085 for the ordinary Scenic, which offers a choice between 1.4 and 1.6-litre petrol power and 86 and 106bhp versions of Renault's proven 1.5-litre diesel. The Grand Scenic models come with the most powerful of their stablemate's petrol or diesel engines, at a premium of either £800 or £1,000, if you're able to compare model for model, depending on whether you want your 'Grand' with five or seven seats. Grand Scenic motoring (priced from £15,745) also gives you the option of Renault's excellent 130bhp 1.9-litre dCi diesel unit.

Like all the latest Scenic models, these ones benefit from a minor front end facelift with a new chrome-effect grille and black headlight surrounds, as seen on the sporty GT versions of Megane and New Laguna respectively. The idea is to keep this car current until its replacement (based on the all-new MK3 Megane) arrives.

Otherwise, it's a familiar recipe. The Grand Scenic 5-seat model neatly solves all of the 'people or baggage' quandaries faced by many mini-MPV owners by offering five adult-sized seats and a 501 litre baggage capacity with all the seats in place (up from 104 on the seven seat car). There's even another 32 litres of underfloor storage where the last row of folding seats once went.

"Renault dealers could well find that 'Team' just works.."

Whichever bodystyle you choose, the cabin feels roomy enough, the clean lines and low dashboard adding to the airy feel. Legroom is especially generous in the back, particularly when the rear seats have slid into their rearmost position. The central seating position in the back can be removed and the remaining two seats repositioned to allow more elbowroom but it's not quite as slick as Ford's diagonally sliding system. Aside from that minor niggle though, there's very little to fault the Scenic interior. There are storage cubbies in every conceivable nook and cranny as well as some you may need the user manual to find. Even the glovebox is cavernous. With the rear seats in position, luggage capacity in the ordinary Scenic is a respectable 410 litres and loading is made simple by a glass tailgate window that opens independently.

Renault has achieved a full five star Euro-NCAP crash test result for this car. Front, side and curtain airbags are fitted as standard and all berths are fitted with five-point seat belts. There's even the option of Sleep-Safe headrests, designed to protect the head and neck of 6-10 year old children in the event of an accident.

One area where the Scenic has always excelled is in ride quality and this version is no different, this Renault making short work of rutted A-roads and poorly surfaced motorways. There is a trade-off when it comes to handling, but Renault have probably judged the ride/handling balance wisely. Those few drivers who feel they need a vaguely sporting mini-MPV will find the Focus C-MAX and the SEAT Altea more to their liking. That said, the driving position is now much more car-like.

More than a million Scenics have rolled from the line at Renault's Douai factory in northern France since the second generation car was launched in 2003 and this entry-level 'Team' package should ensure that a good few more hit UK driveways before the second generation Scenic design quietly shuffles away. As with most family car purchases, less is more: you can't imagine many people really needing a much greater equipment tally than the 'Team' specification includes. In which case, Renault dealers could well find that 'Team' just works.

TOP 5 GRAND SCENIC DEALS

The results below show the top GRAND SCENIC deals on buyacar

Renault Grand Scenic 1.5 dCi 110 Dynamique TomTom 5dr EDC Diesel Estate
Price £16,490 Read Grand Scenic Reviews	Save £5,810
Renault Scenic 1.5 dCi 110 Dynamique TomTom 5dr EDC Diesel Estate
Price £15,520 Read Scenic Reviews	Save £5,480
Renault Grand Scenic 1.6 dCi Dynamique TomTom 5dr [Bose Pack] [S/S] Diesel Estate
Price £17,470 Read Grand Scenic Reviews	Save £6,230
Renault Grand Scenic 1.5 dCi 110 Dynamique TomTom 5dr Diesel Estate
Price £15,510 Read Grand Scenic Reviews	Save £5,390
Renault Scenic 1.6 dCi Dynamique TomTom 5dr [Bose Pack] [S/S] Diesel Estate
Price £16,500 Read Scenic Reviews	Save £5,900
VIEW MORE DISCOUNT GRAND SCENIC DEALS