Although there was an initial suspicion that Renault's Scenic Conquest was but a sheep in wolf's clothing, the added ride height and ability to mop up the worst city potholes and speed humps give it an element of utility that's well worth having. I was prepared to hate this car. Somewhat annoyingly, it makes reasonable sense.

Ask many drivers of 4x4s what they like about their vehicle and its off road ability will often figure way below factors such as a commanding elevated ride height, plenty of space for gear and family and the ability to shrug off kerbs, sleeping policemen and potholes. Given that all-wheel drive is for some an expensive irrelevance, reducing fuel economy and adding weight and complexity, there would appear to be a market for a vehicle that could offer a rugged look and feel but without the all-wheel drive underpinnings. Renault certainly thinks so and its Scenic Conquest hopes to capitalise on this demand.

Much like any other Scenic when it comes to engine and running gear, the Conquest claims to offer the best aspects of both compact MPVs and compact 4x4s. That's a tough assignment but this pragmatic approach may well pay dividends.

One petrol and two diesel engines are offered with the Scenic Conquest. The standout engine in the range is the1.9-litre dCi 130 diesel which offers plenty of shove coupled with decent fuel economy. If you can't stretch to that unit but still want the range of a diesel, there's also a 106bhp 1.5-litre dCi that also does the business. Otherwise, petrol buyers get a 111bhp 1.6-litre VVT unit which is a sweeter prospect than the diesels although it does need revving. It's tough to ascertain the additional 20mm of additional ride height at first when ensconced behind the wheel but sit a Conquest next to a garden variety Scenic and it looks a good deal more imposing.

"Much of the Conquest's attitude stems from its stance. ."

A small weight increase over the standard car takes a small edge from performance, but the 1.9dCi is still pretty quick off the mark. You'll miss all-wheel drive in very wet conditions but otherwise it's an able performer and the standard fitment of ESP stability control keeps things on the straight and narrow if you get a little over zealous. A combined fuel economy figure of 48mpg and emissions of just 154g/km make the 1.9 model an affordable long-term proposition.

Much of the Conquest's attitude stems from its stance. Car designers pay a great deal of attention to this aspect of a vehicle's aesthetics and use clever tricks such as light and dark panels, rising or falling detail lines and small changes in tyre profile to change the way a car sits on the ground. The Scenic Conquest looks airy around the wheelarches, exaggerating the jacked up look. Twin skidplates protect the underbody and the suspension has been modified to improve comfort on rough terrain. The front and rear dampers have an increased range of travel and smaller anti-roll bars have been fitted. While this may produce a less precise feel on road, it gives the Conquest as much off-road ability as its front tyres can handle. Even the ESP stability control and ASR traction control have been altered to cater for a little light off trail use.

Dark headlight covers and 16-inch alloy wheels are complemented by black graphite bumpers and robust sill guards. Inside, there are rubber mats, blood orange seta belts and orange graphics. Otherwise, it's much as you'd find in any other Scenic. Aside from the fiddly electronic handbrake, that's largely good news. There are no plans to offer the Conquest in Grand Scenic guise.

Before you write the Scenic Conquest off as a poseur's plaything, consider this. It's based loosely on the best-selling Dynamique trim level of the standard Scenic but tacks £550 onto the price. Given that it also includes rear parking proximity sensors, the ESP stability control program and a set of roof bars, that seems fair value for money as together these would tot up to well over £700. Having been saved a couple of times by ESP, I can also give that particular fitment a hearty recommendation, especially on a vehicle that will often be used to cart the sprogs around.

Prices start at £17,215 for the 1.6-litre petrol. You'll need £18,305 for the 106bhp diesel model, with the range-topping 130bhp oil burner costing £19,405. Equipment levels are relatively generous and include staples such as the sliding rear seats that can be folded or completely removed, rear aircraft-style tray tables and underfloor storage. Renault offer a range of bespoke accessories as well including an interior bike rack, a compartmentalised boot box and a sliding centre storage unit. If you really want to go to town, you can even specify a panoramic glass sunroof.

If there's one thing we can take for granted, it's that where the Scenic Conquest treads many more will follow. I expect this to be a growing market sector and as more copycats jump onto the bandwagon, the demand for the 'original' will remain strong, reflected in healthy used valuations. Of course, I could be completely wrong and the Scenic Conquest could turn into an evolutionary dead end but I'd be prepared to bet that three years down the road, the Conquest will beat the residuals of standard Scenic models by an appreciable margin.

All the engines are relatively economical. Opt for the 1.9-litre diesel and you can expect to see 47.1mpg while the 1.5-litre diesel achieves an impressive 54.3mpg showing. You won't get anywhere near these figures if you're hauling family and gear around but they indicate that up against broadly similar rivals, the Scenic Conquest is one of the more fuel efficient choices around. Insurance is reasonably priced too with the Conquest hardly being the first port of call for tyre smoking youngsters. Finance is also considerably more affordable than a Land Rover Freelander or a Toyota RAV4 which both retail at many thousands of pounds more.

It would be easy to write the Renault Scenic Conquest off as a rather contrived impostor, inexpensively developed to cash in on the growth in sales of compact 4x4s. While there is an element of truth here, insofar as Renault has arrived at the platform to see that gravy train disappearing over the horizon, their hurriedly conceived alternative actually has a lot to be said for it.

Take almost any compact 4x4 off road and it's going to get stuck pretty quickly. It'll either do that or clout its front spoiler and scuff its alloy wheels. Armed with this knowledge, people tend not to subject a Toyota RAV4 or a Honda CR-V to anything more arduous than a gravel drive. If that's the case, why bother in the first place? The Scenic Conquest will do the job equally well at a huge saving. Overkill is so last season. 'Just enough' is a smarter alternative.

TOP 3 SCENIC DEALS

The results below show the top SCENIC deals on buyacar

	Renault Scenic 1.5 dCi 106 Conquest 5dr People Carrier
	ETR	Mthly £259	Saving £4,866	Price £13,584
	Renault Scenic 1.9 dCi Conquest 5dr People Carrier
	ETR	Mthly £279	Saving £5,170	Price £14,380
	Renault Scenic 1.6 VVT Conquest 5dr People Carrier
	ETR	Mthly £252	Saving £4,543	Price £12,817

typical 12.32% APR

PCP finance quote over 48 months,  10,000 miles pa,  deposit of £1000