Vauxhall Grandland Electric vs Renault Scenic E-Tech: a family SUV feud
How does the new Vauxhall Grandland Electric measure up to the Renault Scenic E-Tech in battle of family SUVs?
Family SUVs have taken over from traditional hatchbacks. Where the Ford Focus, Volkswagen Golf, Vauxhall Astra and their like once ruled the roost when it came to car sales, now it’s names like Nissan Qashqai, Kia Sportage and Volkswagen Tiguan that take centre stage. And while those models use petrol or hybrid powertrains, it’s only a matter of time before electric models take their place.
Vauxhall has historically performed really well in the charts, with the Astra taking its place among the best sellers most years. The brand hasn’t quite found the same success with its SUV equivalent, the Vauxhall Grandland, but it hopes all that will change with the new second-generation model, which offers both internal-combustion powertrains and fully electric ones. It’s the latter we have here, and the Grandland Electric certainly catches the eye – both on the road and in the price lists.
So could this be the model that sees Vauxhall squeeze its SUV into the top 10? To find out, we’ve put it up against a car that deserves its success. Renault is on a roll at the moment, and the Renault Scenic E-Tech is one of the most rounded offerings in the firm’s exciting model line-up.
Vauxhall Grandland Electric
| Model: | Vauxhall Grandland Electric GS |
| Price: | £37,605 |
| Powertrain: | 73kWh battery, 1x e-motor, 207bhp |
| 0-62mph: | 9.0 seconds |
| Test efficiency: | 3.6 miles/kWh |
| Official range: | 323 miles |
| Annual VED: | £195 |
Bigger, bolder and much cleverer than the old car, the latest Grandland aims to take on the best in both the petrol and electric family SUV segments. Here, we’re focusing on the latter, and if it’s able to match the qualities of the excellent Scenic, it’ll be a huge result for the brand.
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Cash £10,800Prices for Electric models start from a competitive £36,455 in entry-level Design trim, and climb to £39,095 for the top-spec Ultimate. We’re testing the car here in its mid-range GS specification, which is priced at £37,605.
Tester’s notes
With its 400V architecture, charging speeds for the Grandland Electric are competitive for the large EV segment. The 73kWh-battery model is capable of 160kW charging, which equates to a 20 to 80 per cent top-up in 30 minutes.
The Grandland is capable of accepting up to 11kW charging from an AC power source, which takes around eight hours to fully recharge a flat battery. Many home wallboxes peak at 7.4kW, at which speed a full charge takes 11 hours – ideal for an overnight top-up when electricity costs are lowest.
While there are some clever in-car features, there are other areas where we feel that the Grandland could be improved to make family life just that little bit easier. That spacious rear-seat area makes loading a child seat inside fairly easy, but the Isofix mounts are hidden behind zipped covers, so locating the fixing points can be a little fiddly.
Unlike some rivals, there isn’t a third Isofix mount on the front passenger seat, either – a little feature, but one that improves overall flexibility.
Renault Scenic E-Tech
| Model: | Renault Scenic E-Tech Techno |
| Price: | £37,195 |
| Powertrain: | 87kWh battery, 1x e-motor, 217bhp |
| 0-62mph: | 7.9 seconds |
| Test efficiency: | 3.8 miles/kWh |
| Official range: | 382 miles |
| Annual VED: | £195 |
Since we gathered this pair together for this test, Renault has subtly tweaked the Scenic’s trim structure. While the car in our pictures is the outgoing Iconic trim, the new line-up consists of Techno, Techno Esprit Alpine and Iconic Esprit Alpine.
In this new range, the car that is priced most closely to the Vauxhall is the base model – the £37,195 Techno. At £42,195, the most expensive Scenic is pricier than its rival here, but it has a larger battery, a longer range and more standard equipment.
Tester’s notes
In addition to a lower starting price for the Scenic, updates in April introduced a few more changes. Paddles behind the steering wheel to adjust the strength of the motor regeneration now include a stronger level that allows one-pedal driving, meaning the Scenic can come to a complete stop without the driver having to touch the brakes.
Also new is an 11kW charger, which offers vehicle to load (V2L) functionality. Via an adapter, the Scenic can now be used to power any 230-volt appliance through a three-pin plug.
We’ve lived with a Scenic E-Tech for over six months on our long-term test fleet, and the efficiency figures we’ve recorded show just how much temperature plays a part in range – not just for the Renault, but EVs in general.
During the Scenic’s last appearance in a comparison test against the Ford Explorer last November, it achieved only 3.4 miles/kWh, and dropped as low as 3.1mi/kWh in wintry conditions after that. However, that figure has since jumped back up to 3.8mi/kWh in milder weather.
Head-to-head
On the road
There’s not much to separate these two from behind the wheel. While the Scenic feels a little more agile initially, the Vauxhall is keener to change direction, and its steering feels more natural. The Grandland rides a touch more smoothly, but both feel refined at a cruise; it’s the Renault that’s the more stable and planted at speed. Performance and acceleration are fine, if not outstanding, in both cars.
Tech highlights
With 207bhp, the Grandland is 10bhp down on its rival but its 345Nm means it has 45Nm of extra torque. At a hefty 2,132kg, it also weighs 279kg more than the Scenic E-Tech. As such, its nine-second 0-62mph time falls behind the 7.9 seconds of the Renault. It’s also a slower car inside; its laggy infotainment system can’t keep pace with the excellent Google-based set-up of its French rival.
Price and running
When it comes to efficiency, there’s not much to separate these two at lower speeds, but on a motorway the Vauxhall is compromised. Over a range of roads in mild weather, the Grandland achieved 3.6 miles/kWh. That was a little behind the 3.8 miles/kWh of the Scenic, which is more powerful and has a bigger battery, giving a real-world range of around 330 miles – almost 70 more than the Grandland.
Practicality
Both of these cars are spacious. In terms of boot volume, there’s next to nothing in it, with the Grandland’s 550 litre load bay beating its rival by a nominal five litres. For passengers in the back, it’s the Vauxhall that holds a small advantage. Both cars offer near-identical knee room, but the Grandland has a touch more foot space under the front seats, plus slightly more head and elbow room, too.
Safety
The Grandland was awarded four stars out of five by Euro NCAP. Its crash safety ratings were strong, but NCAP marked it down for the lack of driver distraction and rear seat occupant-detection systems. The Renault was assessed in 2022, and scored a five-star rating. Every version of the Scenic comes with adaptive cruise control, all-round parking sensors and a blind-spot warning system.
Ownership
Vauxhall’s standard three-year warranty isn’t remarkable, but it matches the Scenic’s in terms of duration, if not mileage – although the fact that the Scenic’s cover runs to 100,000 miles likely won’t matter to most buyers. What might appeal more to them is that the Grandland comes with a generous eight-year breakdown package comfortably beating the three-year roadside recovery for the Renault.
Verdict
Winner: Renault Scenic E-Tech
Another talented challenger has been pitched against the Scenic, and once again the Renault has managed to push it aside. When it comes to one of the biggest barriers to converting petrol buyers to EVs – range – the Scenic is one of the best in the business.
Subtle updates for 2025 to a car that already had class-leading infotainment tech include an even punchier price, so buyers are getting even more Scenic than ever before for their cash – and it’s always worth keeping an eye out for Renault’s hugely competitive finance offers, to sweeten the deal further.
Latest Renault Scenic E-Tech deals
Runner-up: Vauxhall Grandland
The Grandland has taken a massive leap forward from its predecessor, and in some areas it manages to show up its talented French rival. The interior and boot space are superb, while high-speed refinement is also a strong point.
However, in most areas, the Scenic holds an advantage. The Grandland’s ride is a little too fidgety, efficiency – particularly at motorway speeds – isn’t that impressive, and the in-car tech is laggy. While its pricing is reasonably competitive among its rivals as a whole, next to the Renault it feels like it doesn’t quite offer enough for the cash.
Latest Vauxhall Grandland deals
Prices and specs
| Vauxhall Grandland | Renault Scenic | |
| Our choice | Electric GS | E-Tech Techno |
| Price from/price of our choice | £37,605/£37,605 | £37,195/£42,195 |
| Powertrain and performance | ||
| Powertrain | 1x electric motor | 1x electric motor |
| Power | 207bhp | 217bhp |
| Torque | 345Nm | 300Nm |
| Transmission | Single-speed/fwd | Single-speed/fwd |
| 0-62mph/top speed | 9.0 secs/106mph | 7.9 secs/105mph |
| Battery capacity/usable | 73/73kWh | 87/87kWh |
| Official range | 323 miles | 382 miles |
| Test efficiency/range | 3.6 miles/kWh/263 miles | 3.8 miles/kWh/331 miles |
| Charging | 160kW (10-80% in 30 mins) | 150kW (15-80% in 37 mins) |
| Dimensions | ||
| Length/wheelbase | 4,650/2,794mm | 4,470/2,785mm |
| Width/height | 1,905/1,665mm | 1,864/1,571mm |
| Rear kneeroom | 623-887mm | 636-890mm |
| Rear headroom/elbow room | 998/1,458mm | 955/1,435mm |
| Boot space (front/seats up/down) | 550/1,694 litres | 545/1,670 litres |
| Boot length/width | 932/1,027mm | 860/960mm |
| Boot lip height | 769mm | 780mm |
| Kerbweight/towing weight | 2,132/1,200kg | 1,853/1,100kg |
| Turning circle | 11.6 metres | 10.9 metres |
| Costs/ownership | ||
| Residual value (after 3yrs/36,000 miles) | £21,510/57.20% | £21,752/58.48% |
| Depreciation | £16,095 | £15,443 |
| Insurance group/quote/VED | 36/£886/£195 | 32/£765/£195 |
| Three-year service cost | £607 (4 years) | £509 |
| Annual tax liability std/higher rate | £231/£461 | £223/£446 |
| Annual fuel cost (10k/20k miles) | £794 | £753 |
| Basic warranty (miles)/recovery | 3yrs (60,000)/8 yrs | 3yrs (100,000)/3 yrs |
| Driver Power manufacturer position | 26th | 28th |
| NCAP Adult/child/ped./assist/stars | 82/85/79/62/4(2025) | 88/89/77/85/5(2022) |
| Equipment | ||
| Metallic paint/wheel size | £650/19 inches | £750/19 inches |
| Parking sensors/camera | F&r/yes | F&r/yes |
| Spare wheel/Isofix points | Repair kit/two | Repair kit/two |
| Keyless entry & go/powered tailgate | Yes/no | Yes/yes |
| Leather/heated seats | No/yes | No/yes |
| Screen size/digital dashboard | 16 inches/yes | 12 inches/yes |
| Climate control/panoramic sunroof | Yes/no | Yes/no |
| USBs/wireless charging | Four/yes | Four/yes |
| Wireless CarPlay/Android Auto | Yes/yes | Yes/yes |
| Blind-spot warning/head-up display | No/no | Yes/no |
| Adaptive cruise/steering assist | Yes/yes | Yes/yes |
What we would choose
One of the few optional extras for the Grandland is a towbar. The Vauxhall is rated to tow a braked trailer of up to 1,200kg – but bear in mind that public charging points rarely accommodate vehicles with trailers.
For the base Techno trim, options are pretty much non-existent. There are five exterior paint finishes to choose from (red is free, the rest are £750), and a contrasting black roof can be added for an extra £500.
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