Renault Scenic - Boot space, comfort & practicality
It’s not as roomy as the old MPV, but the Renault Scenic is a spacious electric family SUV
The Renault Scenic might have the same platform as the Renault Megane, but its wheelbase is 10cm longer than the Megane’s at 2,780mm, and it has a much wider track, so there’s enough space inside for a typical family. As in a lot of EVs, there’s a flat floor in the back and rear cabin space shouldn’t be an issue even for tall adults.
A central armrest features a pair of cup-holders, and there are stands that fold out to hold phones and tablets, plus a pair of USB-C charging sockets. We expect these will be used mostly by children, and with this in mind, they seemed reassuringly sturdy. There are also a load of useful storage compartments around the cabin with over 38 litres in total - including a large 6.6-litre area in the centre console.
| Dimensions | |
| Length | 4,470mm |
| Width | 1,864mm (2,085mm inc mirrors) |
| Height | 1,571mm |
| Number of seats | 5 |
| Boot space | 545-1,670 litres |
Dimensions and size
The Renault Scenic features a typical compact SUV shape, although it does have a lower roof than most rivals to help it cut through the air more effectively. The long wheelbase creates plenty of space inside, while the wide track also helps.
How practical is the Renault Scenic?
Seats & space in the front
There’s a wide range of seat and wheel adjustment, but longer-legged drivers might find their left knee makes contact with the protruding tray beneath the touchscreen, where the wireless phone-charging pad is located.
Used - available now
2021 BMW
1 Series
20,025 milesAutomaticPetrol1.5L
Cash £19,990
2023 Honda
Jazz
4,517 milesAutomaticPetrol1.5L
Cash £21,793
2023 Audi
e-tron
56,732 milesAutomaticElectric
Cash £17,400
2016 Volkswagen
Up
50,092 milesManualPetrol1.0L
Cash £5,500The centre armrest has 6.6 litres of space, while the glovebox isn’t spoiled by having the fusebox cutting into it. Flock-lined door bins are an upmarket touch that stops items rattling around inside.
Seats & space in the back
Headroom and legroom are fine in the back of the Scenic, but a lack of foot space under the front seats means there’s less room to stretch out. Combined with the low seat cushions, that means there isn’t much under-thigh support, so long trips could prove to be uncomfortable.
The middle seat is set quite high, but if you’re not using it, the backrest folds down to reveal a multifunction armrest. There are the usual cup-holders and some storage space, along with two smartphone cradles that can position devices where they can be easily viewed from the outer rear seats.
As with most family cars, you get two ISOFIX points located on the outer positions of the rear seat.
Boot space
There’s a bit of a load lip to negotiate to lift heavy items into the back of the Scenic, but the actual space on offer is generous, with a capacity of 545 litres in five-seat mode. This increases to 1,670 litres with the back seats folded, while the 40:20:40-split rear bench offers some useful versatility.
A deep under-floor area in the back of the Scenic will easily swallow two charging cables and still leave space for more, but there’s no storage in the car’s nose.
Towing
All versions of the Renault Scenic have a maximum braked towing capacity of 1,100kg. That’s above two-wheel drive versions of the Volkswagen ID.4, but behind the Kia EV6, which can pull a caravan or trailer of up to 1,800kg.
