Living With A RENAULT SCENIC To Understand Why EVERYONE Buys Crossovers
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- Опубліковано 8 лют 2025
- Real world family review of the new Renault Scenic Iconic EV... I daily drove this crossover for a week to find out why every new car is a EV crossover.
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#renaultscenic #familycars #dadcars #crossover #ev
Have a 4 year old lady at home. I love how they soak up info and describe things. Good to know all 4 kids fit in the boot too:-) Proper review this.
They just climbed in 😅 videos with all 4 of them are always hilarious, you never know what they’re going to come out with.
My wife also states an 18st husband fits in the boot.... depending on the circumstances
Thanks!
Thank you Frank!!
@@dadcars Your welcome Ben.
13K down and it’s only 299 a month 😅 “New maths” at its finest! With a small sleight of hand, we can make your monthly payment affordable……or you can buy a used car for 13K and monthly payments are zero AND you get to keep it. Amazing 😂
Well that’s what I do… buy the most exciting car I can outright then accept I’ll be paying big maintenance bills 🤷♂️ and it’ll likely be worth a similar amount after 2 years too
Comparing new and used cars on price has always been a pointless comparison, because both have plenty of “yeah buts…” Used cars have always been better value on the upfront cost, and will always be the case as long as the new and second hand car markets exist.
Mic drop.
That's with a 6000 mile yearly limit too. I knock that out in 6 months! 😂
It's an EV, so the running costs are low. I cannot talk for UK but in France my model 3 costs me 1,5 € for 100 km in electricity, and the only "maintenance" I paid since 2018 is to fill the windshield reservoir. But sure, buying a second had car saves a lot of money.
Thank you! Finally someone who knows how to do car reviews how I need them (Mother of 3)
Welcome to the channel :)
Mass manufacturers release crowd pleasing products cause they got to try snap up as much of the market as possible. Only way to survive in this ultra competitive market.
Yeah it’s a mad new car market right now 90% of it is little interest to me but I’m not a new car buyer!
I just got back from a family holiday in Spain this week. We had a Renault Austral for 10 days which is the petrol/hybrid version of the scenic. I have to say I was really impressed which I was not expecting and slightly worried about being a petrol head. You’re right Ben, the controls are really intuitive, it was super comfy and stylish too and the steering was great. Would be a great land yacht buddy to sit next to my 996🤔
996 👌😚
The only relationship the Austral has to the Scenic is thst it's made by Renault but otherwise its a totally different car in a different segment. It's Like the Scenics big older brother. The Scenic is all new and totally different from the ground up. They do not share any mechanical.or platform or engines. Maybe some of the dadh is is the same and materials inside. That is about it.
I come across this review by chance and from one dad to another who loves their cars, this is a good and practical review about day-to-day use of the car. Love hearing what your kids think of the car. Nice work.
PS. I am subscribing to your channel. Keep up the good work.
Thanks Phil! Glad you found us :)
Well done for featuring this even though it's not your thing! For many people a car is just a tool for commuting, shopping and ferrying kids and to be fair, this does a decent job of it. Even though us petrolheads all crave the fun sporty cars, the reality is that to have that with a family, people still need something like this for daily duties so it's nice to see the balance of both on your channel.
Also great to see that you didn't make a big deal of it being an EV. It's a car that does a job regardless of how it's powered!
I’m glad you enjoyed it! This was fun to film with the little ones 😅
Love the little ladies take on the steering wheel shape and panoramic glass decloaking 😂
Glad you put in the car seat test in the back.This is main reason why i got my VW touran , could fit 3 across no problem and each seat is individual. plus much bigger boot than that. It seems to be every SUV/Crossover looks massive but interior does not compare to MPV's
This car is more of a 2 children and 2 adults car like most. nice car but not me for and 3 kids
Yep not many cars are made for families with more than 2 children 😅
Another great video!!!! After two years with a i20N, I've bought a Clio Esprit Alpine hybrid. What a car. It drives so well and is one of the few cars o look forward to driving. The infotainment is so responsive and without a doubt the best ive used especially compared to anything VAG are churning out lately. Never thought I'd buy a Renault.
I never thought I would either 😅
As a family man an estate car is way more practical.
🙌😅
Depends, Big Crossovers, like kodiaq or peugeot 5008 offer more space and 3 child seats in the back
@@neilmarshment2910 you’ll have to pry my 3 series touring out of my cold dead hands
Agreed. Crossovers are dumb and I still don't really understand why they exist, but sadly the choice of electric estate cars is basically a choice of 1 car right now? The MG5, I think? It's such a shame, because electric estate cars should in general have better range and efficiency than crossovers.
@@fraz_the_mediocre OG scenic is not really a SUV, it's was called a "monospace" by Renault, a larger Twingo both without a front deck. I do not know why they called it Scenic, yes it's a SUV now. But the battery takes a lot of space underneath.
Hi, just discovered your channel, thanks for this practical video, i really like the look of this.. wondering if its possible to have 3 (narrow) car seats in the rear? Expecting 3rd child soon and my options are Scenic, Hyundai Ioniq 5 or peogot 3008
Check this video out :) ua-cam.com/video/5ft1Fw80OwI/v-deo.htmlsi=BpcHKONkGVaSsbQM
Hi Ben, another fun review although like you, I'm a petrol head and drive a powerful AWD estate car. What the Scenic has hopefully done is expand your viewer base with people you mentioned who want a normal, safe place for themselves and their loved ones. Looks like Renault has hit this one out of the park although the petrol engined version would be most people's choice.
On a side note, the manufacturers have to sell a certain proportion of electric or face £15,000 fines per car.
I can’t hate on crossovers without living with them and experiencing them first hand… I’ll never own one but this did help me understand why people buy them
Not a father, but as a dog owner, and someone who helps care for their parents, I’m a fan of MPV’s and larger vehicles. I had a Grand Scenic MK3, and it was great, massive boot when you put the rear seats down… Or I could carry extra passengers. But that extra boot space could fit a wheelchair or dogs. Was excited to see the new Scenic, but disappointed there’s no 7-seat version.
Still love the look & the interior of it, but I echo your point about the overabundance of crossovers. Ironically my current car might be a crossover (Not sure if it’s considered a crossover or not), but it’s a 4WD Kadjar, but obviously it’s a 4WD with good height clearance, so I use it on a lot of country roads, where SUV’s strive, and I love my car! But generally I’m not happy with this emphasis on hatchbacks on stilts like the Juke or Captur, where they don’t really suit as a big family car, like the Grand Scenic, or any MPV/Estate, and crossovers aren’t really a good off-roader like a proper 4WD.
That being said, I’m disappointed there are fewer dedicated family cars like MPV’s or Estates. As I said, I’m not a parent, but my mum is a wheelchair user, and with plenty of dogs, big MPV’s like the Grand Scenic, Ford Galaxy, Seat Alhambra (Motability even offered these with cranes for electric wheelchairs before the Alhambra was discontinued) are great for taking manual wheelchairs, and loading up my dogs alongside the wheelchair.
Yep the MPVs are vanishing!
Like you I hate SUV and crossover variants, but it's trend that has been around for a few years. I worked at a school in the north east, just a few miles from the Nissan factory. The staff car park was a smorgasborg of Qasqhai and Juke vehicles. My car at the time was an Alfa 159 Sportwagon. Infinitely better looking and way more fun to drive than those apologies for vehicles.
I should be filming a 159 soonish 👌😎
Hi Ben & girls. Hope your all doing good.
I loved the video.
I never cared for any SUV, or any Crossover SUV. But I I love the color and the rims on it. The rims kind of remind me of the rims my first Citroen XM had. Kind of space age looking.
Stay safe and take care.
Yeah the wheels are unique aren’t they!
@@dadcars They are.👍.
"Great video! 🛻 It's fascinating to see how the Renault Scenic holds its own against the crossover trend. Your insights on space and practicality really highlight why some families still prefer compact MPVs over the ever-popular crossovers. Plus, the Scenic's unique design adds a nice touch! I wonder how it compares on fuel efficiency and driving experience to those trendy SUVs. Looking forward to more content like this!"
Great video, I have a Scenic on pre-order as the 2% Benefit in Kind (eventually going up to 4-5%) through a salary sacrifice scheme made it good value, also drives well and meets all my needs.
Cool! What colour did you go for?
@@dadcars Same as in your video - Midnight blue with grey seats.
OMG FINALLY! Finally a "family car" is reviewed by the person with kids! Love it! I'm sick watching reviews where everything that is "not a sports car" is labeled as a "family car".
Yes, the basic test: put two child seats into the second row and try to seat between - you'll immediately realize that many of these "family cars" are 4.5 seaters, not 5 seaters. Surprisingly nobody else does this simple and obvious for anyone with more than one kid test.
Yes, underfloor storage just useless: you either have an empty boot and then it's "nice to have but doesn't actually change anything", or you have your boot loaded (and loaded a lot - you have kids!) and then it's useless because you'd need to unload everything to reach that storage.
I'd just slightly advocate SUVs. Yes, they mostly waste the space: they are big but not so much spacious. However we have one of a very few exceptions: we own the 2nd gen Peugeot 5008. And even though we have "only" two kids we still use all 7 seats from time to time. And yes, despite of 2 child seats on the second row an adult can still seat there. Even more: all 3 seats are the same size, completely separate and have IsoFix in the 2nd row!
But it this very rare exception, and it's rather "an MPV that looks like an SUV". The other exception seems to be the latest Renault Espace. And that seems to be it.
The story with electric family cars is much worse unfortunately. Peugeot made the new fully electric 5008, and somehow they managed to make it worse by everything. Anything else in 7 seater area (or kind of "5+2 seater")? Kia EV9 and Volvo EX90 (when it will finally come). But they are much bigger and much-much more expensive ...
Welcome to the channel! I’m glad you found us! 🙌😊
How was the wind noise? Ive found all these new cars are horribly loud and find myself checking to see if a window is open.
I avoided the born for the above reason. Amazing video subbed.
Side note I had a 308sw phev, nothing but issues and lost money hand over fist but it was silent with amazing interior and a cavernous boot!
Keep up the good work! Subbed!
Welcome :) I didn’t notice any wind noise issues
Hello, great video as usual. As myself a Dad of 4 kids and a dog I couldn't find a suitable vehicle for the family SUV or Crossover even 7 seaters are not usable because of their lack of bootspace.
The only option I found and had one for several years was a SSangYong Rodius. I know it is discontinued and not the most fun to drive but quite realiable with its Mercedes underpinning.
Now I have a long Renault Trafic very good for long journey the whole family and the dog and even all the camping gear. Not realiable a Turbo to change and not even 50k miles.
But I also just bought a 2002 S-Type R
I have ordered one, can’t wait. One thing that persuaded me was the ability to use Tesla superchargers.
Cool! What colour did you go for?
Techno in shadow grey. Can’t wait.
Nice car! It's a shame the Scenic is no longer in the back for three kids, to me it's a missed opportunity for Renault to have an exceptional electric MPV :-)
Bring back the MPVs! 😅
The Scenic was always a 5 seater. You’re thinking of the Grand Scenic…
Ps have you driven the new Megane etech? I’ve had mine for over a year and it’s been a joy to live with. Quicker than the Scenic and far better looking (in my opinion). It’s definitely not a family car though, very limited rear passenger space. Great reviews by the way!
Thx for this. Ive just ordered one. 😃
Before or after watching the video? 😅
Before😇
I love this video, the kids are great and their honest comments are adorable. Well done, I like the scenic because of the price and range.. I think Renault can sell you "enough" of everything that makes some cars seem poor value.
Yeah this turned out to be a fun one to do! The Alfa Romeo Tonale review we did is great fun too :)
I find it funny how people overestimate the room inside big sporty SUV's, like an X5 or a GLE. It's a big body, but the big fat wheels and drive train take a lot of space. The wheels and suspension don't go on the outside, they carve away space inside. "Regular" cars with reasonable tyres - especially the by gone MPV's, offered way more room. Also the reason why the previous 7 seater Grand Scenic had 21" wheels, but sporting "thin" 205mm tyres. It looks very nice, but without taking too much interior space. It also offers better fuel consumption.
Yep the X5 is alarmingly tight on internal space considering its size
I think you nailed it on the head people feel safer in these because they are easier to spot but The boot space is the issue with a lot of these cars. The Audis a3 and q3 when we went looking have the same usable space so we decided on the a3 so we didn't have to lift as high. Estates, hatch and saloons FTW
Yep! 😊
Just waiting for our alpine empire model to come great video thanks
Love the dark purple color of that Renault, Ben! Looks decent enough to be a good buy for most people.
However, as far as crossovers go - is it fair to me if I look at the thing this way: A crossover is trying to be too much on both sides (a normal sedan and a big SUV) - is that the exact reason? Or is there something deeper that I wouldn't/haven't noticed?
I don't mind getting a crossover as my first car for my family (haha, which is still miles away anyway) - especially Korean and Japanese brands are popular over here in my country with decent pricings.
That foam separator underneath the boot floor is an option the boots deeper standard
Great video yet again!!
Thanks! 😊
Don't want to put a damper on things, but is that the Renault model that has a port hole for a fire hose to fit in - just in case it catches fire?
They sell well because they are on finance deals and very good for company car drivers. Would I look at a 45k new Renault EV? Hell no.
Use the down payment to buy a v8 outright 🙌😅
Hyundai Tuxon??? 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 Is that actually how the Brits pronounce that? Anyway I discovered you via a Facebook reel and I’m so glad you are getting the girls involved. Most women could give a crap less about cars, while your girls are all into it #StartEmYoung
I actually don’t know how tucson is pronounced… I’ve never watched a crossover car review in my life
@@dadcars It's the same as Tuscon Arizona, since that's where the name comes from
Too-Sahn AriZonah
my Aunt lives there; her husband worked at Bell Helicopter plant
Renault have got a real rhythm with the aesthetics and under body tech of this era of cars, but a Scenic has to match the name on the tin. I want the light to pour in to large windows with some bigger interior space and shape to not only properly differentiate from the Megane E-Tech, but to also be a car that gets kids and adults alike to look forward to road trips.
This versus the Skoda Enyaq may be interesting to look back on in a few years
MPVs aren’t desirable sadly, they are disappearing fast!
People buy them, that’s the issue!!
New car buyers cast the vote of what we get…
Dacia nailed it with the Jogger. 7 seats. All the styling, ground clearance and ruggedness of an SUV, while having the space, driving dynamics and fuel economy of an estate. Then there's the 7 year warranty on top. What's not to love for a family vehicle? Some SUV's and crossovers are great, but most crap in reality.
7 yr warranty ? I thought they were only 3 yrs ?
@Dave-in-France 3 years manufacturer's warranty, then if you service your vehicle at a Suzuki dealership they will extend the warranty for 12 months, up to 7 years of the cars lifespan
Hired a Peugeot 5008 while on hols for a couple of weeks. Brand new only had 2000k on the clock. The most awful car I have ever driven. Dull dull and dull. No steering feel had absolutely no clue what the wheels were doing. Engine when you floored it sounded gruff so much so that it just put you off. Ended up driving it without going in the ‘power’ band on the rev counter, ended up driving it in Eco or Charge. Was leather, but the leather had never been near a cow. Was burning hot when got in, like my parents cars from the 1970s with plastic seats. Dashboard was cheap you could bend the plastics same with the door cards, wouldn’t take much for something to break. Aircon was rubbish, lots of noise, but didn’t do much. Reverse camera was from a 1980s computer game. My Transit Connect 2018 is far better in both of those respects. By the end of the two weeks with it, I wanted to take it to a scrap yard and watch it being crushed. Last year hired a VW T-rock. So much better. Still rubbish as it’s an SUV
I am a "car enthusiast" and I drive a Tesla model 3 LR since 2018, and an EV for the last 20 years. But I guess I am not enthusiast about the same things in cars.
I'm not a fan of SUVs or crossovers as much as the next person, but family EVs need to be a bit taller than traditional estate cars because of the battery under the floor. If the height stays low, then you end up with your knees around your head in the back (see Tesla model S, Audi A6 e-tron, etc). Fortunately, manufacturers can drop the nose quite a bit to make up for the aerodynamics.
The Taycan seating position felt wonderful to me… I think it’s just easier if they are higher and it’s what new car buyers like 😕
@@dadcars yeah I believe the Taycan has gaps in the battery pack for the footwells in the back, so not as much of a problem...i guess others don't do the same as it complicates the battery...
It’s exactly that - the Taycan and E-Tron GT have ‘foot garages’ (really) - gaps in the battery pack - which they can do because of the footprint of the car (5m x 2m). Could other car manufacturers do this? Possible. But you’d forego range. The Scenic is a much smaller car. The Model S and 3 demonstrate what happens usually if you don’t have a slightly raised car. The Scenic is really just a raised hatchback.
That boot has had the additional boot floor accessory installed which reduced the depth of the boot in favor of it going flat. If that accessory wasn't in there the pram should've fit in no problem
I removed the boot floor in the Kia Picanto video and managed to get that double buggy in… but the overall dimensions of this boot are tight, a surprise when you first open it. But like I say in the video, it’ll be fine most of the time.
@@dadcars as to baby strollers, many have a steering lock on the front wheels that most parents never notice !
in steering-locked mode, 1 hand can push the stroller while jogging, you Opposite-Steer something like a motorcycle at curves
or a dog leash strapped to the front can whiz it in front of you !!
The previous Scenic was higher and wider... so what is the problem? Only the shape of the hood? what does it matter?
who puts 13k down on a PCP???? I think i put £4500 down on my fully specced Mondeo Titanium Edition hatch and that was £360 a month for 3 years with a 18,000 mile allowance per year! We ended up buying it after the PCP ended for £7k, had it for 3 further years so far. It's still not done 60,000 miles though! haha!
Honestly, for a 2 child family, it's all the car you ever need. It has all the toys you could want, space inside is really good and the boot is simply massive!
we had the 2nd generation of Scenic and in terms of space it was much better that this, it had 3 seats in the back and the boot was much taller (it could fit a washing machine in it)
Overall great video
I grew up in scenics and had my mums mk2 scenic as my first car and 15 years later i have a mk4 scenic as our family car. This new scenic is not a scenic they just using the scenic name because its a name people will recognise.
Yeah the disappearance of the MPVs is a shame!
That model 3 looked tasty 😆
😅🙌
Renault now are selling Espace (Austral combi) as family car… Passenger version of Grand Kangoo is the other option
Avantime is a great car , is it reliable ??
I’ve got a video coming soon on that very question 😅🙌
With the Tesla range of cars, you almost never need to touch the screen, the voice actuation is so brilliant. But most car reviewers don't even try it.
I tested the voice controls in the new 2 series review… it didn’t go well 🫠
My dad has a 2017 Audi Q3 which is a crossover and after owning it I now also hate crossovers. It's a big car outside and has nice materials and all that but its just not spacious enough inside🤦🏽♂️in the Q3 I have less legroom behind my dads driving position than i do in the 2009 VW Polo we've had for 12 years. The Q3 does have a large usable boot but the rear door and seats are just too small unfortunately. My dad scrapped a ford galaxy due to ULEZ before getting the Q3 and we're now looking to trade the Q3 for a car like that again although ULEZ compliant this time simply because of the space. This Renault does look a lot like the ford explorer but £45k for a Renault is just a bit ridiculous cars these days are too expensive
Yep so many crossovers are incredibly small inside, that’s what was surprising about the rears seats in this
@@dadcars yep it is quite surprising. I suppose though it being an EV helps. I'm not a fan of EVs but they do seem more practical for passengers cos of the lack of a hump in the floor for the transmission tunnel..... Because there is no transmission
Nice video, but if you could do one of the new Renault Megane I would watch that.
Ditch the PCP, PCH is much more affordable and not at risk of future depreciation!
I’m struggling between this car and the Hyundai Kona. I’ve got a family of 4 and don’t use pushchairs anymore.
I’ve not tried the Hyundai but this scenic was great :)
You have the optional boot floor raiser that restricts space for your buggy
Yeah I’m sure you can remove that dividing section but the width is restricted too
@@dadcars The dividing section that raises the boot floor is a £150 accessory
EVs seem to have finally reached the stage where manufacturers have stopped the oneupmanship games and started making actual useable cars. There’s no point of a 3 second 0-60 time if the range is so bad a motorcycle outranges it.
On the looks, I give Renault points for effort. It still looks like Generic Copy/Paste Box-On-Wheels Crossover for the most part, but there is at some effort at styling touches.
And if Renault can win over a sceptic like Ben, then they’ve probably made a decent car.
Yep… fundamentally it’s a good car :) just not one I would buy myself but I’m a niche person 😅
Put the mileage up to something more realistic like 10k a year. Our shopping car Fiat 500 does 7000k a year. Misses car does 5k mine does 3k and work van does 15k. If we got rid of the Fiat misses would end up doing 12k so double what that is quoted at
for me, new estates and hatchbacks are too low to the ground, I scrape the bottom at most vacation destinations. I have no use for AWD or 4WD, or need 7 seats so sadly a CUV makes most sense.
Yeah lots of people love a higher riding car… particularly new car buyers :)
Has that got an allegro steering wheel?? I absolutely despise these things!! Fast forward 30 years, will it ever be a much loved classic?? Maybe that’s a topic for you to review Ben… true classics of the future?
The GR 86 and GR Yaris I’ve reviewed will be future classics 👌😎
😊
Back on top 🙌
Man, the car landscape in 2024 is so depressing for a family with 3 kids :-(
3 sets of isofix in the back is all we want! 🤷♂️
@@dadcars that’s exactly right mate! I had to keep my touran 8 years exactly for that !
They make sense when you look at them more as bigger small familty hatchbacks than smaller SUVs.
A lot of non-car folk don't want a big car. My mother is allergic to anything bigger than a Ford Focus but she got a 2008 rather than the 208 because it offers a bit more usability and ease of access.
Yeah a mid sized family car 20 years ago was a golf :)
@@dadcars We used to go on family holidays for 2 weeks as a family of 4 + a dog with everything we needed in a Cavalier / Sierra sized car. It was not a comfortable experience.
Scenic is NOT a crossover, no matter what marketing tells you. It's an MPV / van. Austral / Arkana etc are crossover. MUCH less interior space than Scenic. No crossover offers this much interior space for this size.
You can deny it all you want.. It’s 100% a crossover 😂
It offers this much interior space because it is an EV.
@@ronb.6945 take a look at literally ANY EV SUV with comparable dimensions, they all have MUCH less space
Yes, brave, ha
😅
Cat manufactures stop making these things please. Jjust sold my Ford Tourneo connect and bought a new Renault Kangoo. Not the old one. Its z shame the only option for that car is one with z 40kw battery. I hzd no valable options and went for the petrol...
I mean ugh... We need a decent affordable family car that is electric and NOT a f-in suv with a decent range.
Poor people telling to themself that estate cars look nicer than SUVs ... LOL😂
They do though
They do, Volvo v60, bmw 3, Audi a4 new a5. VW Passat, Arteon, Even the old Mondeo estate looks better, list goes on. SUVS are you badly designed, hatchbacks on stilts, out of proportion. They hide that fact by stick plastic trims in various places, or big creases around the wheel arches. I did car graphic design in the 90s in London and these types of cars when you look at them are horrid. Go against everything I was taught about design
@@rthomasbox I drove a VW passat and it was the most uncomfortable drive I've ever done. Even VW Up is better. I assume that only short people like estate cars because they have no idea how uncomfortable is to get in and out of them and how much your back hurts when you have to put child seats in. Just horrible design and the whole world disagrees with you as SUVs and crossovers are the most sold cars by a lot
@@theanswer1993 your obviously unfit or overweight, which is what most people are with bad backs. Lazy. And not the whole world. Yes a lot of people buy suvs but a lot of people have no idea about cars and simply use them for transportation.