Renault Scenic 2024 DRIVEN: The electric SUV to buy? | batchreviews (James Batchelor)

The original Renault Scenic was loved by families in the nineties and noughties. It pretty much created the whole mini-MPV craze, but times have changed and people-carriers aren't as popular as they once were.
Renault has decided to reboot the Scenic as an electric SUV to rival the Skoda Enyaq and Peugeot E-3008. However, on account of its spacious interior, Renault prefers the term 'family car' than 'electric SUV'.
It comes in two battery sizes: 60kWW, giving a claimed WLTP range of 260 miles, and a larger - and predicted best-seller - 87kWh battery should be good enough for 379 miles before it needs to be topped up.
If you've seen the Megane E-Tech's interior, the Scenic's won't be too much of a surprise as it's brimming with lovely design details and quality materials. back seat passengers also have loads of space and can make use of a clever centre armrest.
Watch my video review to see if it's the electric SUV - sorry, family car - you should be buying.
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If I look a bit familiar then you might have seen me on Carbuyer and Auto Express KZbin channels in the past.
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#renault #scenic #review
00:01 - Intro
00:24 - Scenic MPV history
01:45 - Boot space
02:24 - Back seats
03:53 - Ingenious armrest
04:49 - Interior & technology
06:41 - Solarbay panoramic roof
07:14 - Jean-Michel Jarre
07:57 - Batteries and motors
08:16 - Performance and handling
13:00 - Efficiency
13:41 - Verdict

[@kevinliley1102]

Nice review. I had two Scènic MPVs: the original 8V 2.0 RXE with a twin sunroof and a later mark 2. My kids grew up in the first car and loved the pop up picnic tables in the back. We also secured DVD screens to the rear of the front headrests to keep them quiet on long drives. This new one is a million miles away from those. I like the external design, the internal space, and the dashboard is so more functional than the original centre-oriented display. There's also no quirky Peugeot i-cockpit with a dinky steering wheel to spoil things. This car should do well. BTW, I have an original vinyl of Jean-Michel Jarre's Oxygène at home so knew what you were talking about.

[@michaelpapaioannou8921]

The Scenic looks much better than the 3008, and the sounds by Jean Michel Jarre if similar to his “Oxygen” must be a real bonus 😉

[@mad4tar77]

Great review, only stumbled across this channel now, I didn't realise James had his own channel. Love James's review style, it's not shouty, dramatic, proper motoring journalist. This sounds like a good car, i like that all the nanny systems can be switched off via only physical button... are you listening BYD, Hyundai etc....

[@vp272]

Great review and car. Video length is spot on for keeping viewers engaged

[@batchreviews]

Thank you very much!

[@BHBeckenbauer]

Great review as always! It seemed like Renault had let their EV lead slip for a while, but they’re killing it with these new models

[@batchreviews]

Completely agree

[@garybibby2698]

I love the deep boot on my Mégane electric. Allows me to stack a trolley toolbox and a kit bag and more.

[@tomcat7525]

205 & DS on the number plate. A lot to live up to! Jean Michel Jarre The Concerts in China 😻 Nice interior and materials. Great review. 👍

[@ytdood]

This is the only review of the Scenic where someone mentioned the miles/kWh values, not just the annoying declared WLTP ones. Well done James!

[@Xavierxavou]

Merci beaucoup ! Formidable critique ! Le chic à l’Anglaise !❤

[@henrietn]

Your reviews are top notch .

[@fidesvani]

I like your videos thx !

[@svenerlandsson5211]

Thank You for an excellent review. You managed to deliver the feeling about the whole package, not just facts and numbers.

[@batchreviews]

Thank you!

[@alantrainor9032]

Great review Top class

[@principsus]

Great review. Greetings from Lithuania :)

[@jamiep61]

Great Review and Car 😊

[@garybibby2698]

I’ve only put the wipers on twice accidentally in 20k miles in Mégane. Just a case of approaching the stalk from the top. I’m very impressed how much they improved.

[@HenryPalfrey1963]

Yet another informative and honest review, you always deliver the good and bad points that buyers need to know, and yes this looks a very good car.

[@Wiltshirewizzard]

Will RHD Cars get the full size driver display or will it be reduced in size?

[@colinrenfrew48]

I watch your reviews, because you are believable!

[@cmeluzzi]

Will it have an AWD version?

[@arekb5951]

I don't know what is it with me and boot preferences, but having had cars both with and without a load lip I've always preferred those WITH a load lip. I just hate it when my groceries land on my feet the moment I open the boot lid, after not being aware that the bag fell over when I was driving. I still vividly remember sour cream falling out of the boot and exploding over my best suit 😅 Safe to say that I prefer cars that can hold their boot contents inside after opening the boot lid, no matter the incline the car's parked on.

[@mikadavies660]

Big fan of Jarre's music.... I still have the Docklands tickets in a frame!

[@kofib3]

Oh yes, I like the way roof operates. And I know what you mean when you mentioned "Oxygen" (OK showing my age). At first glance from the thumbnail, the front almost looks like the latest Peugeot e3008.

[@batchreviews]

Ha! You know who is Jean-Michel Jarre is! Hurrah!

[@mikadavies660]

It is EXACTLY what it says on the tin.... It is a FAMILY CAR. Space for people in the rear, decent looking, good EV range and properly priced vs the new Peugeot 3008 and 5008.

[@mikadavies660]

I am glad the Scenic has been reborn. Everything the Megane should have been. Renault are on fire... the Scenic and the R5... 👍👍👍

[@balasingam4695]

Is scenic Available in India

[@stephandolby]

For the e-3008 to be slower, I take it the dual-motor version isn't available yet?

[@batchreviews]

It’s arriving later this year along with the larger 98kWh battery version

[@TT-wq3uf]

Beautifull car.

[@octaveful]

Renault is back baby

[@AppleUK2000]

Nice but I still prefer the allure of the e3008

[@laurenf4407]

Why does it not have one pedal driving?!

[@toyotaprius79]

One glaring problem though, it's an SUV The Scenic's _raison d'être_ back in the 90s was to offer an accessible alternative to big, heavy, expensive and square-ish SUVs. For fecks sake

[@nickgiles7568]

Biggest mistake here is calling it a Scenic. Existing or previous Scenic owners who are not die hard petrol heads will wonder why this car is not a straight evolution of the previous model. A new title would indicate that this car is part of Renault's electric revolution- or if they want something retro why not call it the new R14 in a similar way that they have done with the new R5.

[@batchreviews]

Interesting! I would imagine Renault is calling this car a scenic because they view it as their mid-sized family car, and in a similar space to the original Scenic. Like Ford has shown with Puma, though, people aren’t too fussed about new models differing from earlier versions

[@robinandelizabethhill9450]

I want an EV and I am discouraged by reviews of cars that are called economical or a good deal for the money where I know I simply cannot afford them.

[@simono4991]

I am familiar with the work of Monsieur Jarre 🙂. Not a bad car either!

[@batchreviews]

Search for ‘Oxygene’. Thanks!

[@simono4991]

@@batchreviews I think Equinoxe 5 would be a far more appropriate way of warning pedestrians

[@colinrenfrew48]

Waiting for Audi to use Kraftwerk

[@hopeless74]

Oxygen is better than popcorn at least :D

[@pradeepmagan6951]

except no aircon controls

[@batchreviews]

Did you watch the video?

[@Richard-io9xe]

Speak for yourself - I don't particularly like one pedal driving, too unnatural. I prefer level 0 in open roads for coasting and level 1 in town to mimic engine braking. All told though, this car looks spot on and I am tempted.

[@bodyno3707]

The interior design, particularly overly simple door trim is dissapointing😢

[@jeansilva5261]

Great car, but it lost a bit of its identity by looking like a SUV. The previous generation looked really great and more stylish!

[@stuartcraigon2003]

That rear armrest is straight out of their vans with a bit of leather on it. How Renault have fallen.

[@sharonec5419]

I disagree that the previous Scenics were boxy cars with no curves. Thats rubbish from the very first Scenic to the last model they had curves everywhere inside and outside. I also agree with another poster that this Scenic should have veen called anything but a Scenic even Laguna would have been a better name for it but it is a very good classy car. Its just not a proper Scenic which is supposed to be very clever with lots of clever storafe solutions abd ideas as well as flexible and independent/ibdividual seats everywhere.

[@batchreviews]

I didn’t say previous Scenics weren’t curvy!

[@sharonec5419]

@@batchreviews No you said Quote "There is little evidence if the Boxy lines of previous Scenics" unquote. Just where werr these previous Scenics Boxy. The first one certainly was not and neither were any of the ones after it. They were a one box design yes unlike this 2 box design but saloons back when the Scenic was conceived like the Peugeot 406 and Ford Mondeo were even boxer with there 3 box designs.

[@batchreviews]

@@sharonec5419exactly! I didn’t say they weren’t curvy!

[@Differentbias]

The worst thing in this car is its bizarre alloys.

[@seljd]

that boot in embarrassing, we had mk2 and an entire washing machine could go in without folding the seats

[@mikadavies660]

Very very important, you must have a simple single button to switch OFF the annoying nonsense that the Europeans have decided we must have (as clearly no-one is capable of driving).

[@zzhughesd]

Oh NO !!! Its now a SUV as an MPV been banished. And it’s an EV. So what’s diff between this and eMegane. Don’t much like EVs but eMegane is good looking. I’m saddened by Russian doll SUVs everywhere.

[@timrothwell33]

To be pedantic - It's Oxygene, not Oxygen

[@batchreviews]

So glad you liked the review, Tim, thank you

[@andrewgay7529]

As soon as any car reviewer mentions full electric I click OFF.

[@batchreviews]

And yet you leave a comment. Thanks for the view - it helps the algorithm

[@TerbrugZondolop]

Utterly pointless car.

[@R3GTLEE]

To you maybe.

[@igoridol]

Utterly pointless comment, from an utterly pointless person.

[@TerbrugZondolop]

@@igoridol having worked in the automotive industry for a long time. Quite a few brands at that, think I have a bit of clue what is pointless.

[@didierpuzenat7280]

​@@TerbrugZondolop The automotive industry has changed, a lot, maybe you are just outdated. And honestly I do not see what is "pointless" in this car. The fact that it is a SUV ? Sadly it is what people ask for, and if you do not want a SUV the Renault Mégane E-Tech is already here. The fact that it is electric ? Ever heard of climate warming and air pollution ? You believe climate warming is a hoax ? If so you are stupid but anyway it should not make the Renault Scenic E-Tech "pointless" even for you since new ICE cars will be banned in 2035. And I doubt you are ready to switch to public transportation. So what ? You have no children, or not anymore ? Just wait for the Renault R5 E-Tech...