Renault Espace 2024 E-Tech Hybrid - Not a Minivan (ENG) - Test Drive and Review

[@odracirsotam]

I understand why manufacturers are ditching the MPV's and betting on SUV's, but why shaming the Espace name?!

[@odracirsotam]

What's wrong in calling it Austral XL?! Or something similar...

[@MarekDrivesENG]

I agree. Since they are launching a coupe version of this called the Rafale, why not call this something like the Mirage to stick to the aviation theme, and fuck off from one of the best minivans ever made in Europe.

[@martijnpost1976]

Look what Opel did with the name Zafira. They went from MPV to regular minivan.

[@j.v.f.8736]

The 4control sticker at 10:55 is asking for an adicional lever at the right side of the steering wheel.

[@LTUman]

When i really want a good car review, i search for Marek's ones;)

[@kevinn1158]

C'est pas Espace? LOL. It's amazing how cars keep getting bigger, yet somehow the interior space isn't. Except for maybe the ID4 which surprised me with its interior space given its short exterior. That was a taken from the front end. Anyways, always a fun review! thanks for another fun Friday Marek!

[@MarekDrivesENG]

Cheers! Have a great weekend!

[@HyBy]

As a previous owner of a car powered by the 1.5 dci, i appreciated the joke! 😂

[@RambleStorm]

This looks like a step back in many ways...just when I heard the door closing I was like ...what the hell did they do with all the sound proofing, pretty sure they removed the double glazed acoustic side windows (present in the top trim on the previous one I think... since others on the platform have it)...I'm gonna guess this is probably lounder by a good margin compared to the outgoing model(both in top trims).

[@MarekDrivesENG]

This is not Renault's top effort :)

[@alliejr]

As an American I LOVE LOVE LOVE your reviews of goofy “French” cars. Infinitely entertaining. Thanks.

[@MarekDrivesENG]

Thank you. Yes, the French automotive industry is a gift that keeps on giving :) (And I realise Poland doesn't have much of an auto industry to speak of)

[@Zephyrio10]

And what ? That makes you superior ? French cars are getting better, Renault SCENIC Car Of The Year. Bye. ;)

[@rimmerblues1586]

As an SUV the exterior doesn't look too bad but the vehicle overall seems not good. I don't like they called it the Espace - why can't we still have practical mini-vans? SUV/crossovers are ten a penny now and space wasters (on their interiors _and_ on the roads) and having a different choice available would be nice. Thanks for the review Marek.

[@rocketdreamer]

And 53 k for that.... seriously?

[@DaveDVideoMaker]

The Espace hasn’t been sold in the UK since 2012. Glad we don’t get the new Espace in the UK, aka the Austral XP.

[@dasbose4962]

Looks like a new Kadjar. I love it.

[@rocketdreamer]

Je suis d'accord, tu a dit pas d''autre que la verite'. Bravo!

[@Commentator541]

I loved the spoilers on the previous gens, somehow it looked cool, even though I can't imagine it is that significant... maybe it brings some stability on the highway?

[@niprbmw_210]

2:10 Ahh yes I remembered watching that incident...

[@MarekDrivesENG]

Time flies, doesn't it?

[@niprbmw_210]

@@MarekDrivesENG It really does Marek...

[@ilt3ris]

As a 4th gen Grand Espace owner, i will never ever buy an Espace In SUV shape, and keep driving the immortal 2.0DCI - Jatco AJ0 combination until it dies.

[@laupakhin]

Thanks for the review Marek. Renault have dropped the ball with this one. I don't get why they would use the Espace name with this since everybody associates it with the OG MPV. Anybody after a people carrier wouldn't want this car, and SUV buyers would be all 'ewww, minivan'. Seems like a big fail. As a former Honda Prelude owner I love the four wheel steering though!

[@MarekDrivesENG]

The Prelude was such a cool car. My dad had one for a while. The early 80s one, with the cooler (IMO) interior, than the late 80s model.

[@AR-1806]

You’re right it‘s an Austral plus😒

[@JulioGarcia-ns8ip]

"If your children have permanent teeth I'd suggest getting dental insurance" "Give more legroom for the unloved children in the third row" 😂😂😂😂

[@yourtubisfilled7164]

Espacen't edit: Or how the French would say it: 'C'est pas une Espace'

[@99solutionsit10]

Engine sound when hood is open indicates a very unballanced arhitecture. Don't know the km on the dash, but I guess all vibration related problems are already there!😲

[@MarekDrivesENG]

It's a press car. It's several months old at the most.

[@99solutionsit10]

@@MarekDrivesENG no arguing. Yet brake discs are pretty weared off. 😏

[@ozguntotos3508]

11:49 to korozja czy co ? :D

[@MrFlazz99]

Renault getting in on the naming travesty game, after Ford with its Mustang Mach-E (which is in no way a Mustang). This is not an Espace - it's a stretched 'SUV-fied' Megane. What happened to the MPVs we used to know (and sneer at, admittedly)? Cars that were made to carry a load of people in a relatively small on-road footprint. Get a KIA Carnival instead.

[@MarekDrivesENG]

I looked at sales figures for MPVs in Europe, and they peaked at less than 400k units a year across the entire continent around the turn of the century. Meanwhile crossovers started selling like crazy, so carmakers decided to extend life cycles of their MPV lineups, and seeing no prospects they eventually canned them.

[@theanswer1993]

581 liters? I much rather buy a Jogger

[@yordangrigorov6]

😢Same problem with Peugeot, 5008, the equivalent of Espace is powered by 1.2 PureTech hybrid. I used to love French cars, I had Megane, now I have Arkana, but if I need a large family car, I will be forced to buy something like Kodiaq

[@victorgeorgiev4635]

This new Espace does give out a very strong Austral vibe, and not in a good way. It really is unfortunate that there is no middle seat ISOFIX. Makes it a very impractical van. I've spoken to Renault dealers, and it seems this is the new trend for the manufacturer - not really providing viable options for large families. It's painfully obvious that many of the design choices were made with economy in mind. This is damning for a vehicle that can cost over 50 thousand Euro....Sorry to say this, but if I need to buy an Espace, I would rather look at a second hand from the previous generation. Otherwise - Peugeot 5008, here I come! It's a much better though out family van, and while it also has some compromises, they are not ones that make the car impossible for large families.

[@valtraone]

You're not too impressed then, Marek !!!!!! And + 50k. Got to wonder what it'll be worth in 3 years - not a lot, I suspect. Cheers.

[@MarekDrivesENG]

Or they won't sell many, and it will become a classic :) NOOOOOOOT!!!!!!!!

[@odracirsotam]

Yep! More than 50k for an SUV without nothing special/different from more premium SUV's?! Unless they sell it with big discounts, this will pileup in dealerships...

[@nikolayrayanov2895]

Oh boy, how they masacared the Espace name...

[@cubular3000]

Skoda improves the Kodiaq while Renault makes the Espace worse. Speaking as an Asian every French 7-seater we got in this part of the world has been a washout. The Grand Scenic had terrible packaging due to Renault's inexplicable insistence on theatre-style seating; the 5008 was just passable but the Kodiaq was better in every conceivable way. It's almost as if French mental processing power is enough for just 5 seats.

[@janek2512]

At 11:48, the rusty bit under the car, is it from this Espace or from other car?

[@MarekDrivesENG]

It's the same car.

[@nexhex]

How is that even possible? 😮 Isn't it a new car? ​@@MarekDrivesENG

[@MarekDrivesENG]

@@nexhex one of the people commenting in another thread said the muffler is painted black from the factory, and the paint is peeling off, because of the heat.

[@robissonwillard7266]

Nice🇸🇦

[@NotJanine777]

I'm guessing your not recommending it, then...?😆😆😆 And what on earth is going on with the state of the underside of the car - it looks as though its rotted through...!!!

[@MarekDrivesENG]

It does. I looked at the raw footage, but this is my older GoPro on a rainy day, so I can't make out WTF this is.

[@IgnatIgnev]

on newer models the muffler is painted dark, but the paint is peeling off

[@MarekDrivesENG]

@IgnatIgnev that's a relief. Rust is yet to appear :)

[@robissonwillard7266]

Hi Are You Origin From Poland🇵🇱?

[@MarekDrivesENG]

Yes.

[@3rij794]

hi Marek, what 7 seater should I buy ? (max 2-3 years old + automatic?).. there are no MPVs anymore (maybe Touran?)I usually do city drive, bit highway

[@MarekDrivesENG]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/r3iVoKOZr7NkrqM

[@AHarker100]

The rear wheel steering is not enough to save this one.....its a no from me. Looking forward to the CX-80 PHEV. My CX-60 is due for a change.

[@MarekDrivesENG]

How's that CX-60 been long-term?

[@AHarker100]

@MarekDrivesENG I had one issue with a fault on the system, and it had to go to the dealer for a few days. I was on a business trip, so it worked out well. It's been the best car I've owned, gives me a buzz every time I drive it. There are a few things that need improving. Sometimes it jerks in low gears. The suspension is harsh at times.

[@JervilMAN]

Did he say 1.2L ?

[@MarekDrivesENG]

Yup. It's the silly emissions regulations. A car weighing approx. 1350 kg can emit 95g of CO2/km. A heavier car can emit more, but a lighter car can emit less. So making small, relatively efficient city cars is too expensive. Instead carmakers put tiny engines into bigger cars to show they emit less in WLTP testing. However ultimately the customer is left with a turd of a powertrain.

[@manwerama]

What's that French song at the beginning?

[@okoxoko]

Exotique · Terry Poison kzbin.info/www/bejne/opTYk4WlpKyFaKc

[@MarekDrivesENG]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/opTYk4WlpKyFaKcsi=3HLJ43puTRaPoHyZ

[@manwerama]

@@MarekDrivesENG thanks, mate!

[@rileypart1]

Isn’t it pretty much a half Nissan product?

[@autowiewiorka771]

👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@Kristian-uz8mq]

This is not an Espace, this is a "Grand Austral", what a shame 😅

[@Commentator541]

Buying a hybrid from Renault? They can hardly handle a USB port, imagine all this tech... yikes.

[@MarekDrivesENG]

Sick burn! 😂

[@marra5073]

Renault should have just called it Austral Grandtour or something like that. + I don't know why, but both the Austral and this wannabe Espace feel kinda strange to me, compared to other renaults currently aviable.

[@Mastermind12358]

Just rented one for about a week while traveling with the family. Horrible car, I'm amazed just how impractical and stupid these SUV's are. Tiny boot, uncomfortable hard seats. The rear seats had pointy non adjustable headrest. Just awful.

[@ChelseaSkopje6201]

53 k???? Hhhhhhhh missed model ,unworth

[@saggioperduto_7566]

"Not a Minivan" thats why you shouldn't buy it.

[@sphaera3809]

Yeah… No longer an Espace… 😢 A lot of money for a car that feels unfinished.

[@Zephyrio10]

Lol you make fun of Fench Cars and Renault... Renault SCENIC wins Car Of The Year 2024. Vive la France et vive Renault.

[@MarekDrivesENG]

If Scenic is like the Megane E-Tech, but bigger, then I understand why it won. I praised the Megane E-Tech, but Austral is mediocre, and the Espace is crap.

[@Zephyrio10]

I find your criticism of Renault very harsh. You accentuate the faults and minimize the qualities like " Driving aids work well". Regarding the Renault Austral, you have tested the 160 version, without the 4control. You should have at least tested the highest-end version in my opinion, the E-TECH 200 with 4CONTROL. As for the infotainment, again I don't understand. The system is fast, intuitive and efficient. One of the best on the market. Yet, the vehicle is not perfect, it's true, the engine can make a some noise, but Austral is surely one of the best in its category. Dynamic, fantastic interior, driving AIDS.,consumption very correct. Still better than the new 3008. The vast majority of critics say so.

[@jmk9065]

​@@Zephyrio10You won't get an honest answer from him. I think this review is so harsh because it mirrors the original Polish version, and the Polish YT audience is notorious for complaining about French cars, hybrid drivetrains, anything innovative (or not understood well) and generally they praise large engines and diesels, German ones especially, no matter how outdated they are. Generally Polish car reviews tend to be polarized, exaggerate things and struggle to keep balance, but this one really outdoes others. Additionally, Espace takes extra beating from Marek, because it does not meet his expectations associated with the nameplate and that stains the whole review...

[@AR-1806]

It‘s ugly