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On paper the Renault Scenic II 1.9 dCi offers a terrific and versatile Mini-MPV that will easily cater for fleet and family use. Scenic II continues the tradition started by Renault of the tall but short urban vehicle that offers van-like space but with a comfortable interior and car-like handling. It’s a clever vehicle that offers multiple functionalities needed by a small fleet. Three individual rear seats can fold, flip forward or even be removed, increasing luggage space from 430 litres to an enormous 1840 litres. This is far more than some mid-size station wagons can achieve, and points out the virtues of short but tall. Access to the rear seats through wide opening doors is excellent and there are no problems fitting three children in the rear. Three adults could survive for a while, although elbow room would certainly be tight. Two adults are a better fit and you could remove the centre seat to create more space for comfort on longer journeys. Up front there is reach and rake adjust for the steering wheel, a driver's seat with manual height and lumbar adjustment, a large left footrest, well located pedals and a gearshift mounted high in the dashboard that falls easily to hand. Although the beige trim adds to the light and airy feel inside the Scenic, the driver’s door trim was looking decidedly grubby on our vehicle which had 6000km on the odometer. Scenic II also ticks the fleet safety and amenity boxes with six airbags, ABS with ESP, Climate air-conditioning, and utilises a diesel engine with an automatic gearbox which is the preference of most The 1870cc diesel motor produces 96 kilowatts and has a maximum torque or pulling power of 250 Nm at a lowly 1600 rpm, making it ideal for trundling around city streets or cruising on the highway. It is a common rail turbo diesel meeting Euro four emission regulations and having an overall fuel consumption of 7.1 litres per 100 kilometres and CO2 emissions of 188 grams per kilometre. We managed 7.7 litres per 100 kilometres over a 500 kilometre test, so consumption was well within the acceptable norm. The proactive four-speed automatic transmission in the diesel Renault Scenic II works well with the punchy engine, and is a lot better than previous efforts from Renault. It puts the power down quite nicely indeed, but in this day and age a five or a six-speed automatic would be better. The Scenic enjoys a very comfortable ride and brilliant handling for a tall front-wheel driven vehicle, it feels more like a sports car than an MPV. Sadly however the engine noise from the 1.9 dCi is loud and coarse when accelerating, Suzuki also use the same motor in the Grand Vitara but silenced it with a dual mass flywheel. There’s a bit of harmonic rustle around the windscreen at speed but these are minor annoyances in an otherwise very practical and capable vehicle. |
Overall the Scenic dCi makes a very attractive family and fleet vehicle. Sacre bleu! Specifications: Body type Five-door MPV Drive Front-wheel-drive Engine Type Inline four-cylinder diesel Engine Capacity 1870cc Max power 96kW @ 4250 rpm Max torque 250Nm @ 1600 rpm Fuel Consumption 7.1L/100 km C02 emission 188g/km 0 to 100kph 9.9 sec Front suspension McPherson Strut Rear suspension Torsion Beam Roof Rack Optional ABS Brakes Yes Air Bags 6 ESP Yes Air Conditioning Climate Lap/diagonal belts 5 Satellite Navigation No Electric seats No Burglar Alarm Yes Panic Button No Boot release Yes Cargo Cover Yes Boot Capacity 430/1840 litres Wheel type 16-inch Alloy Spare Tyre Full size Price $44,990
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