Car Statistics: Renault - Scenic Series (4 stars)

Styling (3 stars)

Renault has made an effort to make the latest Scenic appear more dynamic than the old model. It's certainly a tidy-looking car, but we'd stop short of saying it was particularly appealing.

Handling (4 stars)

Something of a surprise, this: Renault has managed to dial out most of the Scenic's body roll, so it now corners more adeptly than most MPVs. It's also very safe and neutral, behaving predictably if you enter a corner too quickly, with standard-fit ESP quick to intervene if necessary.

Comfort (3 stars)

The basics are there: plenty of cubbyholes, decent knee and headroom inside, and extra equipment such as Bluetooth on higher end models makes life easier. The ride is a bit suspect on rutted roads, but noise levels are kept impressively low in the cabin.

Quality (3 stars)

This area is a bit of a mixed bag. While some of the materials in the Scenic are of a very high quality, elsewhere there are examples of flimsiness. Renault's reputation for reliability is what causes concern though, even if the company argues it has invested serious sums to improve this.

Performance (3 stars)

The 1.4-litre turbo has some pleasing zest to it, but none of the engines offer massive urge. The most popular engine is expected to be the 1.5-litre diesel, which manages 0-62mph in 12.3 seconds, but the 1.9-litre diesel has a more impressive turn of pace while retaining some frugality.

Roominess (4 stars)

There's lots of room in the cabin of the Scenic and cleverly positioned cubbyholes. It's just a shame that Renault hasn't fitted fold-flat seats.

Costs (4 stars)

Provided there are no mechanical issues, a Scenic is likely to prove very reasonable to run. All engines are frugal and the resulting low CO2 emissions put the Scenic in low road and company car tax bands.

Value (4 stars)

There are generous equipment levels, even on the entry-level Extreme model, which comes with air conditioning, an MP3 connection and electric windows. If you can afford it, upgrade two tiers to Dynamique, where alloy wheels, cruise control, Bluetooth, leather and parking sensors come as standard.

Stereo (4 stars)

A TomTom version of the Scenic with an integrated satellite navigation unit is available: it's not as clever as some systems, but it?s useful nonetheless. Equipment such as MP3 connectivity comes as standard, while a Bluetooth phone connection is an option.