Used Renault Grand Scenic 2009-2016 review

The Renault Grand Scenic is a seven-seat, used MPV. It isn't super stylish, sure, but it is super practical, going toe-to-toe with the likes of the 2003-2015 Volkswagen Touran, the 2005-2015 Vauxhall Zafira and the 2011-2019 Ford Grand C-Max.

There are a number of engine options available, but most buyers went for a diesel because of their extra torque and reduced running costs. The 106bhp 1.5-litre diesel isn’t particularly brisk, but it is very refined, even when worked hard. You could also go for a turbocharged 1.2-litre TCe petrol with either 114bhp or 128bhp that’s also notably quiet. Apart from the 128bhp 1.6-litre diesel that was added later to the range, most of the larger engines are rather expensive to run and aren’t as good as their smaller siblings.

The handling isn’t much to write about, being safe and easy rather than entertaining. It’s a shame that the suspension isn’t a bit more supple, because it can be caught out by larger bumps that can cause the car to judder. The steering is light which is great for parking, but ultimately offers little feedback on the open road, but then it is an MPV.

What’s more important to potential family buyers is the interior and its flexibility. With seven seats, it can deal with the school run well, but the third row is best suited to children. The boot isn’t particularly large with the rearmost seats in place, but they do fold flat into the floor when not in use. The boot opening is quite wide and the floor is nice and low for ease of loading. Trouble is, the second row doesn’t fold flat and you have to remove that row completely to achieve the maximum load capacity; it is an awkward task and, due to the weight of the seats, is akin to a work out in the gym. Space in the front is fine for most, with plenty of adjustment in the driver's seat and steering wheel.

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The leggiest and earliest Grand Scenics can be found for as low as £1500 now on the used market, but you would be better off spending £4500-£5000 for a mid-range Dynamique TomTom version with 65,000 miles or less. Increase your budget to £7500 and you’ll find plenty of facelifted examples from 2012 onwards with reasonable mileage.

If you want something newer, a late 2016 example should be available for around £12,000.

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The smaller engines fitted to the Grand Scenic are the ones to go for. If you want petrol power, you’ll need the 128bhp 1.2-litre TCe because it has the same fuel economy and emissions figures as the 114bhp version of the same engine (45.6mpg and costing £140 in road tax), but it has that extra power you’ll need in this weighty MPV. If you require a diesel (and most Grand Scenics seem to have been bought with a diesel engine), you should look out for the 106bhp 1.5 dCi, which has a combined figure of 52.3mpg and costs £140 to tax, or the larger and more powerful 128bhp 1.6 dCi that gets 64.2mpg and only costs £30 to tax.

There's a naturally aspirated 1.6 VVT and a turbocharged 1.4 petrol that post similar economy figures in the high-30s and cost £230 to tax, while a larger 2.0 VVT petrol only manages mid-30s in fuel economy and costs £290 to tax. The 1.9 dCi and 2.0 dCi also have similar fuel economy figures in the high 40s and cost £195 to tax.

Renault main dealer servicing prices are average for the class, but you can take advantage of their fixed-price servicing scheme once the vehicle is more than three years old. Renault even publishes how much certain maintenance procedures (such as replacing the brake pads) should be, helping you with budgeting.

If you’re going to be using your Grand Scenic to transport your family, it would be wise to have a diesel engine for the additional torque. With that in mind, the 1.6 dCi has the lowest running costs of all the diesel engines available and is the one you should go for.

Renault slimmed down the model range during the life of the Grand Scenic to just two versions: Expression and Dynamique TomTom. Of the two, we’d suggest going for Dynamique TomTom, because you get auto lights and wipers, 16in alloy wheels, cruise control, Bluetooth and a leather-wrapped steering wheel. You also get, of course, a TomTom sat-nav system.

Our favourite Renault Grand Scenic 1.6 dCi Dynamique TomTom

The Volkswagen Touran is nicer to drive than the Grand Scenic and its seats are a little more flexible in that they all fold flat on the floor. You will also find that it’s well equipped and has a sombre but well-finished interior, along with a range of economical petrol and diesel engines.

The Ford Grand C-Max has sliding rear doors that are a real boon in tight car parks. It also manages to be quite nice to drive, since it is based on a Focus. It’s deceptively spacious inside and the 1.0-litre Ecoboost engine is one to look out for, because it's a particularly willing engine, despite having only three cylinders.

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