Dynamically sound
* Will cost from 14,995
* Five-door Scenics arrive in July
Dynamically sound
On the road, the new Grand Scenic sits somewhere between the driver-orientated Ford S-Max and the more comfort-biased C4 Grand Picasso.
The car stays resolutely upright through bends and there's plenty of grip, even if the steering does feel artificially weighted and is too keen to self-centre. Ride quality is a little firm, too not uncomfortably so in the 1.4-litre petrol car we drove, but harsher in the heavier diesel model.
The new 1.4-litre engine is a gem, using turbocharging to give it power you'd more usually associate with a 1.8-litre car, yet still averaging close to 40mpg. It's impressively smooth and refined, too.
The other engine we tried is also new and equally impressive a 2.0-litre 160hp diesel: quick and quiet, but costing over 21,000. The extra weight of that engine has required beefier suspension, which makes the ride a little too firm.
Five-door Scenics have a slightly different look to the Grand models and should be more than 1300 cheaper when they go on sale in July.
Our verdict:
A high quality, spacious compact MPV.
