Renault Scenic long-term test

The car Renault Scenic Long Range Iconic Run by Allan Muir, managing editor

Why we’re running it To find out whether the Scenic is a better family-sized electric SUV than the likes of the Tesla Model Y

Needs to Deliver all the comfort and practicality expected of a family SUV, while being as easy to live with as an electric vehicle with such a long official range should be

Mileage 4915 List price £45,495 Target Price £42,028 Price as tested £46,795 Test range 265 miles Official range 369 miles 

24 March 2025 – Right hand up and down

The right-hand side of the steering column is a busy place in my Renault Scenic. As well as the expected stalk for operating the windscreen wipers, there’s Renault’s traditional pod of remote controls for the sound system, plus a long, spidery wand for gear selection.

Now, I can see the ergonomic benefits of having the gear selector beside the steering wheel rather than between the seats or on the dashboard, because it frees up potential storage space in those locations. However, I find it rather awkward to operate, mainly because of how high I have to lift my right hand in order to reach it. Okay, I’d also have to take my hand off the wheel if the gear selector were located between the seats, but that would still feel more natural than Renault’s solution.

What’s more, on more than a few occasions I’ve pushed the stalk up or down – usually when manoeuvring backwards and forwards to get into a parking spot – only to find that the direction of drive hasn’t changed. This has resulted in some hairy moments when the car has lurched in the opposite direction to the expected one when I’ve pressed the accelerator pedal. Yes, I should be looking at the gear indicator in front of me on the instrument panel before I try to move in either direction, but I’m used to doing it by feel, and it’s not always easy to tell in the Scenic.

Ergonomically, the rest of the Scenic’s dashboard layout is mostly much better, with a sensible mixture of physical and touch-sensitive controls. The switches for the climate control may be located quite low down, but because they jut out from the base of the infotainment screen at a convenient angle, they’re still easy to see and use. 

While I’m fine with the controls for the likes of the heated front seats and heated steering wheel being spread across the bottom of the touchscreen, they don’t always respond immediately, because I can’t help but press them at an angle rather than straight on. It’s not uncommon for me to have to prod the icons three or four times before they activate.

Despite these niggles, I prefer the portrait orientation of the touchscreen to the wide, high-set landscape screens I’ve used in other cars; everything seems closer and easier to reach. The speed of its responses continues to impress me, and having Google Maps baked in negates any need for me to use phone mirroring. Indeed, I'd say that this is one of the best touchscreen infotainment systems I’ve used.

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