Item: Used Renault Grand Scenic 2009-2016
Rating: 3
Author: What Car? Team

The <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/touran/mpv/used-review/n728">Volkswagen Touran</a> 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 <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/ford/grand-c-max/mpv/used-review/n948">Ford Grand C-Max</a> 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.

<a href="http://www.whatcar.com/classifieds/used-cars/renault/grand-scenic">Find a used Renault Grand Scenic in the What Car? Classifieds here</a>

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What is it like?

Ownership cost

Advice for buyers

Our recommendations

Alternatives

There was a recall for some Grand Scenics with the 1.6 diesel engine. The recall was launched on the 1 August 2016 to deal with the brake vacuum pump that may fail and result in a hard brake pedal. Recalled vehicles should have had the production date of the pump checked and the whole unit replaced if necessary.

<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/renault">Renault</a> hasn’t had the best reputation for reliability in the past; while it has been trying to improve this, it only finished in 20th place in our latest reliability survey. This put it ahead of Volkswagen in 22nd, but it was still behind Vauxhall in 18th place and a long way behind Ford, which finished in ninth place.

If you would like to see the full reliability list, head to the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/2018-what-car-reliability-survey/n17798">What Car? reliability survey</a> pages for more information.

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Hatchbacks, SUVs, fast cars, electric cars: Renault makes them all, in a variety of shapes and sizes, so it has a line-up designed to tempt pretty much everyone.

From the roadside, the standout feature of them all is the design, with its cars now having a distinctive look that has won the firm a legion of fans for its flair and charm.

To drive and to own, the line-up is typically decent rather than outstanding. Best of the cars when they are rated against rivals are the Kadjar SUV, the fast RS models and the electric Zoe.

With new and used pricing also keen – and Target Price discounts through our New Car Buying marketplace usually more generous than most – there is the opportunity to negotiate an appealing price.

RENAULT

GRAND SCENIC

Safe, relatively spacious and with seven seats, the Renault Grand Scenic makes sense for families; shame the driving experience isn’t better

Used Renault Grand Scenic 2009-2016

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.

<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/renault">Renault</a> 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.

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Safe, relatively spacious and with seven seats, the Renault Grand Scenic makes sense for families; shame the driving experience isn’t better

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.

<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/car-valuation/">Check the value of a used Renault Grand Scenic with What Car? Valuations</a>

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.

<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/renault">Renault</a> 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

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<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Plenty of space for all the family and their paraphernalia</li> <li>Comfortable ride for everyone inside</li> <li>Seats with plenty of adjustment and versatility of layout</li> <li>Engine that can cope with a full load of people and luggage</li> <li>Excellent efficiency to avoid big fuel bills</li></ul>

Practicality is king in the MPV market, which has taken a hit as buyers have turned towards trendier SUVs. There are still plenty of decent offerings to suit most budgets, though, with Citroën fielding a particularly strong line-up. The French manufacturer’s Berlingo offers bags of space for not much money and you can easily haggle off thousands of extra pounds in discounts, too.

Citroën also scores with the larger Grand C4 Spacetourer, which offers seven seats, lots of oddment space and appealing running costs for something so large. A similarly priced and even better option is the Volkswagen Touran. Meanwhile, if you prefer a premium badge, there's always the BMW 2 Series Active and Gran Tourers or Mercedes B-Class and V-Class.

But for something sizeable that's still decent to drive, we’d recommend you check out the Ford Galaxy, which can offer three rows of seats and decent luggage space at the same time. It’s not that much pricier than the smaller S-Max.

Since the Grand Scenic is a family car, your attention should be on the interior. Make sure the seats fold and recline as they should. Check for any stains, rips or holes in either the seat fabric or the carpets, and look for any broken bits of plastic trim. You should also check that all the electrics work and that the TomTom sat-nav card is still in the car, otherwise your sat-nav system won’t work and you’ll have to visit your Renault dealer to buy a new one.

The loading lip on the rear bumper is nice and low on the Grand Scenic to ease loading and unloading, but it is still susceptible to scuff marks from buggies and bikes as they are taken in and out of the boot. Check the alloy wheels as well for any kerb damage and examine the bumpers and bodywork for any parking damage.

Family cars used to be a humble hatchback with five seats and a boot big enough for the weekly shop. Then the needs of the family grew, so cars did too. Renault made tall hatches popular with the first-generation Scenic in the 1990s, expanding the idea a decade later to produce the seven-seat Grand Scenic.

Not only did the cars expand in size, the market did also, and it now includes the likes of the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/touran/mpv/used-review/n728">Volkswagen Touran</a>, <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/vauxhall/zafira/mpv/used-review/n704">Vauxhall Zafira</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/ford/grand-c-max/mpv/used-review/n948">Ford Grand C-Max</a>.

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.

<a href="http://www.whatcar.com/classifieds/used-cars/renault/grand-scenic">Find a used Renault Grand Scenic in the What Car? Classifieds here</a>

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Used Renault Grand Scenic 2009-2016 review

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Alternatives

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