Renault has updated its slogan for cars to live in… while offering less clever and modular cars.
A few days ago, a small Hyundai caught my eye. The Inster is an electric city car that could be a surprise success in 2025, if prices remain affordable. This would be an added argument to its likable appearance, equipment worthy of higher categories, and generous range (300 or 355 km depending on the version) considering its size (3.82 meters).
But what stood out to me from its initial presentation was its clever side. The Inster has a sliding rear bench, which allows for a choice between legroom for rear passengers or trunk space. This bench folds flat, and it is possible to fold the passenger seat to transport long objects.
Such features that I did not see with the new R5, where a competitive Korean model is introduced. Although I have not been able to get inside the Inster yet, and must therefore be cautious about its welcoming nature, I was able to get close to the R5. I am not very tall, yet I felt cramped in the back. I wasn’t expecting miracles in a 3.92-meter long vehicle. But it was unfortunate that Renault did not design the front seats better to allow for easier foot entry and gain a few centimeters…
As for the trunk, while the volume is good, the high threshold and the large step formed by the folded seat back are factors to consider. Also, the passenger seat cannot be folded down. This was possible in the last Twingo! While the R5 excels in appearance, technology, and technical base, when it comes to practicality, it falls short. Perhaps this is to leave this feature to its upcoming SUV derivative, which will be a revival of the 4L? This is not certain when we look at the new Scénic.
As the ad says, Renault has changed everything, except the name. The model is now a compact 100% electric SUV. And in its transformation, the model has left behind all the practical aspects that made it… the Scénic.
Yet, at the mention of this name, customers undoubtedly expect an ingenious vehicle. They now have to deal with a car equipped with a simple bench, accommodating for two but not really for three, and unable to completely fold into the floor when flat. The presence of a large battery to achieve a good range requires sacrifices? Electric competitors manage to overcome this…
Renault still presents the Scénic as a family car. A family car, but not too much, as during the presentation of the vehicle, a peculiar description was heard suggesting that the Scénic is more suitable for parents with two teenagers rather than parents with three young children.
What a shame for a Scénic then, and more broadly for Renault. Because Renault is meant to be a car to live in! An outdated image? Not at all. In the current trend of recycling by the diamond in its revival, old models like the R5 and old slogans, including that of the car to live in, are being revived. The restyled Captur was presented as “the car to live in the B-segment,” the Symbioz as “the new era of the family car to live in.”
These latest models do better than the Scénic, but still offer only the bare minimum: sliding bench, nearly flat cargo area. But the three individual seats are a thing of the past. Even the appreciated small features are rare. So forget about the seatback tables, sunshade curtains in the doors, hidden storage from floor to ceiling…
The era of the car to live in went hand in hand with the era of the minivan. Renault has certainly been a leading specialist in the minivan segment. The family car enjoyed its golden age at the diamond with the early Espace models and Scénics. The genre went out of fashion, but made a last stand in the French automaker’s lineup with more stylish last generations.
It was good to enhance the silhouette, but not so good to think that this could lead to cost savings in the interior design. The previous Scénic had already dared to abandon the three individual seats in favor of a bench. What was the point if its modularity was not more appealing than that of an SUV? Naturally, the sales curve could only plunge even faster.
With the minivan being outdated, the terms Scénic and Espace now refer to SUVs. A logical, understandable evolution: the names are popular, so they are kept. But why not combine the trendy off-road style with the true welcoming nature of their ancestors? In an increasingly competitive market, Renault’s expertise in this area could help it stand out.