Debut Renault Grand Scenic was held in 2004. The car is produced in the French city of Douai at the factory Georges Besse. It is an enhanced version of the compact Scenic II minivan that can accommodate up to 7 passengers. The length of the Grand Scenic is 4.49 m, which is 23 cm longer than that of the Scenic II. The overall proportionality of the silhouette of the car is preserved due to the simultaneous increase in the wheelbase by 5 cm and the rear overhang by 18 cm.
The van was equipped with a third row of seats, which, if desired, can be easily folded. In the 7-seater configuration, the Grand Scenic has a luggage compartment volume of 200 liters, with the third row of seats folded down it increases to 550-605 liters, and with the removed second-row seats, the car can hold 1920 liters of luggage. Like the Scenic, the Grand Scenic is distinguished by its modern and expressive style: on the outside there are clear, taut lines, inside it is a discreet design and a typical minivan dashboard facing everyone sitting in the cabin.
The upholstery and cladding materials and the level of decoration create a feeling of high quality, in particular, due to the wide use of pleasant-to-touch finishing at the top of the dashboard. There is a lot of light in the cabin thanks to a large windshield with an area of 1.40 m² and a panoramic roof hatch with an area of 1.61 m² (installed optionally on Privilege 2.0). There are sun blinds on the rear doors and an additional interior mirror for viewing the rear of the cabin. To improve side visibility when driving around the city and maneuvering, they increased the area of the side windows.
The acoustic comfort of the Grand Scenic is at a high level thanks to the work done to reduce aerodynamic and mechanical noise. Multifunctional convertible salon. Two rear seats are made easily removable. They fold into the floor in seconds, freeing up space for a load of 600 liters and a total length of 2.75 meters. Mobile armrest can move from front passengers to rear passengers.
The height of the driver’s seat cushion has decreased from 390 to 355 mm, and the gearshift lever is now 51 mm closer to the driver. All this together increased the comfort of the driver’s workplace. The Grand Scenic miraculously combines the convenience of a driver’s landing, which is close to a passenger car and a wider field of view of minivans, which is wider and meets the safety requirements. Convenience of driving is facilitated by the same as on the Scenic, the driver’s tilted rearward landing and the steering wheel mounted more vertically, located at an angle of 58.6 °.
Convenience of driving a car is also created due to the location of the gear lever on the dashboard and shortened steering column switches. With all this, the driver has a higher landing, which is peculiar to a minivan, is relatively expensive and has better visibility. The vehicle security system includes 6 airbags, three-point seat belts for all seven seats, collapsible body areas, ABS, EBV (electronic brake force distribution), braking support system, as well as the unique development of the Michelin tire company - the PAX mobility system puncturing wheels.
An automatic parking brake, headlight washer, rain sensor, keyless entry and car control system using a Renault card complete the picture. The high level of passive safety at the Grand Scenic is ensured by the body structure with numerous reinforced zones with programmable deformation. Protection of passengers in the third row of seats when struck behind is ensured by the presence of a subframe mounted in the rear of the body and amplifiers in the rear spars.
The range of Grand Scenic engines for the European market consists of three petrol units (1.4 liters, 1.6 liters / 115 hp and 2 liters / 136 hp) and two turbocharged diesel engines of 1.5 liters and 1, 9 liters capacity of 100 and 120 hp, equipped with a common rail fuel injection system. The extended minivan will be equipped with 16-inch wheels and tires in size 205/60 or 205/55. The Russian market offers three versions of the Grand Scenic, which differ in power units and equipment: the Scenic Expression with a manual gearbox and 1.6-liter engine, the Scenic Privilege with a two-liter engine with 136 hp, which can be aggregated with both mechanical and with automatic transmission.
The weakest engines are aggregated with a five-speed manual gearbox, and more powerful ones with a six-speed gearbox. A car with a two-liter naturally aspirated engine can be equipped with an automatic four-speed transmission.
