Used Renault Grand Scenic for sale: everything you need to know

It’s fair to say MPVs aren’t the most stylish vehicles on the road, but the Renault Grand Scenic was more stylish than most. Produced between 2016 and 2022, it looked surprisingly sleek and upmarket for a people-mover, helped by the standard fitment of enormous (for its class) 20-inch alloy wheels, and in many trim lines, a striking two-tone colour scheme.

The next Scenic is becoming another compact SUV, but it’ll have to work hard to have the utility of the Grand Scenic we’re covering here, which got three rows of seats as standard - one of the reasons you might buy one over the conventional, five-seat Scenic. Frugal engines and a comfortable, practical cabin add to the Grand Scenic’s plus points.

These days it’s easier to find SUVs that offer seven seats than conventional MPVs, so as well as people-carriers like the SEAT Alhambra and Citroen Grand C4 SpaceTourer, your shopping list might also include models like the Peugeot 5008 and Skoda Kodiaq.

Should you buy a Renault Grand Scenic?

Renault has always been a bit of a trailblazer, particularly when it comes to practical cars. It offered a range full of hatchback models in the Renault 4, 6, and 16 while most competitors still produced saloon cars, it produced Europe’s first mass-market MPV with 1984’s Espace, and in the 1990s, spun the Renault Megane Scenic off its family hatchback line. Over four generations, the Scenic became the car you see here - and in Grand Scenic form, Renault offered it with seven seats.

While you’d struggle to get seven adults in a Grand Scenic, even sliding the middle row forward for extra legroom in the back, it still serves the purpose a lot of these cars do in offering all-important extra seat space in a pinch. Since the rear seats fold flat, families who often find themselves short on luggage space could simply do that and benefit from extra boot space too, since the Grand Scenic is physically longer than the regular five-seat Scenic.

Up front the driving position is good, with an expansive view out and a well laid-out dashboard. Higher spec cars feature a useful, and very large storage unit between the seats which can slide towards the back, and smartphone integration is standard on all models, via the central touchscreen.

The Grand Scenic even drives well, with the caveat that those stylish 20-inch alloy wheels make the right a bit firmer than you might expect - and bear in mind that tyres for 20-inch wheels won’t be cheap, either. The engines are smooth and frugal, though, whether petrol or diesel.

Traditional MPVs like the Grand Scenic are a shrinking part of the market, replaced by crossovers and SUVs, and some seven-seat alternatives include SUVs like the Skoda Kodiaq and Peugeot 5008. But proper MPVs are still plentiful too, with the SEAT Alhambra offering greater passenger room but less style than the Renault, and Citroen’s Grand C4 SpaceTourer arguably matching the Grand Scenic for visual appeal.

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What’s the best used Renault Grand Scenic model to buy?

Of the two engines offered before the Grand Scenic went off sale, the 1.3 TCe 140 petrol and 1.5 dCi 120 diesel, we’d lean towards the diesel. While it has less power on paper, it also develops extra torque and deploys it in a slightly more relaxed manner, and has the usual diesel benefit of better fuel efficiency. The petrol engine is refined and performs well, but we’d opt for one of the diesels.

In terms of trim levels, the mid-range Iconic struck a good balance for equipment and cost when new, and will likely be cheaper than the Signature used too. The Signature does have a few useful toys on its list of equipment, but it’s not worth paying over the odds for. Among older models, Dynamique Nav and Dynamique S Nav fill the same mid-range niche, so these would be our pick here too.

Used Renault Grand Scenic fuel economy and performance

• Renault Grand Scenic 1.3 TCe 115: Dropped from 2019 onwards, the TCe 115 was a 1.3-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol making 115PS. Renault claimed 0-62mph in 11.7 seconds with the standard six-speed manual gearbox, and combined economy of 50.4mpg on the old NEDC cycle.
• Renault Grand Scenic 1.3 TCe 140: The sole petrol available from 2019 on, this more powerful 1.3-litre petrol made 140PS. It was offered in both six-speed manual and seven-speed dual-clutch auto (EDC) forms, with 0-62mph in 10.3 and 10.4 seconds respectively. Combined economy was 40.9mpg for both, on the WLTP cycle.
• Renault Grand Scenic 1.5 dCi 110: Not sold after 2019, the entry-level 1.5-litre diesel made 110PS and had a six-speed manual gearbox or seven-speed EDC. 0-62mph took 12.4 seconds with either gearbox, and it’d do a claimed 70.6mpg combined (NEDC).
• Renault Grand Scenic 1.5 dCi 120: The post-2019 diesel developed 120PS, cutting the 0-62mph time down to 12.1 seconds. Combined WLTP economy was 59.4mpg.
• Renault Grand Scenic 1.5 dCi 130: Pre-2019, the dCi 130 was a slightly larger 1.6-litre diesel engine, making 130PS through a six-speed manual gearbox only. The claimed 0-62mph time was 11.4 seconds, and combined economy using the WLTP measurement was 61.4mpg.
• Renault Grand Scenic 1.5 dCi 160: The most powerful Grand Scenic diesel was another 1.6 and made 160PS, offered only with a seven-speed EDC auto. 0-62mph took 10.7 seconds, and it could do 60.1mpg combined (using the old NEDC system).

What used Renault Grand Scenic trim levels are available?

The trim levels listed below refer to the Grand Scenic models sold after a facelift and range shakeup in 2019, so you may see other trim levels on the market if you’re looking at an older car. We’ve summarised these briefly after the more detailed description of the later range.

• The Renault Grand Scenic Play got 20-inch alloy wheels, cruise control with a speed limiter, rear parking sensors, a 7-inch TFT instrument display and a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system (with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto), dual-zone climate control, and automatic lights and wipers.
• The Renault Grand Scenic Iconic featured all the equipment from the Play, plus front parking sensors, a large centre console cubby, an improved infotainment setup (retaining the 7-inch screen) and a 6-speaker 3D audio system.
• The Renault Grand Scenic Signature added several features over the Iconic, including a larger 8.7-inch portrait touchscreen, 11-speaker Bose audio, a head-up display, rear parking camera, a panoramic fixed glass sunroof, and darker window tinting.
• Prior to the Grand Scenic’s 2019 update the trim lineup looked a little different, starting with an entry-level Expression+, rising through Dynamique Nav and Dynamique S Nav, before ending with the same top trim carried across to later models, Signature. Equipment improved with each new trim line but 20-inch alloy wheels, third-row seating, and dual-zone climate control was standard right from the Expression+ models.

Used Renault Grand Scenic dimensions and boot size

The Renault Grand Scenic’s dimensions are:

• Length: 4634mm
• Width: 1866mm (without mirrors), 2128mm (with mirrors)
• Height: 1655mm
• Ground clearance: 117mm (laden)

The Renault Grand Scenic’s boot size is:

• 189 litres with third row in place
• 1737 litres with all seats folded

Used Renault Grand Scenic road tax

If you opt for a post-April 2017 Grand Scenic then you’ll find all models subject to the same flat rate of VED or ‘road tax’, with a £180 yearly bill. Models registered prior to this date are instead taxed on their CO2 emissions, which adds extra incentive to get one of the diesel engines - some models cost as little as £20 per year to tax.

How much is it to insure a Renault Grand Scenic?

Whichever Grand Scenic you’re looking at, insurance shouldn’t be too steep. Some of the earlier, less powerful diesels are in group 10 (out of 50) for insurance, while the lowest of the post-2019 facelifted models start at group 14. Those ratings are slightly lower than the equivalent Citroen Grand C4 SpaceTourer.

Read our full Renault Grand Scenic review