Taking the Scenic route

By ALASTAIR SLOANE motoring editor

In early 1998, Renault launched its Megane Scenic people-mover in New Zealand. Response was lukewarm. Renaults were thin on the ground anyway and new-car buyers couldn't categorise it.

It was different, the first of a breed: a mid-sized carryall chock-a-block with storage cubbyholes. What's it all about? asked buyers.

They asked the same question through 1999. The Scenic still didn't fit in the scheme of things. Sales were slow.

In late 1999, the facelifted Scenic arrived. It looked better, more sophisticated, functional. New Zealanders were learning about its flexible interior. It could, at a pinch, carry the kitchen sink.

Some months later, two years into the Scenic's life here, sales began to pick up. "People began to understand what the Scenic was all about," said Renault general manager Mark Jury.

Since then other carmakers have copied the design and Renault has sold about 650 Scenic models. That's 160 a year, 13 or so a month, or three a week.

Small-fry, sure, but bread and butter to Renault. Now Jury and his staff aim to build on six years of ground work with the five-seat Megane Scenic.

It's the best of the breed so far, says Jury, offering a ride/handling mix more in keeping with a sedan than people carrier, and a roomier, more flexible and functional interior.

The Scenic went on sale the other day, priced at $39,990 for the entry-level model and $43,990 for the better-equipped unit.

Both models are powered by a four-cylinder, 2-litre engine producing 98kW (136bhp) at 5500rpm and 191Nm of torque at 3750rpm. Gearbox is a four-speed automatic with sequential manual mode.

Like all Renaults these days, standard equipment is impressive, and it comes with all sorts of goodies, safety and otherwise.

The flexibility of the interior is impressive. The front passenger seat folds forward to become a table and all three rear seats can tumble forward or lift out.

The middle seat in the rear can also be lifted out and the outer two repositioned to provide more shoulder room. This makes the Scenic a four-seater. Rear legroom is in the big vehicle class. So, too, is the boot.

Renault has pushed safety as a selling point since its 1.8-litre Laguna sedan was awarded the maximum five stars in a European crash test three years ago.

Five of its models have since been awarded five stars. The new Scenic is the most recent, scoring 34.12 points out of 37 in a crash test. The result makes it the safest mid-sized people-mover in the class, says Renault.

The European New Car Assessment Programme found that the level of crash protection provided in the Scenic is "excellent, with no part of the body suffering serious injury."