Renault Megane E-Tech long-term review main image

Renault Scenic E-Tech long-term review

January 14, 2026 Matt Allan

After six months living with the Renault Scenic, I’m more convinced than ever that it’s one of the best family EVs on the market

Month 6 – bidding adieu

So, after six months, it’s time to say goodbye to my long-term Renault Scenic.

And sadly it’s going out with a whimper rather than a bang. Some particularly harsh frost followed by a sudden jump in temperatures has seen the C-Pillar trim partially pop off, leaving it jutting out like some sort of air brake. Despite multiple attempts to get help from my local Renault dealer, they haven’t seemed interested, so the Scenic has spent its last couple of weeks restricted to low-speed local drives for fear of making the problem worse.

It’s a frustrating end to my time with the car which has, otherwise, performed faultlessly.

In fact, with a selection of cars on the driveway, it’s always been my go-to choice for long drives.

The combination of great range and the brilliant integration of the battery and mapping systems mean it’s the ideal option for stress-free travelling. Charging speeds aren’t a match for some cars but I’ve never felt like I’m waiting for it to charge, especially since the real-world range means public charging sessions have been few and far between. My only gripe is that the colder months have dropped the real-world range from 350 miles to less than 300.

Some quick back-of-the-envelope maths reveals that over six months charging has cost me a grand total of £220.39 across home and public charging. That’s just under 6p per mile, compared with an average of 14p per mile for a petrol car.

Away from my semi-regular long motorway slogs, the Scenic has slotted well into what I’d classify as “real life” – the humdrum short journeys to the shops or to various children’s sporting endeavours that make up a huge amount of most families’ motoring. There are clever family-friendly touches such as the smart central armrest and USB ports galore, and it’s plenty spacious enough for four. Even with five on board it hasn’t felt like a crush. I think the airiness provided by the beautiful pale interior and massive sunroof has helped there.

A few months with it has, however, highlighted the slightly dubious quality of some of the plastics. High-level materials are nice, but the lower mouldings are a little scratchy and some of the dashboard buttons feel less robust than in rivals.

The lower-rent plastics are somewhat offset by the Scenic’s ease of use. Common sense has prevailed in the user interface, so there are physical buttons for the functions that need them rather than an over-reliance on the 12-inch screen. That said, using the screen is easy thanks to a simple menu structure and the smart Google Automotive OS. Special mention also has to go to the My Safety Perso setting that lets you deactivate the nannying ADAS with the simple tap of a button.

Recent price changes and the Electric Car Grant mean that the Iconic trim is now £5,000 cheaper than when my test car was built, starting at £40,495. That seems pretty good value compared with something like a Skoda Enyaq or Ford Explorer, but if you can live without a few of the fancier features, the techno esprit spec is £2,000 cheaper and still has all the key kit.

When the Scenic arrived, I wanted to know if months with it would vindicate my vote for it as 2024 Scottish Car of the Year and over six months it has definitely done that. It’s not particularly flashy or fancy and the Renault badge lacks the cachet of some others. But at every turn it’s proved to be a smart, practical and undemanding option. From its class-leading range to its refinement and well-thought-out technology it’s the kind of car that will slot into most families’ lives without any fuss whether it’s their first EV or they are old hands at electric motoring.

Long-term log

Arrived: June 2025
Price as tested: £46,745
Mileage since arrival: 3,788
Average consumption: 3.2m/kWh
Total six-month charging costs: £220.39
Costs: None
Faults: Loose exterior trim

Month 5 – a familiar face

Walking across the Co-op car park the other day I had an epiphany. I realised that I had completely taken my Renault Scenic for granted.In recent months, I’ve been walking out, jumping in and driving off, and not really looking at the car. But something in the way it sat alone in the fading light made me stop and realise what a damn handsome thing it is. The Renault 4 and 5 have been getting plaudits for their sharp, retro-inspired designs, but the Scenic laid the groundwork with its own crisp, clean finish. This is a proper family SUV that manages to hide its size behind clever design. The sharp folds and angles of the front give it a unique identity and disguise the size well, as does the way the 20-inch wheels fill the arches. I’m particularly keen on the way the hexagonal motif around the badge fades gradually as it spreads out, helping lessen the visual bulk of the car – something rivals like the Ford Explorer can’t manage. Visual appeal aside, it’s fair to say that, in general, I have taken the Scenic a bit for granted in the last couple of months. But that’s because it’s just so good at doing what it needs to do. I know I can get up in the morning, get in and just hit the road without thinking about it. Whether I’m doing the school run with multiple small passengers, popping the 35 miles or so up to Edinburgh or heading on a longer trip into deepest, darkest England, there’s no faff, no stress. It will do the daily local runs for weeks without needing to be charged, and a full battery will get me at least 250 miles on the motorway before I need to think about stopping. The My Renault app has helped with this. It’s not as comprehensive as the Genesis one on my last long-termer, but it does give you all the most important information and controls. I can remotely check the battery charge and range, set a charging schedule and activate the climate control. You can also integrate and manage a Mobilize charging subscription through the app, which allows for easy plug-and-charge operation at compatible ultra-rapid chargers. My only complaint is that you can only activate the heated seat and steering wheel via a scheduled departure. I spend quite a lot of time flying back to Edinburgh in the cold evenings and it’d be nice to be able to fire them up on the fly on my way back to the car park. Especially now that the temperature is dropping. My charging snafus of last month seem to have vanished and we’re back to smooth, faultless top-ups. While the Scenic’s 150kW isn’t slow, I have found myself wishing it was a little quicker. After a few long days in my VW ID Buzz, I really appreciated the difference its 200kW capability makes at public chargers. Still, I do most of my charging at home, so a slightly slower public top-up isn’t the end of the world.

Long-term log

Arrived: June 2025
Price as tested: £46,745
Mileage since arrival: 3,636
Average consumption: 3.2m/kWh
Monthly charging costs: £10.54
Costs: None
Faults: None

Month 4 – The honeymoon’s over

It was bound to happen eventually. After months of trouble-free easy motoring with the Renault Scenic, I’ve begun to pick up on a few issues.

The first is a strange intermittent squeak from somewhere over my right shoulder. It’s only occasional and not particularly intrusive but now that I’ve noticed it, I’m constantly on alert.

The second, connected, worry is the quality of some of the plastics around the cabin. All the main touchpoints are pretty decent and, that squeak apart, everything still feels well screwed together. But here and there, on the lower section of the armrest console, for instance, there’s a scratchiness that hints at where Renault has saved a few quid. It’s forgivable given the Scenic’s strong value proposition, but just a bit more obvious than in rivals from Korea or the VW Group.

High-levels materials are great, but there’s some cheaper plastic lower down (Image: Malcolm Griffiths)

It’s a similar story with the ride. The Scenic is by no means bad but nor is it quite as composed as rivals. There’s a slight firmness that probably isn’t helping that squeak and it can’t quite match the comfort of alternatives from Skoda or Kia, for instance.

It’s still a lot better than some cars I’ve driven over the last couple of weeks (*cough, Suzuki e Vitara*). As is the user interface. I’ve praised the simplicity of the Android Automotive system before but recent experience with various in-house setups, and some other Android-based ones, has reinforced how good it is.

The menu buttons are big and clear, and most important functions are quickly and easily accessible, not buried eight menus deep. Key information is close at hand, whether on the main screen or via the crisp digital instruments. And the simple action of being able to adjust the temperature with a rocker switch in the Renault always pleases me after time with another hateful screen-based arrangement.

Another month, another long slog southwards

After a couple of weeks of family duties, I’ve been on my travels again and the colder weather and long high-speed runs are taking their toll on the Scenic’s efficiency. Again this month, I’ve struggled to break the 3.3m/kWh average, although some less-intensive runs have still seen it knocking on for 4m/kWh. I suspect my 600-mile motorway schleps aren’t what your average Scenic will be doing on a regular basis, so most people can expect better efficiency than me. Even then, the trip computer still estimates just shy of 300 miles per charge.

On one of those long motorway slogs, I had my first real charging headache when the car simply refused to connect or charge at multiple devices. Whether it was the car’s fault or the chargers’ isn’t entirely clear but it did coincide with an over-the-air update and me tinkering with scheduling in the app, so I suspect a problem at the car end.

The good news is that after a couple of days’ frustration everything is working fine again now and another long journey to the Midlands presented no challenges apart from resisting the lure of the Golden Arches at Ionity’s Lancaster hub.

Hopefully the next few weeks won’t involve any more trips on the bleak M6, giving me and the Scenic’s efficiency a chance to recover.

Long-term log

Arrived: June 2025
Price as tested: £46,745
Mileage since arrival: 3,124
Average consumption: 3.3m/kWh
Monthly charging costs: £128.91
Costs: None
Faults: None

Month 3 – Family matters

The Renault Scenic is the very definition of a family car. But the nature of this job means I spend a lot of time driving it around by myself or with just one passenger. So this month I made a concerted effort to A) spend some time with my family and B) spend some of that time using our long-term Scenic as God – or Luca de Meo – intended.

That meant cramming our long-limbed brood of five into this mid-sized SUV to see how it coped. As a family we generally struggle fitting into what car makers call “family” vehicles. Most mainstream models are set up to be comfortable for four, and then there’s the legroom issue caused by a 6’ 5” driver and three long-legged children.

The Scenic is no different in terms of handling five passengers. With four onboard there are no complaints, but the middle rear seat is narrower and raised slightly and leaves the poor soul stuck there feeling a bit squeezed. That said, every car in this class has a similar problem, and the Scenic isn’t the worst. It also claws back brownie points with its relatively generous legroom that means there’s still space for somebody with legs to fit behind me when I’m driving.

The width issue is really only a problem if you regularly need to carry five on board, otherwise the Scenic is surprisingly roomy for its relatively small footprint. You discover how Renault’s done that when you get to the boot. It’s a very competitive 545 litres but there’s a deep lip that makes loading heavy items harder than in rivals with a longer body and flat load floor. Positively, the rear seats fold to create a totally flat area offering up to 1,670 litres of space, and there’s a deep well beneath the floor for cables and other odds and ends.

Back in the cabin, you can tell the Scenic has been designed by people with families who understand how they use a car. There are lots of charging ports front and rear (even if the front ones are hidden under the armrest, and 38 litres of storage space dotted around the place. There’s also the brilliant “Ingenious” rear armrest.

This neatly packages storage space, charging ports, cupholders and phone mounts within a simple swivelling mechanism that takes up no more space than any other car’s regular cupholders. It will hold two phones angled towards each passenger or can accommodate a larger tablet in the middle, leaving hands free to pick noses and crush biscuit crumbs into the cream-coloured upholstery (one element perhaps designed by someone without kids).

Then there’s the Solarbay sunroof that uses liquid crystal technology to go from clear to opaque at the touch of a button. Not only does this mean there’s no big blind to steal headroom but it also features multiple elements so you can dim or lighten the front and rear sections independently.

The family focus goes further than the physical conveniences. If you find yourself stopped to charge there’s a bespoke version of the SongPop tune-guessing game that can be played via the main screen. What’s clever is that you can connect up to four mobile devices to act like quiz show buzzers so you can properly compete with your nearest and dearest. Or in my case, be embarrassed by your complete ignorance of anything newer than Metallica’s “Black Album”.

It all feels like a package pulled together by people who understand families and have properly considered their needs. So, a suitable family car? As long as there’s not too many of you, absolutely.

Long-term log

Arrived: June 2025
Price as tested: £46,745
Mileage since arrival: 1701
Average consumption: 3.4m/kWh
Monthly charging costs: £4.91
Costs: None
Faults: None

Month 2 – Taking the Scenic route

After a few weeks spent pootling about locally and doing the dreaded Edinburgh Airport run (I swear I should have my own parking space by now), I finally got the chance to test the Renault Scenic’s long-range abilities recently.

After all, this is a car that claims class-leading range of 379 miles from its 87kWh battery (369 with my car’s 20-inch wheels), so an 11-hour, 605-mile round trip to deepest Wales should be no sweat.

Based on the trip computer’s predicted real-world range of 348 miles I could have made it to my destination near Aberystwyth with electricity to spare. However, plugging my route into the onboard Google Maps, the car disagreed and warned I’d get there (or wouldn’t) with -2% battery.

All the charging info you need baked into native Google Maps

What’s clever about the Google-based system is that as well as taking into account the different roads and speeds along the route and their impact on your efficiency, it also lets you choose your desired state of charge on arrival, and tells you where to stop and how long to charge to attain that. It will also activate battery pre-conditioning, should the car need it.

It also does it with all the live traffic and accurate directions any Google Maps user will be familiar with. It’s a brilliantly integrated and intuitive system that puts other baked-in setups in the shade and is one of the Scenic’s stand-out features.

Using all that cleverness, I calculated three stops in total to get me to Wales and back, the longest of which was still less than half an hour. The Scenic’s 150kW maximum charging rate is a little behind top-spec Fords and Skodas which offer 185kW, but still quick enough to mean charging stops aren’t an inconvenience. By the time I’d had a pee, bought a cuppa and checked my emails, it was ready to go again. All-in I saw energy consumption of 3.5m/kWh, not too bad considering about three-quarters of my trip was on the M6.

Long distances have proved no problem for our long-term Scenic (Image: Malcolm Griffiths)

The long drive proved the Scenic’s big-range credentials but also focused my attention on the very low seating position and short (for me) seat squabs that meant a lack of leg support. It’s not uncomfortable but long-legged drivers will notice it. The drive also let me test the massage function that’s exclusive to this top-spec Iconic trim. That proved disappointingly weedy – think small cat rather than muscular Swede. Still, my crumbling back was pain-free after two long days at the wheel, so Renault’s got the basics right.

Off the motorway, the Scenic’s performance confirmed my initial suspicions. The famous sinuous roads of Wales revealed a car set up for comfortable cruising rather than B-road blasts. Words like secure, stable and predictable spring to mind rather than pace-quickening or lively.

That’s exactly what I want from a family car, though. The steering is light enough for urban manoeuvres but not so light that it feels vague at high speeds and body control is composed but not too rigid. The ride isn’t quite a match for the best in class but it still coped well enough with broken chunks of Welsh B roads, and on the motorway there’s a pleasing lack of wind or tyre noise.

All-in-all, it’s not a car that cries out to be driven but it’s one that I’m more than happy to find myself at the wheel of. Which is just as well because I’ve got plenty more motoring to do in it before it heads back.

Long-term log

Arrived: June 2025
Price as tested: £46,745
Mileage since arrival: 1200.5
Average consumption: 3.4m/kWh
Monthly charging costs: £68.54
Costs: None
Faults: None

Month 1

It’s fair to say I’ve become a bit of a Renault fanboy over the last couple of years.

For much of the last decade, the French brand churned out uninspiring SUV after uninspiring SUV (I’m looking at you, Koleos and Kadjar) then as it fully embraced electrification it seemed, suddenly, to find its mojo again. Sharp design, clever packaging and technological innovation all reappeared and made Renault a brand worth paying attention to.

There’s lots of examples – in the shape of the Renault 4 and Renault 5, plus the Alpine A290 and next year’s Twingo. But before them came the Megane and the Scenic.

I was among the judges who voted the Scenic E-Tech Scottish Car of the Year in 2024, so it seemed fitting to spend more time with the car to see if it still lived up to our acclaim after a few months.

First, the basics. The Renault Scenic is a 4.47m long, 1.86m wide family SUV. It’s in a crowded market, competing with the likes of the Ford Explorer, Skoda Enyaq, Hyundai Ioniq 5, and Peugeot E-3008. Starting at around £37,000, entry-level cars undercut rivals by a couple of thousand pounds and even at the top end, my Iconic Long Range-spec car maintains a similar gap to its Ford, Skoda or Hyundai equivalents.

What’s impressive is that after a recent line-up restructure, the small battery option has been dropped and even the basic cars get the bigger 87kWh battery which, in “my” fully loaded car offers an official range of 369 miles.

How close we get to that remains to be seen over the next few months but early indications are good. After a few weeks of familiarisation, the Scenic’s trip computer reckons a full charge will return more than 340 miles based on my driving history.

More than 340 miles on a charge is plenty

That’s helped by performance that’s decent rather than dazzling. With 215bhp, the Scenic is a little down on power compared with the mid-level Explorer or higher-spec Enyaq. It’s still perfectly sufficient for day-to-day driving – 0-62mph in less than 8 seconds is quick enough – but it doesn’t encourage the kind of driving that chews through energy too quickly.

Visually, the Scenic has a more angular aesthetic than the related Megane hatchback. The textured hexagonal grille that fades into the bodywork as it radiates from the new-look Renault badge is bold and different but not too aggressive. The same is true of the pointed bumper and arrow-shaped multi-LED running lights that give a distinctive character to the car. Although it is an SUV, the Scenic seems to sit lower than some rivals and even with chrome roof rails and 20-inch alloys, it appears remarkably compact.

What’s clever is that it doesn’t feel small inside. I’ve yet to try and fit my entire brood of five in at once, but from a driver’s perspective there’s plenty of space and adjustment. That impression is helped by the pale fabric upholstery, made from recycled materials, and the huge panoramic sunroof with its clever liquid crystal tech that goes from clear to opaque and back at the touch of a button.

Pale upholstery looks good and helps with the feeling of space in the Scenic (Image: Malcolm Griffiths)

As with any modern car, especially range-topping models, the Scenic is packed with technology like that. It’ll take me more time to get to grips with all of it but two elements I’m already loving are the easy-to-use Google Automotive-powered infotainment system and the ADAS controls. More precisely, the lone button just to the right of the steering wheel which with two deft taps deactivates all the unnecessary binging and bonging and interventions you didn’t ask for or need. Chapeau to Renault, as I believe the youth say.

Also fitted to my top-spec car are elements such as heated massage seats and steering wheel (which hopefully I won’t need); a hybrid rear-view mirror with camera; 12-speaker Harman Kadron stereo, powered tailgate and hands-free parking.

Some proper family outings and long work-related trips are in the diary, which should give me time to put all that tech to the test as well as assess how well the Scenic stacks up as both a family car and long-range workhorse.