2012 Renault Scenic / Grand Scenic facelift

Renault Scenic & Grand Scenic get a facelift for 2012

Renault has tweaked the Scenic and Grand Scenic for 2012 with a mild styling facelift, trim changes and two new engines.

The Renault Scenic (and Grand Scenic, too) were really the first in the race to fill a niche for comfortable, versatile transport for ferrying your brood and their stuff.

Not completely French-soft in ride – but far more comfortable than most later rivals – and quite well built, the Scenic – with its Megane roots – offers a better than average combination of handling and grip, even if it is a bit compromised by its height. But although a Scenic or Grand Scenic may not be the coolest of drives, it actually offers something for the driver.

For 2012 Renault have had a play to freshen up the Scenic and its big brother. There’s a new nose and some new tail lights, gloss black detail and chrome highlights and some new alloys and wheel trims (yes, they still exist). There’s also a choice of two new colours – Grenat Red and Majorelle Blue.

Inside changes are small with just a couple of new upholstery colours, new fabrics and the option of a new leather and Alcantara pack. You can also now have the Bose upgrade which adds more toys and quality sound.

Under the bonnet there are a couple of new engines, which come with regenerative braking and stop-start.

The diesel Energy DCi 110 comes with emissions of 105g/km, 69mpg, an extra 15lb/ft of torque, and the diesel Enery DCi 130 emits 114g/km and does 64mpg which, Renault says, makes them the best two diesel engines in class.

Also in the offing – from Spring 2012 – is a petrol Energy engine – the Energy TCe 115 – which will emit 135g/km and offers a 20 per cent fuel saving compared with the current 1.6 16V 110hp lump.

On the toys front we’ll see Renault’s Visio system which includes lane departure warning and automatic main beam. Hill start comes as standard and so do motorway-mode indicators (where a slight touch on the indicator stalk gives three flashes).

Nothing particularly radical for the 2012 Scenic and Grand Scenic, but enough to freshen-up Renault’s family-mover.

Both the 2012 Renault Scenic and Grand Scenic go on sale across Europe in January.