The lowest powered petrol and diesel are not quite up to the job. The 115bhp 1.6 petrol is stronger, while the 136bhp 2.0 pulls well. Acceleration is good in the 2.0 turbo petrol, but there’s also a punchy 130bhp 1.9 turbodiesel (our pick) and a 148bhp 2.0 turbodiesel to choose from. An automatic gearbox is optional on the 1.6 and 2.0 petrols, and the 1.9 and 2.0 turbodiesels.

The Scénic has a supple ride, although there’s a fair degree of lean in corners. However, the Renault grips well and remains composed through a set of bends. Its steering isn’t as responsive or as the Ford Focus C-Max’s.

Road noise is isolated from the cabin and engine noise is also well muted, with the 2.0 diesel particularly hushed at motorway speed. Wind noise increases as speeds rise, however.

Compared with rivals such as the VW Touran, the Scénic is competitively priced, and dealers offer healthy discounts. Running costs are affordable thanks to relatively low insurance groupings and good fuel economy. <\n>The Scénic doesn’t hold its value as well as many rivals, however.

Renault has made plenty of effort inside, with stylish looks and soft-touch materials. Build quality is solid for the most, but the fit of some panels isn’t as tight as it could be. The Scénic finished 74th out of 113 cars in the 2007 JD Power customer satisfaction survey, with owners reporting problems with the mechanicals and interior controls.

The Scénic earned a maximum five-star rating in Euro NCAP’s crash tests. All have twin front, side and full-length window airbags and anti-lock brakes. Stability control is optional. Every Scénic has central locking which locks the doors when on the move. An alarm is standard on the top two trim levels.

All Scénics come with two-way steering wheel adjustment and a driver’s seat that moves up and down. Some drivers may find the seat high, though, even at its lowest position. Controls are simple and easy to reach, but the centrally located digital readout can be tricky to read at a glance. Forward visibility is fine, but the bulky pillars and small rear screen can frustrate when reversing.

In standard form, the Scénic seats five, with three separate rear chairs. These are rather low to the floor and need to be removed for more space, unlike many rivals' fold-down seats. There's decent legroom, but headroom could be better. The boot is large, however.

Entry-level Authentique trim includes electric front windows and a card starting system. Expression models add air-con, electric rear windows and auto lights and wipers. Dynamique models gain alloy wheels, while Privilège cars have hands-free entry, a CD multichanger and part-leather trim. The Conquest version has 4x4-alike body cladding and a raised ride height, but no four-wheel drive system.