A FORMER colleague with whom I used to share driving duties around the country used to say that I was obsessed with the quality of radios in cars.
Maybe it’s my age, but I appreciate simple things on the dash like a decent-sized button to scroll up and down the wavelengths. I remember days long ago when I had to undertake long journeys in a car without a built-in radio and I brought along my own transistor!
So you can imagine my surprise when I recently go to test drive the Renault Grand Scenic Bose version. The radio was good, but the sound system was really special with a speaker in all four doors.
Renault say that the Bose gives a unique acoustic experience which is close to that of a live performance. And yes, I was asked to lower the volume on a few occasions.
When it was introduced in 1996 the Scenic was dubbed the first compact MPV; it was hugely popular and was named European Car of the Year for 1997. Over the past 16 years 20,000 Irish people have bought a Scenic.
Over the years several other car companies have tried to emulate Renault’s successful MPV with the Nissan Qashqai probably the only one to come close. Now comes the Grand Scenic Bose which is available in 1.6 litre diesel. This model has stop-start technology and Renault says that fuel consumption is improved by 20 per cent.
However, there is much more to this car than the sound system. I drove a white model, a colour which I’m told is becoming fashionable once again. It reminded me of holidays in the Canaries where most of the taxis are white.
It’s a very long car and ideal for a family. There is no speedometer on the dash, but a digital speed counter which should ensure you will stay within the speed limits. There are seven seats and if you have very young children they will love the two small seats at the back. If you are not using those two small seats, you fold them down and that area becomes your
‘boot.’
It’s a high motor and it reminded me of the massive Ford Galaxy. It would I feel, be ideal for taking the family on that long-promised round Ireland trip, or if you are more adventurous maybe a trip to Britain or France via a ferry company. A double sun-roof and a massive windscreen make the interior very bright and there is ample head room.
Externally I found white in an MPV strange; it definitely was the first time I drove a white people carrier. Black alloys provided an attractive contrast to the pearl white. The only thing I didn’t like was the new-style handbrake. I know you get a red light when it’s engaged; call me old fashioned but I would prefer the old style handbrake any day.
There is no denying that Renault did in the past have electrical problems, but I think those issues has been resolved by now and I have driven several trouble-free Renaults in recent years. The car comes with five years unlimited mileage warranty and with C02 emissions low the car falls into Tax band A, which is rare for a vehicle in the MPV segment.
Prices for the new Scenic start at
?¬23,999, while the seven-seater Grand Scenic Bose edition with lots of extras like built-in Sat Nav and reversing camera will cost you
?¬32,390.