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Friday, 12th of March 2010

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Renault Grand Espace Initiale dCi 175 road test report

Initiale dCi 175

Renault was the first carmaker to bring an MPV to European roads when it first launched the Espace in 1984. Now in its fourth generation, the trailblazing Espace has become a template for an entire segment, one that has become increasingly popular with families over the last 25 years, leading to the launch of the likes of the Fords Galaxy and S-Max, and Citroen C4 Grand Picasso. The Espace has now evolved into a stylish, practical and comfortable large MPV. But is the current model, on sale since 2003, still relevant, or has it has been overtaken by the aforementioned new kids on the block?

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Performance

The Grand Espace now comes with a choice of two diesel engines, a 1,955cc unit producing 148bhp and the one fitted on our test car, the 1,995cc engine that generates 172bhp at 3,750rpm and 266lb-ft of torque at 1,750rpm. This engine means that 0-62mph is achieved in a fairly sedate 11.1 seconds, before pushing on to a top speed of 123mph. It’s an accomplished enough engine, quiet and refined, with enough power to shift the 1,830kg Espace with relative ease. There’s enough torque in the mid-range for overtaking, but the Espace is most comfortable cruising along a motorway, a task that comes easily when powered by this unit. Our test car was also fitted with Renault’s six-speed ‘proactive automatic’ transmission, which the carmaker claims adapts to driving style and road conditions to choose the right gear at any particular moment. Changes aren’t too jarring, but you do pay the penalty in fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.

Ride & Handling

There’s no escaping the fact that the Grand Espace is a large MPV, so the laws of physics will always come into play when you try manoeuvring it around bends at any kind of real speed: body roll has been reined in to an extent, but it is noticeable. True, if you’re carrying your cherished children in the back, you’re probably not going to be hooning around country roads too much, but there is a palpable difference between the handling characteristics of the Espace and the class-leading Ford S-Max, which is significantly better as a driving machine. As you’d expect from a machine as big as the Grand Espace, the ride is very comfortable, the softly sprung suspension soaking up all but the deepest of potholes. This is as true in the rear as it is in the front, so passengers in the back should find it comfortable enough.

Build Quality & Reliability

Renault – along with its fellow French manufacturers – doesn’t do well in reliability surveys and has a pretty poor reputation for build quality. In the most recent JD Power customer satisfaction survey of manufacturers, it came in 25th out of 29. However, a major initiative to improve the quality of its cars has been undertaken by the carmaker in the last few years, so improvements should start to kick in as the most recent new models start to infiltrate the market. Until then however, the Grand Espace doesn’t even make the top 100 most reliable cars in the JD Power league table of models, which should be of concern to buyers. Some of the problem areas that have been identified include the electronic parking brake, the automatic transmission, plus reports of engines cutting out and loss of power in some instances.

Safety & Security

It might not be the most reliable of brands, but Renault does have a reputation for safety. The Espace has a five-star crash-test rating by Euro NCAP, with two stars for pedestrian impact protection: at the time of testing in 2003, this was the highest score ever recorded for adult occupant protection. In terms of active safety, equipment includes ESP with CSV understeer control, fitted as standard on all versions, plus ABS, EBD (Emergency Brake Distribution), EBA (Emergency Brake Assist) and ASR traction control. Passive safety includes eight airbags (two front airbags, four thorax airbags in the front two rows and two curtain ‘bags), seats with an anti-submarining design, three-point seat belts with pre-tensioners, and Isofix on all rear seats and the passenger seat. Security features include a steering column lock operated by a coded electric signal and a Renault key card – which can stay in the pocket, purse or wallet – that swaps data with the central cabin computer before authorising engine start-up.

Space & Practicality

The Grand Espace is hugely spacious, with seven seats (six ‘captain’s chairs’ in the Initiale trim we tested) and an available 456 litres for luggage when all the chairs are in place and a potential 3,050 litres. All seats in the back can all be removed, but they don’t fold and stow like those in rivals such as the S-Max. Access to the third row of seats can also be a bit tricky, as the Espace doesn’t have the sliding doors. The seats in the second row slide back and forth, though, and there’s enough head- and legroom for rear passengers of any size, so most adults will find it comfortable enough. The top trim Initiale comes with all the standard equipment plus practical features such as auto windscreen wipers and lights, sunblinds for the rear, electrical adjustments to the front seats, electric folding mirrors, tyre pressure monitor, sat nav and CD player with six-CD changer.

Ownership & Value

There’s no getting away from the fact that this top trim version of the Grand Espace costs a lot of money: the list price of £35,326 is a lot of cash to shell out for a family car, albeit one that can carry seven. It looks even more when you consider that the top-spec Ford S-Max, at £26,401, is nearly £9K cheaper: true, the S-Max isn’t as spacious, but it’s a much better driving machine. Running costs aren’t exactly low, either. The big diesel, which is fitted with the automatic transmission as standard, only returns 34.4mpg – and that’s the official figure, so real-world fuel consumption will most likely be in the upper twenties. Carbon dioxide emissions are also high: 217g/km isn’t just environmentally unfriendly, it also means owners incur the wrath of the Department for Transport when it comes to pay road tax - £215 a year in this instance.

Submitted: 18/01/2010 15:38:10

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