Scénic: same name, new everything else!

In the 1990s, Renault’s reputation as a brand that made cars for life and living was at its peak. It had introduced Espace, its high-end MPV, in 1984, then its city-friendly Twingo in 1993. And Scénic was about to take it to the next level with the first compact MPV for families on the market. The concept car was unveiled in 1991 at the Frankfurt Motor Show and the road-going version reached dealerships in 1996. It was designed from the inside out for every passenger’s well-being, and named Megane Scénic at the time. It was a cocoon for cross-country travel, pioneering, safe, comfortable and friendly, its modularity was out of this world, it was full of trailblazing technology and its windows were larger than life. Its design, in other words, was in a class by itself and geared for memorable experiences on the road.

32 years of cars for life and living

The name Scénic was the obvious choice: it has stood for cars for life and living for 32 years and become a landmark in Renault’s history, alongside Clio (15.9 million vehicles), Megane (13 million), Twingo (4.1 million) and Espace (1.3 million). It was European Car of the Year in 1997 and Renault has sold more than 5.4 million of them in 110 countries. The brand has extensively upgraded its invention over the years while keeping all the original distinctive features – indoor comfort, safety and useful technology. “Not many people know this, but the name Scénic is also an acronym for Safety Concept Embodied in a New Innovative Car,’ Sylvia adds.

Scénic’s gently rounded shapes and ‘one-box’ silhouette were very much in tune with the zeitgeist. It was designed to appeal to families, and they loved the idea of a cocoon-like car. It came in one size and its proportions made it roomier and more modular inside. And it came with a variety of features that everyone in the car could enjoy – making it a family-friendly car par excellence. Fun fact: when designers were working on the first Scénic generation, they asked employees’ children what they wanted and needed, how they imagined the inside of the car, and what kinds of things they fancied in it. That explains the fun assortment of half-hidden storage nooks and crannies and the other clever amenities in the first compact MPV.

The following generations – Scénic II in 2003, Scénic III in 2009 then Scénic IV in 2016 – all came in a choice of two lengths. Scénic is a model that has felt right for its time every time. The world has changed and Scénic has changed with it.

Scénic E-Tech electric is the family car for tomorrow

To take one step further towards more responsible, safer cars packed with innovation and technology for the planet and people, Renault decided to add a new dimension to the Scénic name. In 2022, it called its pioneering concept car Scénic Vision, and with it heralded the fifth Scénic generation. It is reinventing its invitation to travel with a high-tech, connected vehicle that encapsulates the Group’s strategy for sustainable development and safety. 

Renault Scénic E-Tech electric will be unveiled this year at IAA Mobility in Munich. Watch this space in September for more about this new family-friendly, all-electric vehicle, and what will make it more trailblazing, more daring and more attuned to the times than ever.