Another car held back by its towing limit. The Renault Grand Scenic matches the Toyota’s 1300kg maximum, although at least the 75kg noseweight figure is more in line with what we’d expect.
The Renault has a more powerful engine than the Toyota, which made it noticeably quicker. It took almost four fewer seconds to pull a tourer from 30-60mph.
However, the Grand Scenic wasn’t as happy as the Verso in the lane change test. The final high-speed run had to be aborted because the car was sliding so violently. That said, in a straight line at motorway speeds it felt very stable and handled less violent cornering well.
Inside, there’s plenty of space for five. Seven can squeeze in, although it helps if the middle row of seats are moved forward a bit. You’ll have to remove them to maximise luggage room.