Renault Grand Espace Initiale dCi 175 road test
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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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.
Read the full Renault Grand Espace Initiale dCi 175 road test
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