Test drive: Renault Espace 1.6 dCi 160 EDC Initiale Paris, the reborn people carrier

This week in Highmotor’s road test section we have a very special guest, of French origin, who over the years -decades- has conquered markets across half the world.

Regarded by most as the illustrious creator of a segment that for years enjoyed enviable health, the fifth generation of the Renault Espace arrives with the difficult mission of reviving a segment, that of the people carriers, which is in decline.

The Renault Espace is an MPV whose first generation debuted in 1984, although it had been designed many years earlier. The proposal was left gathering dust in a drawer until Matra, in the early 1980s, presented the project to Renault after PSA refused to build a vehicle so innovative for its time.

With a very questionable initial viability, an anecdotal fact is that in the first month of sales only 9 units were delivered. Little by little the figures climbed, creating a phenomenon that has been renewed over the years, adapting to customers’ needs.

Exterior design, an Espace more innovative than ever

The current Espace was launched in 2015 following a complete overhaul of its predecessor, the Espace IV, sold from 2003. Yes, it is clearly an Espace… but it bears little resemblance to its predecessor, thanks to lines designed from scratch to offer an appearance that, while unmistakably familiar, also carries adventurous touches.

And so at Renault they have opted to make the new Espace a sort of “spaceship” with a ground clearance noticeably higher than previous versions, which, combined with a roof height also considerably lower than earlier generations, means the new Espace, being an MPV, looks less like an MPV than ever, blending its family-oriented approach with that of an SUV.

The front immediately catches the eye thanks to a considerably large logo, which in this Initiale version is surrounded by a grille with a chrome three-dimensional finish. The front headlights help give the car personality with a C-shaped LED light signature, the identity mark of the new Renault.

The modernization of the Espace is more than evident

At the bottom of the bumper there is a plastic moulding painted in the central part and black on the sides, reinforcing the SUV image of the whole. The steep angle of the windscreen is eye-catching, giving a more dynamic look and blending with the glass panoramic roof.

It is when we look closely at the side of the Espace that we truly become aware of the car’s adventurous approach, noticing its generous ground clearance. The sill protectors are again finished in exposed plastic. The alloy wheels of this Initiale Paris version are finished in black paint and diamond-cut polished metal, are 19 inches and are fitted with 235/55/R19 tyres.

The mirrors are finished in glossy black, the same material used on the B-pillar. Speaking of pillars, thanks to a very raked A-pillar, a B-pillar finished in glossy black and a C-pillar trimmed with a chrome moulding, visually, when looking at the vehicle from the side, the roof appears to be “floating” above the bodywork. The glazed surface of the car, while sufficient, is not as generous as in previous generations.

The rear three-quarter view reveals rear light clusters shaped like boomerangs, which also extend slightly towards the wheel arches. The tailgate is smaller than in previous generations, as is its rear window. This results in a loading lip higher than on the previous Espace, although it remains very easy to load. The rear bumper, like the front, is trimmed with black and silver plastic mouldings, with integrated fog lights and hidden exhaust outlets.

Interior design, a true spaceship for 7 occupants

When one enters the interior of an MPV, generally the first thing that catches the eye is the amount of space on board compared with a normal car. This also happens when the doors of the Espace are opened, although, it must be said, compared with the previous generation it has lost quite a lot.

One of the pillars of the new Renault is the design and quality of the interior. The dashboard design of the Espace is no exception and shows fluid, attractive lines. The instrumentation, with a digital section very similar to that used in the Kadjar, Megane IV or Talisman, is once again positioned behind the steering wheel after many years.

The central part of the dashboard consists of a large “wave”-shaped moulding that houses both the vertical screen of the R-Link 2 and the climate controls, gear lever -aeroplane-throttle style-, Multisense system controls and a small storage recess that conceals the multimedia connections.

The build quality of the Espace is noticeably superior to the previous version, with many soft-touch plastics in different shades, chrome finishes for numerous buttons and high-quality leather upholstery on the seats, steering wheel, gear knob and doors. The padding of the door armrests is welcome, with a very pleasant feel. The interior of the Espace, at least in this top-of-the-range Initiale Paris version, smells of good leather.

The space available on board this MPV is good, though less than in the previous generation of the Espace. As we commented earlier, this generation has gained ground clearance and lost overall height, meaning the cabin is lower overall.

It is logical to assume that in the front row neither driver nor passenger will have any space issues, and indeed this is the case. In this top-of-the-range trim, the two front seats also feature electric adjustment, memory for the driver, heating and three different massage modes.

The front seats are especially comfortable and welcoming

The second row consists of three individual seats of identical size, which comfortably accommodate relatively tall occupants. These seats also feature individual longitudinal adjustment, as well as heating on the sides. For added comfort, manual sunshades have been fitted to the windows, along with a climate control unit and two USB charging ports.

The Espace is available with 5 or 7 seats. Our unit had all seven seats, which means two additional individual seats were fitted behind the second row. These seats offer somewhat limited space, especially for legroom, as it is necessary to bend the legs excessively to get comfortable. Nevertheless, one can travel with reasonable comfort provided the journey is not excessively long or the person is very tall.

The seats in the second and third rows feature a very convenient folding system, operated by buttons on a panel in the boot or via the screen on the central console. Any of the five seats can be folded individually, or all together using the “ALL” button.

The boot offers a capacity of 614 litres when the third-row seats are stowed and the second-row seats are in their rearmost position, expandable to 719 litres if we move the three second-row seats forward. If we fold all five seats, capacity increases to 2035 litres, while with all seven seats in use the Espace offers only 247 litres of capacity.

Driving dynamics, a chassis designed to be driven

The Espace is available with two 1.6 dCi diesel engines producing 130 and 160 CV, as well as a 1.6 TCe petrol engine producing 200 CV. Our unit had the 1.6 dCi version with 160 CV and 380 Nm, paired exclusively with a six-speed EDC dual-clutch automatic gearbox. It is a very smooth engine that stands out above all for its progressive delivery and low consumption.

It accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 9.9 seconds, reaching a top speed of 202 km/h. Homologated consumption figures are 5.1 litres/100 km in the urban cycle, 4.4 litres/100 km in the extra-urban cycle and 4.7 litres/100 km in the combined cycle, with CO2 emissions of 120 g/km. In our test we recorded an average consumption of 7.2 litres/100 km, which, while good, is a long way from the official figures.

The new Espace is built on the modular CMF C/D platform of the Renault-Nissan Alliance, already used by other models such as the Talisman and the Megane. It therefore shares many components with these two vehicles. One of the key aspects of this platform is weight reduction, which in the case of the Espace amounts to more than 250 kg less than the previous generation.

This variant also includes the 4Control four-wheel steering system, which involves the fitting of variable damping. Thanks to this system, the Espace is able to turn in a smaller space, making lane changes and changes of trajectory with greater agility. With this system, the rear wheels turn in the same direction as the front ones (up to 3º) at low speed, switching to the opposite direction when speeds exceed 80 km/h (60 km/h if we activate Sport mode).

The 4Control system sets it apart from its rivals

It is precisely the agility that stands out most when driving the Espace. It is impressive to see how such a bulky, family-oriented vehicle can turn so well, maintaining its line and stability even when we increase the pace substantially.

Nevertheless, it is worth noting something about the Espace’s cornering behaviour: if Sport mode is not activated, the damping feels too soft when driving through a series of bends.

This becomes evident when, in addition to bends, the road surface has undulations, since the damping is unable to properly support the bodywork, causing it to oscillate noticeably to the point where the ESP intervenes slightly. This only happens when pushing the pace hard and Sport mode is not selected. It may be that this occurs because of the great confidence the chassis inspires, making us forget the car we are driving.

On the motorway, the Espace feels right at home. Stability is superb, as is comfort on board. Soundproofing is very well executed thanks to the extensive use of insulating materials, as well as double glazing on all the car’s windows. The generous tyre profile also helps to isolate road irregularities.

The dual-clutch gearbox is smooth at all times, although it is not particularly quick when inserting gears. Nevertheless, it is sufficient for the vehicle’s focus. Both the steering and the pedals transmit very little information, something to which we are already beginning to get used.

The Renault Multisense system allows selection from 5 different driving modes: ECO, COMFORT, SPORT, NEUTRAL and PERSO, which modify parameters such as throttle and steering response, interior lighting, seat massage, instrumentation and simulated engine sound through the speakers.

How much does the unit you see cost? Range and versions

The “Initiale Paris Energy dCi Twin Turbo 160 CV EDC 7 seats” version has a starting price of €44,500, taxes and discounts included. To this figure we must add, in our case, the electric glass panoramic roof (€1,400), rear seat heating (€400), the City pack which includes semi-automatic parking system and electric tailgate (€750), the Cruising pack comprising adaptive cruise control and Head-Up Display (€800) and metallic paint, an option costing €700.

In total, €48,600 for one of the most complete people carriers on the market, which already comes as standard with, in this Initiale Paris version, very extensive equipment, including leather upholstery, rear camera, 19-inch wheels and rear climate control.
Even from the base trim, features such as Full LED lighting, hands-free card, the R-Link 2 multimedia system and digital instrumentation are available.

The Espace range starts at €30,000 with the Life Energy dCi 130, which, with an additional €900, is offered with 7 seats. Above it, the Zen Energy dCi 130 7-seat stands out as a middle ground, offering a good balance between price and equipment at €33,700. At the top of the range, the Initiale Paris Energy TCe 200 EDC 7-seat is the most expensive alternative in the current range at €44,535.

Photography | Daniel Valdivielso

Technical specifications of this car

CrossoverRenault Espace12 versions · from 42,380 €