The Renault Grand Espace is the largest and most luxurious MPV in the Renault line-up. Comfort, safety and style are intrinsic to its appeal as a roomy, refined vehicle capable of transporting up to seven people or large cargo over long distances in a serene, relaxing fashion.
Strong, smooth engines prove adept at both high-speed cruising and in stop-start town traffic. The Renault Grand Espace’s absorbent ride quality is also as effective at soaking away the unwanted effects of pock-marked urban surfaces as it is at ironing-out imperfections on the motorway.
As with the slightly shorter Renault Espace, which is reviewed separately, the Renault Grand Espace features a classy, well equipped cabin and cuts a stylishly contemporary figure on the road.
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The five-door Renault Grand Espace provides space for up to seven people – some have six seats – in three rows. The cabin layout is versatile and the seats in the two rearmost rows can be folded, removed and in some cases swivelled. Boot space is an impressive 456 litres with three rows of seats in place and can be extended to a maximum 3050-litre capacity if needed.
Every model features two-zone air conditioning, power steering, CD/radio sound system, automatic handbrake, electric windows and electrically adjustable and heated door mirrors. Top models also come with leather trim, automatic lights, climate control, six-disc CD multichanger, automatic wipers, bi-xenon headlamps and alloy wheels.
Safety underpins the Renault Grand Espace, which in its 20cm-shorter Renault Espace form, achieved a top-ranking five-star score in crash tests conducted by EuroNCAP.
To help reduce the risk of an accident occurring, every Renault Grand Espace features sophisticated ABS anti-lock brakes, ESP electronic stability control, ASR traction control and CSV understeer control. Should the worst happen, though, there are two-stage adaptive airbags for the driver and passenger, plus front side airbags and curtain airbags. Second-row side airbags are also available. The front seats feature anti-whiplash head restraints and every seat has a three-point seatbelt.
ISOFIX child seat mounting points are fitted to each rear seat and the front passenger airbag can be deactivated to enable the use of a rear-facing child seat.
The dCi 150 diesel models produce the lowest emissions and are rated at 196g/km of CO2, with the dCi 175 close behind on 198g/km. Petrol 2.0 Turbo variants emit 224g/km.
The five engines in the Renault Grand Espace line-up range from performance-orientated and sophisticated V6s to fuel-efficient four-cylinder units. All Renault Grand Espace’s are front-wheel drive and a variety of transmissions are offered.
The entry-level diesel engine, the dCi 150 is available with a choice of a six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic gearbox. In manual form this 150bhp four-cylinder engine endows the Renault Grand Espace with 121mph performance and combined economy average of 38.2mpg.
The dCi 175 diesel comes with the same choice of transmissions. Both the auto and manual versions of this 175bhp four-cylinder variant deliver slightly more pace than their dCi 150 counterparts. The manual dCi 175 can attain 127mph and returns an official average of 37.7mpg.
The third diesel is a V6 dCi that delivers smooth, muscular responses across its rev range. It channels its 180bhp through a six-speed automatic and combines 130mph performance with 30.1mpg economy.
There’s also a V6 petrol engine, the 3.5 V6, which employs a five-speed automatic gearbox. This combination delivers strong, refined acceleration and can whisk the Renault Grand Espace to 60mph from standstill in 8.1 seconds. It also offers 140mph performance and economy is rated at 23.2mpg.
The other petrol engine is the 170bhp 2.0 Turbo, which is available with a six-speed manual or five-speed automatic. This willing engine delivers a blend of 127mph pace and 29.7mpg economy in manual guise.
The Grand Espace diesel line-up spans the £26,750 Team dCi 150 to the £36,200 Initiale dCi 175 Auto FAP.
Automatic transmission is available on some petrol models for £1,595 and selected diesels for £1,500.
Prices are based on manufacturer's recommended retail price.