Why the ‘Euros’-winning Renault Scenic E-Tech gets my vote, says RAY MASSEY

Renault’s award-winning Scenic E-Tech has outdone itself to be named European Car of the Year 2024.

This week, the all-electric crossover that aims to make electric cars mainstream for families added another award to its trophy case, winning first place at the EcoCar Electrified Top 50 Awards and the title of Best Midsize SUV.

And consumer publication WhatCar? says it’s better than a rival Tesla Model Y. But does it live up to that promise? I drove one myself to find out.

I first saw the new Scenic at its international launch in Munich last September, attended by legendary French composer Jean-Michel Jarre, who also helped create the electric car’s signature sound.

“It’s quite a challenge to create a sound from scratch for a car that is otherwise completely silent,” he told me.

The fifth-generation five-seater Scenic is a far cry from the original multi-purpose vehicle that caused a stir in 1996 and also won the European Car of the Year award. But it shares the same pioneering and practical spirit, cleverly updated for the 21st century.

The stylish crossover has a contemporary look, laser-cut wooden doors, soft, high-quality fabrics made from recycled materials and a limousine-like rear compartment with tinted privacy glass.

Light streams in through a panoramic glass roof that can be opaque or clear as desired. The fabric dashboard features a 12-inch multimedia screen and a 12.3-inch driver display.

Pop-out door handles add a practical touch and the high boot has an additional underfloor compartment (545 litres, increasing to 1,449 litres with seats folded). Prices start at £37,495 for the 170PS Scenic comfort grade.

But I drove the more powerful 220bhp long-range version in top-spec Iconic trim, which cost £46,745 (including £1,250 for the midnight blue metallic paint) with a range of 269 miles.

Riding on 20-inch wheels with an 87kWh battery, there are four riding modes – Comfort, Eco, Sport and ‘Perso’ for personalised settings

The fabric-covered dashboard has a 12-inch multimedia screen and a 12.3-inch driver display

The car sits on 20-inch wheels with an 87 kWh battery and has four driving modes: Comfort, Eco, Sport and ‘Perso’ for personalized settings.

Comfort is adequate for around-town driving, but I preferred Sport for a more involved drive, with 0 to 62 mph covered in 7.9 seconds. Paddle shift offers four levels of regenerative braking and enables one-pedal driving to preserve the brakes.

The fifth-generation five-seater Scenic is a far cry from the original multi-purpose vehicle that caused a stir in 1996

Light streams in through a panoramic glass roof that can be made opaque or clear as desired

Fold-out door handles provide a practical look and the high boot has an additional storage compartment under the floor (545 litres to 1,449 litres with seats folded down)

Voice-activated sat nav got me safely to Heathrow Airport and there are plenty of safety features and driver aids. These include driver massage seats, hands-free parking, blind spot recognition and a Harman Kardon stereo.

I did encounter one glitch when the car was ‘downloading’ new software. So what did I do? I turned it on and off, as did my laptop. But overall it was a class act.

Alonso makes debut with his £2m Aston

Aston Martin has revealed the new limited edition Valiant, a 200mph (322km/h) Formula 1-derived supercar with a price tag of £2million.

The British two-seater, described as ‘track-focused but road-legal’, has been called ‘the champion of pure driving passion’. It is powered by a 5.2-litre twin-turbocharged V12 engine producing 745bhp.

‘Champion of pure driving passion’: First customer, Aston Martin F1 driver Fernando Alonso, will take the supercar for a spin at the Goodwood Festival of Speed

Only 38 have been built so far, but they have all been sold.

The first customer, Aston Martin F1 driver Fernando Alonso who ordered the Valiant, will test the supercar during the four-day Goodwood Festival of Speed ​​next week.

Expect acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h to take around 3 seconds.