The new Hybrid Renault Scenic and Grand Scenic gives amazing MPG and very low g/km.

• dCi 110 HYBRID ASSIST version of the fourth generation Scénic and Grand Scénic available to order now in UK
• HYBRID ASSIST system improves emissions, economy and performance of the dCi 110 engine thanks to its 10kW electric motor powered by a 48-volt 150Wh battery
• dCi 110 HYBRID ASSIST system achieves CO2 emissions of 94g/km with fuel consumption of up to 80.7mpg (NEDC)
• Renault’s first foray into HYBRID ASSIST technology
• Active Emergency Braking System (AEBS) with Pedestrian Detection as standard across the range – unique-in-class
• Pioneering 20-inch alloy wheels as standard
• 5-star Euro NCAP rating and high levels of Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) equipment as standard
• Available to order now priced from £25,055 on-the-road
• All-New Scenic range priced from £21,605 on-the-road

Renault’s distinctive fourth-generation All-New Scénic and All-New Grand Scénic range is now available with a dCi 110 HYBRID ASSIST powertrain, offering a combination of even lower fuel consumption and emissions and high levels of driving enjoyment from the stylish compact MPV. The dCi 110 HYBRID ASSIST engine is available on both All-New Scénic and Grand Scénic and can be ordered now, priced from £25,055 on-the-road.

Harnessing the same qualities that make the All-New Scénic range a stylish and technologically-savvy compact MPV such as Active Emergency Braking System (AEBS) with Pedestrian Detection as standard, innovative 20-inch alloy wheels and an 8.7-inch portrait touchscreen, the dCi 110 HYBRID ASSIST versions provide even lower CO2 emissions and improved fuel economy – an MPG improvement of more than 10 per cent over the standard dCi 110 engine.

The All-New Scénic and Grand Scénic dCi 110 HYBRID ASSIST mark Renault’s first foray into HYBRID ASSIST engine technology. The dCi 110 HYBRID ASSIST engine features a 10kW electric motor located under the bonnet that works in combination with the internal combustion engine. The motor is powered by a 48-volt 150Wh battery located  behind the 2nd row seats for All-New Scénic or in the spare wheel housing for All-New Grand Scénic.

Alongside the economical benefits, it also improves pick-up at low speeds providing a boost of acceleration, particularly at low revs (even around 1,000rpm) regardless of the gear – the technology provides up to 70Nm additional torque in certain situations. During deceleration, the Motor Generation Unit (MGU) recovers energy for use by the vehicle’s electrical system and for storing in the system’s independent battery. It also works in association with the internal combustion engine when the driver re-accelerates – an indicator on the dash lets the driver know when the engine is deploying or recovering power.

Thanks to this innovation, the All-New Scénic dCi 110 HYBRID ASSIST’s CO2 emission figure of 94g/km makes it one of the best in class for economy. The technology dispenses with the need for a high-voltage battery thanks to the electric motor, a consideration that fits perfectly with Renault’s philosophy of delivering technology to the widest possible audience at an affordable price. The dCi 110 HYBRID ASSIST versions are priced £1,000 more than the equivalent dCi 110 variants in the All-New Scénic range, although benefit from a reduced first year VED rate of £110 due to its classification as an “alternatively fuelled” vehicle and a reduced standard rate of £130 thereafter.  

The Scénic and Grand Scénic dCi 110 HYBRID ASSIST range is available in three trim levels – Dynamique Nav, Dynamique S Nav and Signature Nav. Each version provides a comprehensive standard specification, rising to the truly luxurious at the top-of-the-range.

Available across the range, the Visio active safety system provides Lane Departure Warning, Traffic Sign Recognition and Automatic High/Low Beam headlights. An electronic parking brake, LED daytime running lights, roof rails (Grand Scénic only), automatic dual-zone climate control, automatic headlights and windscreen wipers, electrically adjustable heated and folding door mirrors, F1-style integrated fuel filler, leather steering wheel, 4 x 20W DAB radio with fingertip controls and an AUX input with Bluetooth® connectivity and a seven-inch touchscreen are fitted to every version. Cruise control, speed limiter, a two-way adjustable steering column, height adjustable driver seat, gear-shift indicator and a 12-volt front socket are all also standard.

The All-New Scénic and Grand Scénic have been given a five star safety rating by Euro NCAP. Passive safety features as standard across every version in the range include six airbags, seat belts with load limiters and pretensioners at the front, side impact protection bars and ISOFIX child-seat mounting points on the two outer rear seats. Active safety features on each version in the range include Emergency Brake Assist, ABS with Electronic Brake-force Distribution, ESC (Electronic Stability Control) with traction and understeer control and Hill Start Assist.

Dynamique Nav adds to this with further driver aids such as front and rear parking sensors, Fatigue Alert whereby the vehicle monitors steering control to detect tiredness and alerts the driver to take a break; and handsfree keycard with walkaway lock and welcome functionality. This convenience function enables the driver to walkaway without needing to press anything on the key and the car will lock, the door mirrors will fold in and the headlights will turn off. When the driver returns to the car with the key, the car will unlock, the door mirrors will unfold and the lights will turn on.

Renault’s Multi-Sense ambient lighting and driving mode selector enabling the driver to personalise their driving experience is also standard on Dynamique Nav and above. There are five modes to select within the unique system to alter the driving set up and interior ambiance – Neutral, Comfort, Eco, Perso and Sport. Multi-Sense can be used to modify the accelerator pedal and engine response, engine sound, steering weight, interior lighting ambience through a choice of five colours and – where fitted – the speed of the Efficient Dual Clutch (EDC) gear changes. The system is accessed via the R-LINK 2 display through a button on the centre console.

To the interior, Dynamique Nav gains a sliding centre console providing 13-litres of storage with four USB ports and AUX input shared between front and rear passengers, Arkamys 3D Sound 4x35W DAB radio and a seven-inch touchscreen housing the R-LINK 2 multimedia system providing satellite navigation with live traffic updates and Western European mapping.

Second row passengers are well-catered for with rear-mounted aviation-style tables on front seats, one-touch folding rear seats – activated either directly from a keypad inside the boot or via R-LINK 2 multimedia system in the front, LED reading lights, sunblinds and cupholders.

Puddle lighting under the door mirrors and chrome detailing along the side window line, tailgate and front grille help the Dynamique Nav to further stand out.

The Dynamique S Nav provides unique-in-segment features such as an 8.7-inch portrait touchscreen housing the R-LINK 2 multimedia system and a colour head-up display, rear parking camera, panoramic glass sunroof with electric sunblind, auto-dimming rearview mirror and extra tinted windows to the rear and tailgate.

The top of the range Signature Nav features Carbon Black leather upholstery with Nappa leather steering wheel, electrically-operated height and lumbar adjustment to driver and front passenger seats with a courtesy function, driver’s seat position memory function, full LED headlights with ‘See Me Home’ function and front fog lights with cornering function.

All-New Scénic and Grand Scénic dCi 110 HYBRID ASSIST versions are available with a range of safety and convenience features such as Adaptive Cruise Control, Blind Spot and Safe Distance warnings, Handsfree Parking and 360-degree parking sensors.

All versions are covered by Renault’s four year warranty. The car is protected for four years or 100,000 miles (first two years have no mileage limit). There is also a three-year paint warranty and 12 years’ cover against corrosion. Servicing is required once a year or every 16,000 miles for the dCi 110 HYBRID ASSIST.

UK ordering is now open with first customer deliveries arriving in August.

Technical Information

All-New Scénic	Power (hp @ rpm)	Torque (Nm @ rpm)	0-62mph (sec)	Top speed (mph)
Dynamique Nav dCi 110 HYBRID ASSIST	110	260 @ 1,750	12.9	112
Dynamique S Nav dCi 110 HYBRID ASSIST	110	260 @ 1,750	12.9	112
Signature Nav dCi 110 HYBRID ASSIST	110	260 @ 1,750	12.9	112
All-New Grand Scénic	Power (hp @ rpm)	Torque (Nm @ rpm)	0-62mph (sec)	Top speed (mph)
Dynamique Nav dCi 110 HYBRID ASSIST	110	260 @ 1,750	13.7	112
Dynamique S Nav dCi 110 HYBRID ASSIST	110	260 @ 1,750	13.7	112
Signature Nav dCi 110 HYBRID ASSIST	110	260 @ 1,750	13.7	112

Ownership Information & Pricing

All-New Scénic	MPG (NEDC)	CO2 (g/km)	BIK (band %)	VED (Yr 1)	Price (OTR)
Dynamique Nav dCi 110 HYBRID ASSIST	80.7	94	20	£120	£25,055
Dynamique S Nav dCi 110 HYBRID ASSIST	80.7	94	20	£120	£26,555
Signature Nav dCi 110 HYBRID ASSIST	80.7	94	20	£120	£28,055

All-New Grand Scénic	MPG (NEDC)	CO2 (g/km)	BIK (band %)	VED (Yr 1)	Price
Dynamique Nav dCi 110 HYBRID ASSIST	80.7	94	20	£120	£26,855
Dynamique S Nav dCi 110 HYBRID ASSIST	80.7	94	20	£120	£28,355
Signature Nav dCi 110 HYBRID ASSIST	80.7	94	20	£120	£29,855

Scénic and Grand Scénic Option Pricing

Pack	Price
Safety Pack – Lane Keeping Assist and Safe Distance Warning (Dynamique Nav and above)	£400
Parking Pack Premium – Handsfree Parking, 360 degree parking sensors and Blind spot warning (Dynamique S Nav and above)	£500
Look Pack Premium – Panoramic glass roof with electrically operated sunblind, windows - extra tinted rear and tailgate, and auto-dimming rearview mirror (Dynamique Nav)	£800
Leather Pack Premium – Full leather upholstery, driver and front passenger seats with electric height and lumbar adjustment, heated front seats, driver seat with memory and courtesy function, front Passenger seat with ISOFIX and underseat storage (Dynamique S Nav)	£1,250
BOSE Pack – 11 speaker BOSE sound system with a digital amplifier and subwoofer (Dynamique S Nav and above depending on version)	£500

TMW - The updated Isuzu D-Max Blade, better looks, better comfort and more kit.

After testing the last model, the Fury, i was given the opportunity to try the updated D-Max Blade Automatic, and to say this car, compared to the previous one, is a vast difference, is an understatement.

With only the AT35 and Yukon that sits above the Blade, you know that you are getting a well kitted out car. And you do, the car costs £27,999, but our car here today comes with some extra's

• Tow Bar - £187.50
• 13 Pin Towing Electrics - £140.004
• Special paint Pearlescent White - £250.00
• Bed Rug - £375.00
• Lazer Lights - £412.50

Taking this car to £29,364, now thats a lot of money, but you are getting a lot of car for that money, for a start you get a double cab, making access so much easier for back seat passengers, and to be honest i think it looks a lot better too as a Double, the car has had an update since the last time we tried one, and again, it looks far superior, with new look frontage, with new bumper and lights, it gives it a more muscular and purposeful look.

inside the car you get a full leather upholstery, with a better sat nav, buttons and switchgear all to hand and not miles away like you find in some other cars, it is also far more comfortable than before, and being an auto, its far easier to drive, why would anyone have a manual gearbox these days when auto's are just so good.

The Access for rear seat passengers as mentioned is really easy and once there they have loads of space to get comfortable, even with the front seats set further back, there is still enough leg room for anyone that would require lots of space.

The Blade can do a claimed 112mph, not that you would want to do that, it would be a little rough, driving at motorway speeds is perfect, comfortable and quiet, anything more and it does get a little noisy and rough, although the 1.9 litre is very capable, it is tuned more for "work" than leisure.

 The fuel consumption of the D-Max is claimed to be

• Urban 30.4mpg
• Extra Urban 40.9mpg
• Combined 36.2mpg

We found it difficult to get to those figures but we were not far adrift at all, and we were impressed at what was achievable, its also not the "cleanest" pick up on the market with 205g/km, but it is Euro 6 Compliant, if the car was able to achieve the combined figure of 36.2mpg it would give the car a touring figure of 605 miles between fill ups.

The changeable set up between 2WD and 4WD is with a dial, and allows the car to be able to be taken off road, we didn't do this, but with the large chunky tyres, going off the beaten track and onto more harsh terrain seems like it would be very easy indeed.

There is no getting away from the fact that this is a very large car, it handles as such, thankfully getting in and out of parking spaces is easy with the reversing camera, but it does poke out of the end of a normal sized bay, but to be honest most cars are getting this big, whereas parking bays are getting smaller, so something needs to be done.

Because the car is high up the list of models you can be assured that you get loads of kit, some of which are :-

• LED lights from and rear
• Tinted Windows, load liner (additional carpeted cost)
• Electric Windows
• Central Locking
• Keyless Entry and push Button Start
• Gear Shift Monitor
• Touchscreen with Multi Information Display
• Bluetooth
• DAB Radio
• Apple Car Play
• Android Auto
• Front and Rear USB Ports
• Multiple Speakers
• Loads of Storage
• Leather seats 
• Arm Rest
• Carpets
• Hill Descent Control
• Hill Start Assist
• Full Range of Safety
• 18" Alloys

And thats just the tip of the iceberg, there are far more toys to play with and believe me, you can spend a vast amount of time working out all the bits and pieces.

CONCLUSION

This new model, well updated, heavily, is a huge step forward and is far superior in all aspects, from drive, comfort, economy, safety and additional equipment, it is a more capable car than the model it replaces.

This car really moves the goal posts and by some way too, there are now more and more of this style car available in the UK, from Nissan, Renault, Mercedes, Ford and Volkswagen, each has their own capabilities, but the Isuzu D-Max combines all for a great price, you would be silly not to consider the car over and above the competition, thats just how good this car is !

TMW - The 2016 mitsubishi Shogun - A tale of two cars in one body, one better than the other.

The 2016 Mitsubishi Shogun is a tale of two cars, firstly the general car then the off road vehicle, the off road car is one that most fail to emulate, it has the power and low down grunt to keep the car going in the most difficult of terrains, the car is set on two wheel drive, but you can easily change that to other wheel combinations upto a full four wheel drive car.

Off road is something that i would like to try out at some point in this car, as i am sure that it would just demolish all styles of driving from deep ruts and deep water to steep inclines/declines and side inclines as well, but that will have to wait to another day and event.

The interior of the car is brilliant, loads of room, and lots of glass so that you never feel like you are hemmed in, unlike similar cars that take fashion over functionality, however, the interior is a great place to be, the great feeling switches and knobs are all damped to make them feel like quality switches, not many can do that, make something out to be better than what it actually is, and the rest of the interior follows suit.

Leather upholstery and leather covered door cards give you the feeling of quality, along with electric movement and heated front seating, you are at least comfortable, well, I say comfortable, you sit on the seats, and not cossetted in them, for a car this expensive, the comfort is a little left wanting, however, i did manage to fall asleep whilst being driven, and i dont do that in every car.

The satellite Navigation is great, once you get it set up, it is precise, direct and instructions are clear and concise, again, i have been in cars that are not that good, so another plus point, the steering wheel has reach and rake, so, along with the electric seats, getting into a position of reasonable comfort for driving is easy.

Once on the highway, things change a little, the 3.2 litre diesel engine struggles, and you have to give yourself plenty of room to pull out of a junction or roundabout, there is some lean on sharp corners, which is more fun than not, the steering is more heavy than not, but it makes for precise driving, rather than the flakey steering that a lot of cars have these days, you can tell where the car is actually going to go, and with some of the over powered cars, that can be difficult.

On the road you will be more than aware of the noise, the big tyres give a lot of road roar, then you have the oversized wing mirrors, again, they cause wind noise, a slight redesign might make that noise less intrusive, but you can not get away from the size of the car, it is a big box, so again, this will cause some wind noise, especially once you get the car upto motorway speeds, at least the radio can drown this out.

The Fuel consumption is one thing you dont talk about, if you can afford to buy one of these, then you should be able to afford the fuel, but for the sake of being open and honest, the claimed fuel consumption is :-

• Urban - 26.9mpg
• Extra Urban - 32.8mpg
• Combined - 30.4mpg

We managed to get, via the cars info, just shy of 28mpg over the course of the 10 days we had the Shogun, added to which the first year taxation of £885 and £500 per year thereafter (for the moment-Tax rates change on 1st April) makes the initial outlay high, but you do know you are getting a really well made, and reliable car, one that can do all you ask of it, both on and off road.

The car is well specified, with lots of toys gadgets to play with, some of the items that come as standard are:-

• Leather Upholstery
• Leather Door Facings
• Electric Sunroof
• Carpet Mats All Round inc Boot
• Premium HD Sat Nav
• DAB Radio
• Stainless Steel Front Door Entry Guards
• Front Power Seats
• Front Heated Seats
• Rear Parking Sensors
• Rear View Camera
• Mood Lighting
• Climate Control
• Bonnet Badge
• Twin USB Ports
• Hidden CD Slot
• LED Daytime Running Lights
• HiD Xenon With Auto Levelling Headlamps

And this is just a small amount of the standard fit items that you will find on this car, however, no amount of toys and gadgets can disguise the fact that this car needs to be updated, its very good, dont get me wrong, but it cant compete with the Range Rover or Discovery, which is  the market the Shogun is competing in.

CONCLUSION

Give the car some more comfy seats, a better cleaner engine, try and reduce wind noise and make it less agricultural, and you will have the perfect car, as it stands, you are getting a very good car, let down by some small defects, is it good enough ? Well, yes, it really is a great car to be in, you feel like your lording it over all and sundry.

it can take all the luggage you could need, and even some really large items can be taken without having to adjust the rear seats, and talking of rear seats, there is acres of room for your passengers, another plus point, keeping the kids or family happy.

The five year/62,500 mile warranty is another plus point, where you get only three years elsewhere you get five here, which shows that they have confidence in the product, you even get a 12 year anti perforation warranty and three year pan european roadside assistance including home start, would i have one, well, if i could afford to pay for fuel then yes i would, it really is a good car, and if they sorted out the other bits and pieces it would become unbeatable.

TMW - The Renegade from Jeep is a brilliant car, a great car that is taking the world by storm, and we can see why !

1941 was the year, the second world war was well and truly in full swing and a turn of events that year marked the start of something that would become a world famous name, brand and range of vehicles, now, regardless of where that name came from, that name today is synonymous with off road driving and beating the worst conditions that anyone can throw at it.

That name is Jeep, and the car that we have today is the latest in a long line a great cars, the new Renegade, it is very closely related to the FIAT 500X, with both being built in the same factory in Italy, but where the FIAT has the corporate 500 look, the Renegade is unmistakably a JEEP, you can not mix it up with anything else on the market, because it is those seven slits on the grill, that Jeep's have had since the very first ones, and continue to have 75 years later.

2016 is the anniversary of the first cars and it is the new car that carries the future well and truly on its shoulders, so what is it, well, it is a medium sized two wheel drive car with the 1.4 litre Multiair II engine, pushing out 140bhp, and please, do NOT think that because it is a medium sized car with a small engine that the car has no go, far far from it, Ii was well surprised, pleasantly so, that there is oodles of go in the car, and it keeps on giving, upto and beyond the national speed limit.

The ride is a little hard, well, after all it is a pseudo offroader, but it's not unduly so, and the road noise is nearly non existent, the car grips well on corners, and pulls away with verve, when pushed there is a lovely engine note, thats a little raspy, but it makes it feel like a sporty unit, it also stops really well too,  the car seemed to ooze presence, and in that beautiful blue colour on our test car, it gained a significant amount of looks.

Inside the car and you soon get comfortable, the seats are very firm but keep you in place, you can move the seats and steering wheel about so that you always get a decent comfortable position, with all the buttons and switchgear easily to hand, like most cars these days, a lot of the running of the car is completed via a touchscreen system, and it is no different here, with plenty of options within the screen to play with.

The inside of the car is very airy and you feel like there is a load of space, mainly because there is, the car is box shaped, so you get maximum space, with significant room in the back for three adults to sit in reasonable comfort, the boot space is good too, with the split level you can put smaller items in the bottom, and larger on top, there is loads of nooks and crannies dotted about too, to take bottles, chocolate bars or whatever it is you like to carry around, the glove box is a decent size too, and not forgetting the "secret" under seat storage on the passenger seat, and i dont mean the draw you occasionally get on cars, on the Jeep you can lift up the passenger seat squab, and there is space beneath for items of value, camera's, wallets, purses etc.

Due to the size and nature of the car, you are not going to get very high fuel consumption figures, but the brand claims that this car can achieve :-

• Urban Cycle             37.2mpg
• Extra Urban              55.4mpg
• Combined                 47.1mpg

These figures are achievable, I prefer to see lower figures that you can get, than the inflated pretend ones that no matter how you drive you will still be 30-40% adrift of, the car runs with a 140g/km, not the lowest on the market, but on a par with similar cars, it can achieve with a back wind 0-62 in under 11 seconds, up to a maximum 112 mph, not that we managed to get that high, after all, 70mph is the UK top speed, not that you would know it the way some people drive.

I LOVE THE LITTLE MAN CLIMBING ON THE REAR WINDOW

AND THE JEEP ON THE FRONT WINDSCREEN, IT LOOKS BETTER THAN THE PICTURE SHOWS IT.

The car came with just three options

• Special Pastel Paint              £600
• Rear Parking Sensors           £270 
• Function Pack 1*                   £375     

* The function Pack 1 contains External rear view mirrors with electrical drive folding and defrost, keyless enter 'No Go, Reversible and height adjustable cargo load floor, under seat storage and 230V/50Hz Auxiliary Power Outlet. 

The car we tested with the options added on came to just over £22,000, it equates well against some of it's rivals, but then they do not have the heritage that this brand has, and I suppose it can be classed as America's Land Rover, a quick look on Youtube and you can find some video's of Jeeps doing things that you really could never imagine were possible, where LR's these days you would be nervous about taking your car off road incase it got a little scratch, the Jeep will jump at the chance to show you exactly what it is capable of doing, but remember, this car is only the two wheel drive version, so is less capable than its four wheel drive sibling.

Whether you take the car off road or not, your £22k does get you lots of toys:-

• 17" Aluminium wheels
• Ambient lighting
• Trailer sway damping
• All Speed traction control
• Star & Stop
• 6 airbags
• Uconnect 5" DAB Radio with touchscreen Sat Nav and Bluetooth
• Typre pressure management system
• Electronic Stability control
• Cruise control
• Driver seat with electric lumber adjustment
• Leather wrapped steering wheel
• Speed limiter
• Air conditioning
• ECO Drive
• Electronic parking brake
• Electric windows all around

Just to name a few of the options that are featured on the car. 

Over all, the Jeep fits nicely within the range, it is the starter model, and they go up from there until you get to the Cherokee SRT, now thats one car I would love to test, but I digress, the Jeep fills a market it has not been in, and with that it will not compete with itself, but it is hitting the competition, there are loads of these on the roads, I spotted 14 on just one journey, and I may have missed some.

I like the car, very much, I was expecting the usual stereotypes about US cars not able to go round corners, and so on, but this car has smashed those ill founded preconceived notions into millions of pieces, I came away from the car after it went back, wishing I had driven it more, and enjoying the experience a lot more. 

VERDICT

This is a great car, is very capable, bags of room, comfortable, looks like a Jeep should, but performs like a car, and by that i mean, its quiet, frugal, grips the corners, pulls away nicely, and the auto box is brilliantly smooth, as you gently drive along, you can not feel the gear changes, you only know it has changed when you see the rev counter rise and fall, you have awesome amounts of all round vision, some of the best I have been in, to be honest, if your in the market for a capable car, and your budget includes pricing from £17.500, which is the base model price, then you would be getting a brilliant car, just because it is American, do not push it to one side, this is a car to be considered,                                                                                                                                                                        The Motoring World Blog

 Jon Mower