THE Renault Space deeply rethinks himself. Released in 1984, the cult minivan of the French manufacturer will radically change its shape. As we might have guessed upstream, space will indeed continue in the form of an extended Austral. The model, which will soon celebrate its 40th anniversary, was able to adapt to the times. But as the diamond producer reminded us, this segment is in the worst shape. Minivan sales in the D-segment accounted for only 5% in 2022, while the SUV category managed to capture almost 50% of the same pie. This trend, which has increased in recent years, clearly indicates that there was a sharp. To redefine itself while maintaining a very impressive name among the brand’s customers, Renault decided to use the Austral design and its new CMF-CD platform, adding 2 seats in the back or in the trunk. , choice! So is it the right choice? Thanks to the successful start of its twin brother, the new Espace is well on its way to establishing itself in the segment of large family cars!

New Renault Espace (2023): lengthened Austral?

It’s impossible to go wrong from the start. Renault has re-used the design of the Austral, the diamond family SUV launched last year, which itself succeeded the Kadjar. Is this a bad idea? No, because this design works quite well. Especially in the automotive world, where the SUV is king, why would Renault deprive itself of such an attractive trend? A high seating position behind the wheel, ground clearance increased by 18 cm and a large trunk, a miracle recipe compatible with the designation Espace.

So from the front, this Renault Espace has all the styling cues that were pioneered by both the Austral and the new electric Mégane introduced in 2021. C-shaped LED optics, a checkerboard grille on the Esprit Alpine trim or vertical already known slats and, finally, a new front bumper. All this is dynamic thanks to, among other things, the ribbed lines of the hood that run through the body above the front wheel arches and also at the rear. It is at the rear that the roofline descends very slightly to finish its course on a small spoiler, which is beneficial for the cx car, also in progress compared to the Espace V. The rear, very vertical, slightly breaks the fluid design started by the front. There are also the same taillights as the Austral, LED strips that run almost the entire width of the tailgate, motorized as standard. In its center is written the word “Cosmos” in all capital letters with a golden “E”.

In terms of dimensions, we have a vehicle that is 4.72 meters strive The width is 1.83 meters AND Height 1.64 meters. That’s still 21cm more than the Austral, but 14cm less than the old Renault Espace. With its large wheels fitted with 19- or 20-inch rims depending on the version, this new Espace now fully embraces its new status. Finally we have reached the level of the wheelbase 2.74 meters, which is a bit lower than the current Espace, but we’ll find that onboard accommodation is still generous. Renault also points out that this space turns as well as the Clio, with a turning radius of 10.4 meters thanks to 4Control (the in-house four-wheel steering system).

New Renault Espace (2023): a very functional interior

In this space, good news, we find all the strengths of the latest models of the manufacturer. The dashboard is almost identical to the one we recently saw on the Austral, which itself was inspired by the Mégane furniture.

Facing the driver, we find the OpenR, which combines a large plate 12.3 inches like a dashboard and a vertical touchpad 12 inches in the middle of the console. As we were able to clarify last year, this is a very good quality plate, one of the most responsive on the market. As such, this new Espace features one of the best screens in its segment.

The steering wheel, more square, groups all driving functions directly on it. There is a speed selector, placed in the form of a commode above the lever of the wipers, or a selector of driving modes in the form of a large button. You will have to get used to driving! But these dubious options allow, in particular, to leave space, for example, at the level of the central console. Under the right arm is a large mobile controller, which leaves several deep storage spaces and two cup holders accessible or not. The Espace is also very generous in terms of storage space, with almost 39 liters of space outside the rear hatch.

New Renault Espace (2023): three configurations

As for processing, there will be only three in this space: Techno, alpine spirit AND iconic If the first offers a rather simple upholstery made of fabric made from recycled materials, the other two offer much more attractive services. The Alpine Spirit echoes what we saw on the Austral, with dark Alcantara inserts with blue stitching for the prettiest effect, as well as an embroidered A logo on the headrests. On the Iconic, light leather with micro-airiness takes place, which brightens the interior. The optional panoramic roof significantly contributes to the feeling of space in the cabin. Without a crossbar, it illuminates the interior and has one of the largest surfaces on the market (more than 1 m²).

New Renault Espace (2023): maximum modularity

Occupancy in the rear seats is record high. Regardless of legroom or headroom, Espace passengers will enjoy unparalleled comfort in this category. The seat also moves 22 cm. On the other hand, it’s not the same story for the last two seats at the very end. In its seven-seater configuration, the Espace offers two separate seats, but designed for a maximum of large children. As for the rear space, it is completely modular. In the 5-seater version, the maximum volume of the trunk reaches 770 liters, which is more than that of the old Espace V. With the installed 3rd row, the trunk increases to 159 liters. In the 5-seater version with a folded seat of the 2nd row, the maximum cargo volume reaches 1818 liters.

The new Renault Espace (2023): a unique engine

As for engines, this sixth generation Espace uses a 200 hp E-Tech full hybrid. It is the most powerful hybrid petrol unit offered to date, unveiled alongside the Austral. Combined with a 7-speed automatic gearbox (dog gearbox), Renault claims consumption of 4.6L/100km according to the WLTP standard. Economy, which provides almost 1100 km of autonomy on one gas station (55 l tank). To achieve this goal, the kit consists of a 3-cylinder 1.2-liter turbocharged gasoline engine with a capacity of 130 horsepower and a torque of 205 Nm. It is replaced by two homemade 50 kW (70 hp) electric motors powered by a 400 V battery and a secondary 25 hp HSG electric motor to assist with starting and shifting. Through careful optimization, Renault reports that 80% of driving time in the city will be electric-only and will save up to 40% in fuel thanks to hybridization.

As we could see when testing the Austral last year with this engine, this engine suffered from some approximations, especially at low revs and under hard acceleration. After talking to the engineers on site, they now say that all these little annoyances have now been resolved and that their unit is more efficient than ever. A statement that we will definitely test when testing this new Espace! Finally, Renault says that while the car is obviously focused on comfort, driving pleasure hasn’t been left out either. Do you enjoy driving the Espace VI? Looking forward to seeing…

New Renault Espace (2023): the presentation is scheduled for this summer!

Now, Renault is yet to announce pricing for its new family SUV. But the new Espace should appear on the market by the summer. As a reminder, the Austral is currently available with a 200 hp hybrid engine. at a price from 41,500 euros. With its unique engine and three trim levels, the Espace should logically start at a price close to that amount. The final prices should be known by April.