ATTENTION TO DETAILS

Another year, another tweak to Renault's Espace range. Andy Enright fills you in on the details

Main Article

As before, it's possible to buy the Espace in regular length, which is still hardly insubstantial, as well as a stretched Grand Espace model. Both cruise very nicely at speed, with excellent refinement, but are a little less composed if you're hustling through corners. Still, horses for courses and all that. You probably wouldn't expect a Lotus Exige to be much cop at driving the family to EuroDisney and back.

Given that the Espace was treated to a rather extensive facelift in 2006, Renault has wisely left well alone when it comes to exterior styling. At that juncture, it got a slimmer bumper and a simpler grille design. Swivelling Bi-Xenon headlights debuted and the rear lights were revised. One theme that was introduced with the 2006 car and carries on with latest version is a more restrained approach to technology and innovation. Renault have, if anything, toned down their recent excess of novelty and have restored some normality to the Espace.

Whereas the MKIII model was built around a radical spaceframe chassis with composite parts, the MKIV Espace instead opts for a more conventional steel monocoque platform shared with the Laguna. Only the wings and tailgate are now made of plastic composites, the doors and bonnet being fabricated in aluminium with a steel roof. The interior is as spacious as ever with plenty of space for seven. Need more room? In return for increasing the size of your cheque to your Renault dealer by about £1,000 for a 'Grand Espace' model, you get substantially more luggage space. Over 165 litres more to be exact when all the seats are in place, making a total of 456 litres which could make the difference between having to use a roof box or trailer and not having to bother. Should you be able to get rid of all the seats bar those at the front, the total carrying capacity rises to removal van standards, up by 190-litres to 3050-litres.

Most people will choose either 130, 150 or 175bhp dCi 2.0-litre diesels, though there is also a 140bhp 2.0-litre petrol unit. As well as having revised the engine line up, Renault has performed some major surgery on the model range. Out go the old Authentique and Expression trim levels, replaced by the current entry-level trim, dubbed 'Team'. Above that are Dynamique, Dynamique S and the long-wheelbase-only Initiale.

Team trim nets you dual zone air conditioning, seven individual seats, a CD stereo with eight speakers and fingertip controls, carbon cloth upholstery and multi adjustable Captain's chairs with armrests. Move on up to the big selling Dynamique model and you'll get 17" alloys, chrome door handles, chrome roof bars and the option of that 175bhp dCi diesel engine along with the 170bhp turbocharged petrol. Dynamique S effectively replaces the old Privilege trim and adds a six-disc CD changer with remote, leather/Alcantara sports seats, the hands-free Renault card entry, rain sensing wipers, cruise control and dusk sensing headlamps. If you've got the means to stretch to the range-topping Initiale model, which is only offered in long-wheelbase 'Grand Espace' form, there's an additional front parking sensor, softer Vogue full leather upholstery, a 3D Bluetooth Nav Com system with a 6CD changer that's also MP3 compatible with remote control.

Cleanliness is next to godliness where modern diesels are concerned and the Espace dCi 175 is impressively clean. With the help of a maintenance-free periodic-regeneration particulate filter, which incinerates the soot it's trapped at 570 degrees Celsius every 500 miles or so, the car comfortably meets Euro IV emissions regulations. It also emits only 199g/km of CO2 - a creditable performance for a vehicle that weighs in at over 1,800kg. A combined fuel economy figure of 34.4mpg for the 2.0-litre dCi FAP engine is not to be sniffed at either. Go for one of the petrol-engined models and you'll pay a lot more, with the Grand Espace 3.5 V6 Initiale costing a small fortune to run.

If you liked last year's Renault Espace, you won't find anything that grates here. The range has been made slightly easier to understand and there are more choices available to buyers of diesel-engined models at the budget end of the line up but aside from that. it's business as usual. This means that if you want the Definitive Article when it comes to large MPVs, the Renault is still the primo pick.

Resting on laurels is not an option for Renault, though, and over the past couple of years the clear superiority the Espace used to justify its premium pricing has diminished. Ford in particularly has upped the ante and if the Blue Oval continues to improve at this rate, Renault will need to act and fast. The gravy train has left the station and Renault is standing on the platform.