Geneva show: Renault Scenic doubtful for Oz

RENAULT Australia will take its time before deciding whether to import the new Megane-based Scenic people-mover.

The company is concerned about a possible sales cannibalisation on the Koleos soft-roader, which has quickly become the company’s equal top-seller with the Megane small car.

As with the previous model, the Scenic is an upright wagon based on the Megane platform. It can be specified with five or seven seats.

“We have to be careful we don’t introduce a new model which is a competitor to what we have already got,” said Renault Australia spokesman Craig Smith.

From top: Scenic (black) and the longer-wheelbase Grand Scenic (others).

“If the current Scenic continues to go well, we will have to look at it (the new model), but we will have to see how the two fit together.” Scenic sales have dropped away to just a single unit in the first two months of 2009, down from 40 a year before.

“There is not a huge amount of inquiry in Scenic, but there is a regular inquiry,” Mr Smith said.

“It is mostly from people who have travelled to Europe and hired one over there.” He said Australia had never really embraced the MPV or monospace concept, but that when people used them, they understood how well they worked.

Renault unveiled the new Scenic and Grand Scenic at Geneva, claiming segment-leading stowage space and second-row knee room.

In addition, it claimed the Grand Scenic offered more headroom and knee room for third-row passengers than any other competitor in the compact seven-seat MPV class.