Renault Espace Review: The Family SUV That Finally Makes Long Trips Feel Easy

Kids are arguing in the back. Your partner is scrolling through directions on a half-battery phone. Suitcases, sports bags, and a stroller are playing Tetris in the trunk. The fuel gauge is dropping faster than your patience. Somewhere between the third snack break and the fourth traffic jam, you start wondering: Why does every family trip feel like a small crisis?

If that sounds familiar, you are exactly who the modern seven-seat SUV was made for. But not all of them solve the same problems. Some are thirsty. Some are cramped. Some look like vans pretending to be SUVs. And a lot of them ask you to choose between space, style, and efficiency.

This is where the Renault Espace steps in with a very specific promise: give you true long-distance comfort, real family practicality, and genuinely decent fuel consumption in one sleek, grown-up package.

Meet the Renault Espace: From People Carrier to Premium Family SUV

The latest Renault Espace is no longer the classic MPV you might remember from European roads in the 90s and 2000s. The current generation has reinvented itself as a streamlined, slightly elevated SUV based on the Renault Austral platform. It offers up to seven seats, a strong focus on comfort, and a hybrid powertrain designed to keep fuel bills under control.

Under the hood, most European markets get the E-Tech full hybrid 200 setup: a 1.2-liter three-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine working together with electric motors and a multi-mode automatic transmission. The result: SUV practicality with the kind of efficiency you normally associate with a compact car. On Renault's German site, the Espace is positioned clearly as the brand's flagship family SUV, combining design, tech, and space for long-distance life.

Why this specific model?

Plenty of SUVs can carry seven people or look sporty on the driveway. The Renault Espace focuses on something more subtle—and arguably more important—if you're hauling people and luggage regularly: making time in the car feel less like endurance and more like living.

• Hybrid powertrain for real-world economy: The E-Tech full hybrid system can start in full-electric mode and glide quietly at low speeds, then seamlessly blend in the petrol engine when you need power. Owners and reviewers often report impressive real-world fuel consumption for a large, three-row SUV, especially on mixed routes.
• Roomy, configurable interior: Available with five or seven seats, the Espace gives you sliding second-row seats and a third row that's fine for kids or shorter adults. Need luggage space for a vacation? Drop the third row and you unlock a flat, generous cargo area.
• Comfort-first suspension tuning: European tests highlight a smooth, calm ride, especially on highways. It's not a hardcore off-roader; instead, it's tuned for long journeys, school runs, and weekends away.
• High-tech, Google-integrated cockpit: Depending on trim, the Espace features Renault's OpenR Link system: a large portrait touchscreen (around 12 inches, market-dependent) plus a digital instrument cluster, with integrated Google Maps, Google Assistant, and access to familiar apps.
• Premium feel without a premium-brand badge: Soft-touch materials, ambient lighting, and good sound insulation give the cabin a near-premium atmosphere while staying priced below equivalent German luxury brands.

In real life, those specs translate into something simple: you get into the Espace, set your navigation, make sure everyone's devices are charging, and then just…go. No shouting over road noise. No fuel stops every few hours. No luggage crisis because the stroller doesn't fit.

At a Glance: The Facts

Feature	User Benefit
E-Tech full hybrid powertrain (around 200 hp total system output)	Strong enough for highway merging and overtaking while keeping fuel consumption far lower than a typical gasoline-only SUV.
Up to 7 seats (5+2 layout)	Carry a full family plus friends, or fold seats flat for a huge cargo bay when you're not using the third row.
OpenR Link infotainment with large vertically oriented touchscreen	Android-style interface with Google integration makes navigation, music, and voice control feel instantly familiar.
Advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS)	Features like adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assistance, and parking aids reduce fatigue and make long drives calmer.
Refined suspension and sound insulation	Quieter, smoother journeys for the whole cabin, especially at highway speeds.
Sliding and reclining second row	Flexible space: prioritize legroom for taller passengers or slide forward to create more trunk volume.
Modern SUV styling with aerodynamic profile	Looks more like a sleek crossover than a boxy van, while helping with fuel efficiency and wind noise.

What Users Are Saying

Browse through owner comments and forum threads, and a consistent picture emerges of the latest Renault Espace.

The praise:

• Comfort and quietness: Many owners highlight how relaxed the Espace feels on long trips, with low engine noise when cruising and a composed ride.
• Fuel efficiency for its size: The hybrid system is often called out as a standout, especially for families upgrading from older, larger-displacement SUVs or MPVs.
• Interior design and tech: Drivers appreciate the minimalist, modern cabin with its big screen and Google-based navigation. The driving position is often described as natural and confidence-inspiring.
• Practicality: The mix of usable third row (for kids), easy-folding seats, and generous trunk space wins a lot of fans among family buyers.

The criticism:

• Third-row comfort for adults: Like most 5+2 SUVs, the back row is better for children; taller adults won't want to sit there for very long.
• Non-sporty character: Enthusiast drivers sometimes wish for a sharper, more dynamic chassis. The Espace is deliberately tuned for comfort, not corner carving.
• Infotainment learning curve: While powerful, the OpenR Link system can initially feel complex, especially for those coming from simpler, button-heavy dashboards.
• Price vs. some mainstream rivals: Higher trims push into a zone where buyers may also consider entry-level premium-brand SUVs, so value perception depends on what you prioritize.

Overall sentiment, especially in European markets, skews positive: if you know you want a comfortable hybrid family SUV and don't need genuine off-road capability, the Espace delivers on its promise more often than not.

It's worth noting that the model is built by Renault S.A., the French automotive group listed under ISIN: FR0000131906, which has decades of experience building people carriers and family cars for global markets.

Alternatives vs. Renault Espace

The three-row family SUV space is intensely competitive. So how does the Renault Espace stack up?

• Vs. traditional MPVs and minivans: Classic people carriers still beat most SUVs on pure interior height and sliding-door convenience. But they often lose on style, efficiency, and perceived status. The Espace keeps much of the practicality while looking and feeling more premium.
• Vs. other 7-seat SUVs: Many mainstream competitors offer powerful gasoline or diesel engines, but they usually can't match the Espace hybrid's combination of efficiency and refinement. The downside: if you regularly tow heavy trailers or need big-engine torque, some rivals may be better suited.
• Vs. premium-brand SUVs: German luxury marques deliver stronger brand cachet and, in some cases, more advanced options (like air suspension or plug-in hybrids with extended electric range). However, once you spec those models comparably, pricing can jump far beyond the Espace, which aims to offer a near-premium experience at a more approachable cost.
• Vs. compact crossovers: If you don't truly need seven seats, a smaller crossover may be cheaper and easier to park. The Espace makes the most sense if you genuinely use the space: long trips, multiple kids, frequent gear hauling.

In short, the Renault Espace isn't trying to be the sportiest SUV or the cheapest seven-seater. It's trying to be the one that feels best over 500 miles with a full cabin and a full schedule.

Final Verdict

If you're tired of family trips that feel like logistical warfare, the Renault Espace offers a different narrative: one where the car quietly supports your life instead of constantly demanding compromises.

Its strengths are unusually well aligned with what real families actually need: a calm, quiet ride; flexible space; low running costs; and tech that makes navigation and entertainment easier, not harder. It won't thrill track-day fans, and it doesn't pretend to be a rugged off-roader. But as a long-distance family SUV, it hits a sweet spot that many rivals miss.

If your checklist includes seven seats, hybrid efficiency, highway comfort, and a modern, tech-forward cabin, the Renault Espace absolutely deserves a test drive. You may find that, for the first time in a long time, the journey becomes part of the vacation instead of something you just endure.