Renault Espace Review: The Surprisingly Premium Family SUV Everyone Keeps Overlooking

When "Family Car" Starts To Feel Like A Compromise

You know the story. You start out vowing never to become a "minivan person". Then the kids arrive, the luggage multiplies, grandparents want in on the road trips, and suddenly your stylish compact SUV feels like a badly packed suitcase on wheels. Knees pressed into seats, roof box howling on the highway, everyone arguing about who gets the comfortable spot.

Most three-row SUVs promise salvation, but the reality is often different: token third rows only kids under eight can actually use, tiny trunks once all seats are up, and fuel consumption that makes you wince every time you hit the highway. You either get space, or you get style, or you get efficiency. Almost never all three.

This is exactly the pain point the Renault Espace leans into – and, surprisingly, solves more elegantly than many of its more expensive rivals.

The Renault Espace: From Minivan Icon To Sleek Hybrid SUV

The Renault Espace was once the poster child of European MPVs. Today, it has reinvented itself as a stretched, sleek SUV with up to seven seats and a strong focus on hybrid efficiency. Under the skin, it shares a lot with the latest Renault Austral, but the Espace is longer, roomier, and clearly tuned for one thing: comfortable, efficient long-distance family travel.

Instead of chasing rugged off-road fantasies, the Espace goes hard on what you actually need: a smooth ride, loads of space, clever tech, and fuel consumption that doesn’t punish you for every school run and weekend away. Renault calls it an E-Tech full hybrid; you’ll just call it "how is this big thing using so little fuel?"

Why this specific model?

There are plenty of three-row SUVs on the market, so why should you care about this one? Because the latest Renault Espace hits a rare balance of space, efficiency, and comfort that most rivals only partially manage.

• Genuinely usable 5+2 seating: The current-generation Espace comes primarily as a seven-seater configuration (with a very spacious five-seat feel when you fold the third row). The third row is best for kids or shorter trips, but the key point is this: with the second row slid and adjusted, adults don’t feel like they’ve been shoved into the penalty box. And with the rear-most seats folded down, you’ve got a massive, flat luggage area that easily handles strollers, bikes, or full vacation gear.
• E-Tech full hybrid powertrain: The heart of the latest Espace is Renault’s 1.2-liter turbocharged three-cylinder combined with electric motors (often marketed as a 200 hp E-Tech full hybrid system). On paper that sounds modest; in the real world it’s punchy enough for overtakes and highway merges, yet owners are reporting remarkably low fuel consumption for a large family SUV. We’re talking small-car numbers when driven sensibly.
• Calm, comfortable ride: Multiple European reviews highlight the Espace’s quiet cabin and relaxed suspension tuning. It’s not trying to be a Nürburgring hero; it’s trying to keep your passengers from asking, "Are we there yet?" every fifteen minutes. It’s a family cocoon, not a track toy – and that’s a good thing.
• Google built-in infotainment: The interior feels thoroughly modern thanks to Renault’s OpenR system with Google built-in (available on most trims). That means Google Maps, Assistant, and Play Store apps seamlessly integrated, plus a large vertical touchscreen paired with a digital instrument cluster. Everything feels closer to a modern smartphone experience than a clunky old car nav.
• Design that doesn’t scream "family bus": This might be its biggest superpower. Park the Espace next to traditional MPVs and you immediately see the difference. The long hood, clean shoulder lines, and nicely tucked roofline give it a premium, almost understated look. You get presence without bulk.

Put simply: the Renault Espace is aimed at you if you want the practicality of an MPV, the look of a modern SUV, and the running costs of a compact hybrid.

At a Glance: The Facts

Feature	User Benefit
E-Tech full hybrid powertrain (approx. 200 hp)	Strong enough for fully loaded road trips while delivering fuel consumption closer to a compact car than a large SUV, especially in city and mixed driving.
Up to 7 seats with flexible 5+2 configuration	Room for the whole family and friends; fold the third row and you get a huge cargo area for vacations, sports gear, or IKEA runs.
Modern interior with OpenR display and Google built-in (on compatible trims)	Easy-to-use navigation, voice control, and apps that feel familiar right away, reducing distraction and tech frustration on the move.
Length around 4.7–4.8 meters (depends on spec)	Substantial enough to feel spacious inside, yet still manageable in city driving and tight European parking garages.
Advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS)	Helps reduce fatigue on long journeys with features like adaptive cruise and lane keeping (depending on trim), making highway slogs less stressful.
Refined suspension and acoustic insulation	Quieter, more comfortable ride so kids nap easier, conversations are calmer, and long drives feel less tiring.
Sleek SUV styling vs. traditional MPV	You get family practicality without feeling like you're driving a van; it looks at home in front of a hotel as much as at a school drop-off.

What Users Are Saying

Look through recent user impressions and forum threads, and a pattern emerges: people who actually drive the new Renault Espace tend to be pleasantly surprised.

The praise:

• Comfort & refinement: Owners and reviewers consistently praise the ride comfort and noise levels. On highways, the hybrid system settles into a quiet, low-RPM cruise, and the cabin feels more premium than you might expect from a mainstream brand.
• Real-world efficiency: On Reddit-style discussions and European forums, several drivers report impressive fuel figures for such a big car, especially in mixed and urban driving where the hybrid system can lean heavily on electric assistance.
• Infotainment and tech: The Google built-in interface scores solid usability points. People like having Google Maps natively in the car and appreciate the snappy screen and logical layout compared to previous Renault generations.
• Space and versatility: Families highlight how easy it is to fold seats, load large items, and still keep the cabin livable for passengers. The Espace works as a genuine road-trip machine rather than just a tall hatchback.

The criticisms:

• Third row best for kids: Like many 5+2 SUVs, the rearmost seats are more about flexibility than true adult comfort on very long trips. This is a common theme in user comments; it's usable, but not a luxury coach back there.
• Hybrid powertrain character: Some drivers note that under hard acceleration the small turbo engine can sound a bit strained as the hybrid system juggles power sources. If you're used to big six-cylinder engines, this will feel different.
• Not a canyon-carver: The Espace is tuned for comfort, not aggressive cornering. Enthusiast forums are clear: if you want sharp, sporty handling, this isn't your car – and that's by design.

Overall, community sentiment skews clearly positive, especially from buyers who step up from compact crossovers and feel like they finally have the space and comfort they've been missing – without a shock at the fuel pump.

It's also worth noting that the Espace comes from Renault S.A., a major European automaker listed under ISIN: FR0000131906, which gives some reassurance around long-term support, servicing networks, and parts availability.

Alternatives vs. Renault Espace

The three-row SUV and MPV space in Europe is crowded, but the Espace carves out a specific niche.

• Vs. Peugeot 5008: The 5008 offers sharp styling and a flexible interior but relies on more conventional powertrains (diesel and petrol in many markets). It can be spacious, yet doesn't match the Renault Espace's full-hybrid fuel-sipping behavior in city use.
• Vs. Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace / Skoda Kodiaq: These VW Group SUVs are strong all-rounders with solid cabins and a wide engine range. However, you often have to lean on diesels for long-distance efficiency. The Espace counters with a very modern hybrid that favors urban and mixed driving, plus a more comfort-first character.
• Vs. Toyota Highlander Hybrid / other hybrids: Toyota's larger hybrid SUVs are efficient and reliable, but they're also typically pricier and bulkier. The Espace sits a bit lower and sleeker, targeting European roads and parking spaces, and often undercutting big Japanese rivals on price while still offering serious efficiency.
• Vs. classic MPVs: Traditional people carriers and vans (like the VW Touran or various Stellantis vans) may offer boxier space and sometimes sliding doors, but they clearly look like vans. The Espace trades a bit of pure cubic volume for a far more premium-driving and premium-looking SUV experience.

In short, if you want electric-only range, a plug-in hybrid or full EV SUV may suit you better. If your priority is effortless long-distance comfort, hybrid efficiency, and a design your heart actually likes, the Renault Espace ends up in a very sweet spot.

Final Verdict

The latest Renault Espace is what happens when a brand takes decades of family-car experience and wraps it in a modern, hybrid SUV body. It doesn't scream for attention; it quietly makes your life easier.

If your days are a messy mix of school runs, commuting, weekend escapes, and summer road trips, this car answers the important questions:

• Can everyone sit comfortably, with luggage, without Tetris-level packing? Yes.
• Will the fuel bill ruin the fun of spontaneous road trips? Unlikely, thanks to the efficient hybrid system.
• Does it feel like a compromise every time you look at it in the driveway? No – it actually looks and feels like something you chose, not something life forced on you.

There are faster SUVs. There are bigger vans. There are more expensive premium badges. But few options blend style, space, and hybrid efficiency as cohesively as the Renault Espace.

If you're tired of pretending a compact SUV is big enough, but you refuse to surrender to a boxy van, this is the family car that finally lets you have it both ways.