Overview

Well, these are two pretty similar cars we have here! It's only details that could potentially make the difference. Considering they both belong to the mpv segment and utilize the same 5-door MPV body style and the front wheel drive system, it all comes up to the specific diesel engine choice they offer. Both the engines are Renault-engineered . The first one has a 4-cylinder, 8-valves 102hp unit, while the other one gets its power and torque from a 4-cylinder, 8-valves 110hp one.

Safety

The first thing to look into here would be the results from European New Car Assessment Programme (Euro NCAP) tests performed on the two cars. Good thing is that both vehicles got tested, with the 2016 Scenic being a slightly better choice apparently. That aside, let's consider some other aspects which affect safety. Both vehicles belong to the mpv segment, which is generally a good thing safety-wise, still it doesn't help us solve our dilemma, does it? On the other hand, taking kerb weight as an important factor into account, the newer model offers a considerable difference of 11% more metal.

Reliability

Manufacturers have been building their reliability reputation for decades now and, generally speaking, it appears that Renault displays lower than average breakdown numbers, all the models observed together. That's the official data, while our visitors describe reliability of Renault with an average rating of 4.2 out of 5. Some independent research have also placed Scenic as average reliability-wise, and Scenic is more or less at the same level.That apart, owners of different cars powered by the same engine as the older model rank it on average as 4.3 out of 5, exactly the same as the other one.

Performance & Fuel economy

2016 Scenic is a bit more agile, reaching 100km/h in 0.4 seconds less than its competitor. In addition to that it accelerates all the way to 183 kilometers per hour, 10km/h more than the other car. When it comes to fuel economy an obvious choice would be the newer model, averaging around 3.9 liters of fuel per 100 kilometers (72 mpg), in combined cycle. That's 51% difference compared to the older model!

Verdict

2016 Scenic appears just a bit more reliable, although the difference is truly marginal. The most important thing when deciding between any two vehicles should always be safety, both passive and active. In my opinion, everything taken into account, the newer model beats the other contender by far, making it the best choice without even considering other things. It all continues in the same direction, with 2016 Scenic outracing its opponent in any situation possible, making it better choice for boy racers. To make things even better, it consumps less fuel! All together, there's not much more to say, in this case I wouldn't even consider anything but 2016 Scenic. In any case that's my personal view, built upon all the data available to me. What should decide here though is the way you feel about the two vehicles, and I hope you'll find my guidelines useful in the process. I suggest you spend two more minutes in order to find out which car, based on your needs and budget, would be picked by the virtual adviser™, among thousands of similar, yet so different vehicles.