"Alien" Renault Espace

Renault Espace. Price: 1,205,000 RUB. On sale: since September 2006.

2007 Renault Espace
© Photo: Sergey Krestov, 5 Koleso

A Bit of History

At the very end of 1984, Renault introduced the Espace, and it is this model that is considered the founder of the European minivan class. True, a few months before the French, a similar body type was already shown to Americans by Chrysler. Engineers from the aerospace company MATRA designed the one-box construction, and they also set up its production at their own plant in Romorantin. The next two generations also came off the assembly line of this enterprise, and all three, including the very first, had a plastic body. But the current, already fourth generation, which appeared in 2002, did without MATRA's participation. Only Renault specialists worked on the car, and for the first time in the model's history, it received a metal body.

2007 Renault Espace

Show-Off Is a Thing of the Past

Versatile minivans are gradually pushing pointless used limousines off our roads, and the Renault Espace is a vivid example of such a pragmatic approach. True, the chances of meeting this French car in city traffic are about the same as stumbling upon a UFO.

Flying saucers definitely exist — for me, this has long been a proven fact. One regularly appears near my house. Large, spacious, at first glance a bit strange (but what else could alien transport be?), yet at the same time cute, like a ghost played by Carlson. Moreover, with enviable consistency, it “abducts” me and, under the curious glances of passers-by, takes me to work and back. At the same time, it conducts further experiments on me, testing how long a person can live when discomfort almost completely disappears from their existence. This UFO is called the Renault Espace.

2007 Renault Espace
© Photo: Sergey Krestov, 5 Koleso

And it's not even that minivans of the latest generation are a real rarity in Russia: in the first half of this year, only 17 units were sold. So the Espace is much easier to see in a showroom than in a supermarket parking lot. The main culprit for such associations is its unusual appearance. The one-box looks like a scaled-down copy of a space shuttle with its wings and tail fin cut off. Then the front end was refined, glazing was added — and it was sent into production. At the same time, the car carries quite earthly benefits.

The multifaceted Espace, in every sense, could well serve as a teaching aid for future interior designers — so developed is its spatial thinking. The huge possibilities for transforming the cabin allow the minivan to perform completely opposite tasks with equal success.

2007 Renault Espace
© Photo: Sergey Krestov, 5 Koleso

In standard form, it is a cozy car for 6, and optionally for 7 seats — for a large family. There is free space, comfortable leather seats, a spacious trunk, and an incredible number of compartments for all sorts of small items. Plus climate control, a chip card instead of a key, an engine start button, and an electronic instrument panel that glares in the sun. The suspension is soft, soothing, under the hood is a turbocharged engine with 170 hp, and the 5-speed automatic noticeably hesitates during sharp acceleration. The steering wheel is too light, the brakes, on the contrary, are overly sensitive.

2007 Renault Espace
© Photo: Sergey Krestov, 5 Koleso

And if suddenly you need to hold an off-site meeting, a family council, or transport something truly large, the Espace can easily adapt to these whims. Just fold, slide, rotate 180 degrees, or completely remove one, two, or several seats — and now the minivan turns either into a meeting room with chairs around a table, or into a closed van with a huge cargo compartment. One person can easily do all these metamorphoses in a couple of minutes thanks to well-thought-out rails and levers. The only problem is to think in advance where to put the removed seats.

Driving
During active driving, the imprecise operation of the automatic transmission and noticeable body rolls during lane changes are noticeable.

Interior
Spacious, well-finished, with a mass of transformation options.

Comfort
A stately, unyielding suspension, comfortable seats, and well-thought-out controls.

Safety
Six airbags and many electronic assistants are responsible for the passengers' peace of mind.

Price
Given the not-so-prestigious brand, the cost seems inflated.

Advantages and Disadvantages
+ Memorable appearance, convenient and spacious interior, powerful engine.
- Strange automatic transmission behavior, body rolls during lane changes, considerable price.

Our Opinion

2007 Renault Espace
© Photo: Sergey Krestov, 5 Koleso

Before the start of sales, Renault representatives said that the Espace was designed for active people, for nonconformists who do not recognize generally accepted frameworks. But stubborn statistics show: so far, there have been very few ready to be extraordinary. So far...

October 19, 2007
Author: Dmitry Tytyuchenko
© 5 Koleso