R.I.P vans with seats; long live… just what is the new Espace exactly? It started off so simply: the design of the first generation in 1984 made us understand that there was more space than a normal car, that the engine occupied a smaller space and that this probably wasn’t a driver’s car. Visibility was excellent, and inside we found more seats than usual. The first Renault MPV was a pleasant surprise.
That was mostly proportional and architectural association, before feature and form implied status and emotions. The new Espace has grown curves out of no-where and the rocker is now knee-height. This, a feature that was originally conceived to be stepped upon! But it does not matter, because the result is extremely impressive. The car needed to change, because the world changed around it. Customers now assume the versatility, so the design has to not just stand like a first-gen wall-flower, but engage and convince in a saturated market. This is not easy, and it is why Renault has propagated the crossover trend.
This used to be something rare: a Land Rover Freelander here, a Toyota RAV4 there. Now we live in a world where the Opel Adam Rocks channels the spirit of the Suzuki Vitara X90. How can Renault stand by and idly watch its flagship capsize without similar use of inflatables? For inflated is what best describes the shoulder. And the arches. It looks positively puffy next to the original, but then we all do next to our former selves. The effect of the raised rocker is to minimize the distance between it and the roof-line, making the car appear sleeker. Renault has also avoided the tendency to add too much wedge to the shoulder line, although children might find it rather high. Indeed the near parallel roof and shoulder elongates the car, suiting the styling to high speed stability rather than nimble acceleration.
Who would have thought a mainstream brand that focused on families could be a niche? Yet Renault has done it better than most, and a big part of the success is understanding the brand and executing those sculptural surfaces. These are forms that demand to be touched, encouraging a physical connection with the car, acting as metaphor for the intimacy of family. In a market where precision of creases is shorthand for premium, Renault has concentrated on curves, lending affordable cars authenticity in place of pretension.
But I feel a trick has been missed. The new Espace does much to justify its place in the Renault range and on the shopping-lists of families, yet the final push to Volvo XC90 levels of usability has been shied away from. This is ironic as the Swedish SUV was conceived to offer the flexibility of the French van. Renault might do well to raise the roof, increase accommodation and resurrect the Grand Espace.
Despite a world where even station wagons can claim classic status (I am looking at you, W123 TE), MPVs remain the last segment to be cherished as much as coupes et al. If that ever happens, don’t be surprised if it is the French leading the cause.
Robert Forrest writes about cars and design at thesilvercowcreamer
Perceptive observations, I suggest, from someone who’s knowledgeable and infirmed on his topic.
Reading a professional designer explaining his subject as well as this.
Thanks Richard
Unfortunately, no auto manufacturer is willing to really be a niche manufacturer. They feel they have to go for the numbers, sell to the maximum amount of customers possible, even (and especially) to those who wouldn’t be caught dead in that product.
I love that first generation Espace. Excellent room, excellent visibility, replace the sedan rear doors with sliding style and it’d be perfect. The later generation (I assume) shown keeps the honesty of the original while being a bit more stylish. The latest generation? Meh. Gotta make the people mover look like an SUV because it doesn’t inflate the owner’s ego enough to drive a people mover (or mini van).
Then again, I’ve got no problem with owning a mini van. No, I’ll never be as cool as the guy driving the 911 showing up at Virginia International Raceway for whatever card is running this weekend. But, unlike him, I get to camp in the infield for the weekend, not shuttle between the track and the Danville, VA motel. And fight for parking each day. And the best part of a race weekend is what goes on overnight, after the cars or motorcycles have been parked in the pits.
Unless people hate being identified as being in family mode, or need serious winter capability, I don’t understand the hostility to minivans, which are much more space-efficient than SUVs of similar size.
Only thing is, they’re getting a bit overstyled lately, while the best-looking vans have been the least pretentious, like the early Espace. Vans are wheeled boxes, let’s not pretend otherwise.
What I hate most about modern vans is the cramped front seats. They have grown quite large yet driver legroom has been reduced. And yes, they are all ugly. We’ve been having trouble finding a likeable replacement for our ’05 Grand Caravan.
I like the styling on the first generation.
The origami designs of that era like the Espace and Lotus Esprit still look good to me, especially compared to the bloated armored personnel carrier look of the latest edition.
I really liked the previous-gen Espace. It was an honest shape, yet still stylish and odd (though some of that novelty may be because I’m used to US minivans). An interstellar cargo ship!
Firstly: those wheels are HUGE. Definitely too big. The overall shape and lines of the car only reinforce their optical perception. Overall, the car looks like a modern crossover, but some sci-fi mutant on steroids. I think it looks silly, at least in the presented pictures (heavily retouched, undoubtedly). I’ve seen photos of production examples and they do look a bit more ‘normal’, but still weird.
Speaking of ‘saturated market’ – I think that in Europe, it’s more correct to speak of a shrinking market when it comes to full-size minivans (MPVs). For years, compact MPVs and even smaller ‘mini MPVs’ have been more popular anyway (because they are cheaper, consume less fuel, can have smaller engines and smaller exterior dimensions – all this is important in Europe with it’s narrow roads, tiny parking spaces, astronomical fuel prices and registration costs). The MPV is also ‘under attack’ from station wagons* and, recently, crossovers.
Since first generation of Espace and Chrysler Voyager were offered in Europe, many other manufacuters also developed their own fullsize MPVs, but many have since been discontinued (notably, the Fiat/Peugeot/Lancia “Eurovan”), and Toyota for example does not even offer a fullsize SUV in Europe. The only players left are Renault Espace, Ford Galaxy, VW Sharan (and its twin, SEAT Alhambra), and what remains of the Chryser Voyager – and I think that’s it. And I think none of them are selling in significant numbers any more (perhaps only the VW/SEAT).
Will the 5th generation Espace turn the tide (at least for Renault)? I doubt it. I think many potential buyers will be put off by the weird looks (and also by prices which reportedly will start at 30.000 EUR – for this money, most folks will more likely look at VW/SEAT)
*For modern European family drivers, station wagons are seen as a more ‘sporty/cool’ alternative to MPVs (full size or compact). This is because carmakers and their marketing departments have succeeded in convincing European consumers that cars, even if they are mere family haulers, somehow need to be able to race up and down twisty Alpine roads, and every European family father needs to spend at least one weekend per month racing his station wagon on the Nordschleife…
The wheels on the pictured car are 19” actually. That’s big, but not as gigantic as they appear. Blame those ridiculously overblown wheel arches. If you look past the bling bling, it actually still is a fairly spacious car with little SUV attributes.
That being said, I feel the new Espace doesn’t live up to its name anywhere as much as its predecessors did. The old ones were not only big and spacious but also felt that way inside. They also had intelligent space utilisation, with movable seats that could be rotated, no centre console blocking the way (gear lever was on the floor directly in front of the dashboard), and spaces and lockers everywhere. The new one, on the other hand, is just big, doesn’t have any of those smart solutions, and is built like a bunker.
Given the shrinking market I’m almost surprised Renault even bothered building a new one, after the old Espace had been on the market for so long – and selling so slowly. The (Grand) Scenic already largely filled its spot, and even that car is getting under threat of a CUV, the new Kadjar. The smaller Modus was already replaced by the Captur.
The old Espace’s may have been big but they were not that well thought out. On the SWB if you reclined the 3rd row of seats you could hit the window. If you slid the 2nd row forward you could get to a point where you would still have reasonable leg room but there would be no room between the seat and the B Pillar. On top of that the seats were big and heavy to move when the Galaxy and Smax came on the scene the Espace looked and felt ancient when it came to usability.
It was however a fantastic car to drive, you had brilliant visibility and a chassis that you could push further than you would imagine. It was a massive beast that you could hustle with a smile on your face.
Vans with seats are making a come back. Ford Transit Connect last year came with up to 7 seats. Ram Promaster City has a 5 seat wagon. I’ve been waiting for a replacement for the VW bus for over 25 years; finally have it. And these have reliable engines with enough power, AC, crash worthiness, and don’t cost a fortune…..except for the fact there are zero dollars spent on marketing them and nobody knows they even exist….
The Connect passenger version is mostly for Chicken Tax evasion; people-hauling is not its strong suit.
Don’t forget the new full-sized E-series replacement, the Kansas City-built Ford Transit, derived from their European version. I know some Econoline diehards who are skeptical, but this has been long overdue. I spoke with a fellow who was renting one for a Superbowl party, and he liked it. Tip: its gas cap door is right behind the driver’s door; he had fun finding that.
Actually all Transit Connects evade the chicken tax by being imported with windows and seats. The buyer of the passenger version just pays extra for *not* having these amenities removed once the vehicle is imported.
The latest model passenger version seems to have plenty of passenger room, actually, but it is also a little too conventional for me. Once I saw that it was coming I purchased one of the original versions (a 2012) and I’ve been very happy with it. Great visibility, styling that could have been doing via a ruler, absolutely no pretentiousness, and massive cargo-hauling room. And unusual enough that I get people (including, yes, women) coming up to me to ask what it is.
Yes, though, rear seat legroom is a joke (I am an empty nester and have had a rear passenger once or twice, at most) and the power train is not very impressive (I’d love to have a hybrid or electric one). But it sure is great to just be able to lift a large mountain bike inside, for example — no wheel removal or other fuss.
I would have bought the original Scion Xb or an Element new if I had been in the market in time, but I missed out …
If you want a cheap, tall and roomy Renault:
That Renault van with the rounded windows looks similar to this old Renault 4cv.
The Renault Kangoo is especially popular as a van, so as a full-commercial vehicle. With a fuel sipping 1.5 liter turbo diesel, also used by Mercedes. You simply can’t beat the French when it comes to small-displacement diesel engines.
You don’t see them very often with rear seats and windows, its concept certainly reminds me of the good old Renault 4. Yet bigger, heavier, but also much safer !
….And this is not a photoshop: a Renault Kangoo wearing a 3-pointed star, called the Mercedes-Benz Citan. There are some differences though, like another dash, other seats and a stiffer suspension.
But it is a Renault, built by Renault.
And if you have a big family there’s this. There’s plenty of minivan-choice if your Renault doesn’t have to look fancy.
Oh dear. I thank God I never needed an MPV. I drove a first generation Espace once or twice – it wasn’t brand new – and it was the worst thing I have ever been inside. Great idea, poorly executed. Even B.L might have done it better. I am sure the subsequent steel-bodied Espace was better.
The new Espace has to look the way it is because that is what consumers seem to want .
I have always wanted to know how the name Espace is pronounced.
Is it pronounced ee-space or s-pass?
I agree the latest Espace looks a bit odd (not Fiat Multipla odd) and I am not sure about the lowered roof fad that seems to be what auto makes think the next big thing is. Look at the current Grand Cherokee. The lowered roof make it look like somebody dropped something on it.
It’s pronounced “eh-spAHss”
It would have been cool if AMC had imported the Espace to the states. Would have made a good seller to compete with the Chrysler mini vans.
I believe they came close to doing it. I seem to remember reading a Popular Science article comparing a Dodge minivan, Chevy Astro, Ford minivan (can’t remember the model name, dammit) and the Espace where it mentioned that AMC was going to import them. This was about ’85 or ’86.
That must have been the Ford Aerostar.
The article (and all of Popular Science) is available through Google Books.
Link here: https://books.google.com/books?id=jQAAAAAAMBAJ&lpg=PA76&dq=popular%20science%20renault%20espace&pg=PA75#v=onepage&q=popular%20science%20renault%20espace&f=false
That original Espace is one of the best shapes to come of the 80s.
+1
As alluded to above, most mini vans have evolved into massive fat cats and lost touch with their origins.
Just yesterday I parked my Pontiac Vibe next to a 1st Gen Plymouth Voyager. That Voyager was not much bigger.
Oh I don’t know about that. They get better gas mileage than ever while hauling today’s huge child seats and offering unmatched hauling flexibility with 80’s muscle-car power and are far safer.
So yes, they have evolved, but I think most would agree it’s almost all for the better. Except the styling.
I sometimes wonder of some of the naysayers have driven both generations.
I never would have guessed this is a Renault Espace unless you told me. My first guess would have been “some Mitsubishi concept car from a few years ago”
I don’t dislike it, and it’s definitely a lot more interesting than most crossovers, but oh man… looking at it next to the earlier generations is pretty depressing.
Um, the model code for Mercedes-Benz station wagon in the aforementioned photo is actually called S123…