► New sixth-gen Renault Espace
► Five or seven seats, hybrid tech
► 215kg lighter, just 104g/km CO2
The new Renault Espace has been unveiled, updating the class-defining MPV for a sixth generation. Note how the boundaries between people carrier and SUV are becoming more blurred – on first acquaintance, the new 2023 Espace has morphed into more of a crossover than a minivan.
The Espace is one of Renault’s most iconic nameplates, practically inventing the people carrier segment when the first one arrived in 1984.
The company says ‘the all-new Espace has an SUV vibe and athletic and elegant design, and the Esprit Alpine trim adds a motorsports edge.’ That’s quite a claim for a lumbering SUV, heavily based on the Renault Austral SUV.
The new Espace has yet to be confirmed for UK sale; the last model was withdrawn from right-hand drive markets, owing to poor sales and Renault’s drive for more profitable scale.
The new 2023 Renault Espace: the lowdown
Only one fully undisguised photograph has been issued so far, giving us a rear three-quarters view of the new Espace crossover. The company has confirmed that both five- and seven-seat versions will be offered.
Renault says it’ll run on the group’s latest CMF-CD hardware. That platform has underpinned cars from the Renault Nissan Alliance for almost a decade, including the previous-generation Espace (which we never got in the UK due to low demand), the previous-generation Megane, current Nissan Qashqai and Renault Austral.
Renault has worked hard to remove mass from the Espace, claiming a 215kg weight saving compared with its predecessor.
A 197bhp E-Tech hybrid powertrain has been confirmed, promising 61mpg, 104g/km of CO2 and 683 miles of range based on the WLTP economy standards. Pretty impressive numbers for a full-size MPV/SUV.
Other notable features include a vast 1sq m sunroof, ‘one of the largest on the market’ designed to bathe the interior in daylight (see below), and 4Control Advanced, the group’s four-wheel steering tech, for more nimble handling and manoeuvrability around town.
We’ll be sure to update this news article as more pictures and details emerge.
Renault Espace video guide
See the new 2023 Renault Espace in the video preview below, featuring top executives CEO Fabrice Cambolive, design chief Gilles Vidal and product head Bruno Vanel talk you around the new Espace.
Orders on the Continent begin in spring 2023.