Second-Hand Sense: It was certainly a boxy and unglamorous affair when it first appeared in 1984, but even then there was no doubting its potential.
Roomy, extremely practical, really family-friendly and with great visibility the Renault Espace really did start a revolution in car design and inspired a whole new approach to family motoring.
It was something unique to Renault - although the entire industry sat up and took notice - and in some ways the principle still is. When you look at the Renault Scenic - a smaller and more affordable family car based on the original Espace philosophy - you will see Renault still has the most clever and practical of approaches.
Ironically, however, the Espace is a rare enough sight these days, mostly due to the fact that families are smaller and the Scenic more than adequately serves their needs. Most of the early models are long gone, so really there is not much point in going back beyond 1997 when the second-last model was launched. The 1997 model lasted until 2002, when it was replaced by the current model.
The Espace always tended to offer comfort and practicality over good driving characteristics. It is a fairly loose performer on the road and can be seriously challenged in heavy cornering or manoeuvring. For the long haul to the French côtes, however, the Espace is the car for the job. It will take mountains of gear and still allow you even more space to make the journey enjoyable. Smooth in a straight line and generally pleasant to drive it will not, however, give much more satisfaction than driving a well-designed van. The 2-litre petrol can also feel underpowered when the car is laden.
The Grand Espace is probably the one to go for, with its 2.2 direct diesel engine and extra interior space. Second-hand prices tend to reflect the high purchase price of the Espace. A 2-litre petrol 1999 version with 60,000 miles on the clock is on offer at €16,995 and that includes air conditioning and electric windows but little else. A '02 model with a 2-litre petrol engine and 88,000 miles on the clock still has a pretty exorbitant asking price of €24,995, even with alloy wheels, air con, remote locking and a full service history.
The Espace scores well on crash tests and the 2003 tests gave it a five-star rating out of a possible five. It was also commended for protecting children with its restraints meeting most of the Euro NCAP performance limits. Pedestrian protection was, however, "only average".
There have been some limited recalls of Espace models. Some cars produced in 1999 were recalled because a fuel line was ruinning to close to the exhaust manifold, resulting in potential fire hazard and there have been later problems with throttle housing connectors and handbrakes on some cars. Buyers should always check recalls and the periods of production affected.