Renault’s venerable people-carrier model, the Espace, gets a facelift and a hybrid powertrain that the French automaker claims is the most efficient in its class.
Its hybrid E-Tech powertrain claims a total system power output of 206-hp and 339 ft.-lb. (459.92 Nm) of torque enabling a 0-to-62 mph (0-100 km/h) sprint time of 8.8 seconds and a top speed of 112 mph (180 km/h).
More importantly for the typical family consumer, it also claims a combined WLTP fuel consumption of 49 mpg (21 km/L) and boasts a system range of up to 683 miles (1099 km).
Its powertrain incorporates a 3-cyl. 1.2L turbocharged gasoline engine claiming output of 132-hp and 151 ft.-lb. (205 Nm) of torque coupled with two electric motors powered by a 400V lithium-ion battery. The larger of the two motors is used for driving and has a capacity of 49-hp and 151 ft.-lb of torque while the smaller one is a high-voltage starter generator, with 25-hp and 37 ft.-lb. (50 Nm) of torque and also manages gear changes.
The drivetrain uses Renault’s 4Control Advanced 4-wheel steering system to improve its turning agility by moving the rear wheels by up to just one-degree in the same direction as the front wheels.
At low speeds, the rear wheels are turned in the opposite direction by up to five-degrees especially useful for navigating congested city streets. This system improves the turning circle from 38 ft. (11.5 m) for a two-wheel steered vehicle to just 34 ft. (10.3m).
Available in five or seven seats, the new Renault Espace also claims the brand’s largest panoramic Solarbay roof.
Bruno Vanel, vice-president product, says: “Adopting Renault's new design language, our family SUV, in either 5-seat or 7-seat configuration, is now in harmony with the rest of the range while retaining its DNA as a long-distance traveler thanks to its full hybrid E-Tech 200 powertrain.”
