Renault scored a big success with the first generation of the Megane Scenic, renamed only Scenic after the 1999 facelift.
The French carmaker was already known and experienced in building light, family-oriented, MPVs but its Espace model needed a smaller, more affordable brother. Renault took the same platform as the one fitted on the Megane lineup and started to work on it. Even after the facelift, when the carmakers named it Scenic, the rear doors still featured a black plastic panel where the “Megane” word was still there.

At the front, the car featured distinct, larger headlights. Their rhomboidal shape resembled the company’s logo, while the small vents on the hood resembled the ones from the Megane compact lineup. From its sides, the bubble-shaped bodywork was similar to the 1996 model.

Inside, the carmaker worked hard to improve the cabin and kept it with five seats but completely changed the dashboard. It featured white dials in the instrument cluster and a different layout with the fuel and temperature gauges placed in the middle. The audio system was improved and featured a CD-player with steering-column-mounted controls. In the back, the three individual seats could have slid, tilt, or completely removed.

Under the hood, Renault installed a wide choice of gasoline and diesel options. The base version was still powered by a 1.4-liter unit but produced ten hp more than its predecessor.