Is the Renault Espace an imported vehicle?
3 Answers
Renault Espace is an imported vehicle, which belongs to the 5-door 7-seater MPV category. Taking the Renault Espace 2018 300 Elegance Paris Edition as an example, its body dimensions are: length 4878 mm, width 1888 mm, height 1675 mm, wheelbase 2884 mm, and fuel tank capacity 57 liters. The Renault Espace 2018 300 Elegance Paris Edition is equipped with a 1.8T inline 4-cylinder turbocharged engine, with a maximum horsepower of 224 hp, maximum power of 165 kW, maximum power speed of 5600 rpm, and is paired with a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission.
I've been following Renault models, especially the Espace MPV. As far as I know, it is indeed an imported vehicle, officially named Renault Espace MPV, directly imported from France to the Chinese market. Its imported status is reflected in the fact that the entire vehicle is manufactured in Europe, with no local assembly or production in China. Although the Renault brand has now withdrawn from the Chinese market, the models sold domestically between 2017 and 2019 were all officially imported versions. The advantage of imported cars lies in preserving the authentic French design, such as the unique floating roof and aviation-style seats. The downside, however, is the higher cost of parts and longer wait times for repairs. To verify if it's imported, you can check the vehicle's nameplate for the place of origin or consult the import customs documents.
In the automotive industry, I've come across many cases, and the Renault Espace is a classic example of an imported vehicle. It was never produced in China, relying entirely on import channels for sales. Imported cars entail higher tariffs and transportation costs, which explains why the new car prices back then ranged from 250,000 to 330,000 yuan. I've seen its import customs documents, clearly indicating its origin as France. The advantage of such imported MPVs lies in their more refined chassis tuning and materials compared to domestic versions—for instance, the front MacPherson and rear torsion beam suspension setup exudes the resilience typical of European cars. However, maintaining imported vehicles can indeed be more troublesome; minor accidents might require weeks for parts replacement. Fortunately, professional parallel importers now offer after-sales support.
