SUNROOFS in cars have really fallen out of favour in recent times. Little wonder, now air con’s de rigueur.

But I had a revelation last week, that made me realise they still have their place – as lifesavers.

One test Renault Grand Scenic. Dynamique spec, with a few choice options, including the whizzy electric sunroof.

In the style of the Peugeot 205, this slides outside the vehicle, rather than inside, so looks super-cool on the move.

But, as well as popping ‘up and over’, it also tilts upwards, like the roof of every 1980s company car driver’s dreams. Tilting sunroof, at the turn of a knob rather than the crank of a handle. Majestic.

I did this, randomly, one morning. Know what happened? I immediately felt loads more awake. Why? Because all the stuffy air that was unknowingly rising within the cabin had an instant route to escape. There was now airflow in the Renault, from fresh in the vents, through me, and out the roof.

The carbon monoxide levels in the car plunged, I felt a million dollars and Renault had someone closer to justifying the heinous cost of electric sunroofs nowadays.

Far from being frozen out by air con, the sunroof still has a place – as a safety aid. Hot air rises. Here’s its escape route… meaning that bit less risk that it’ll be you relying on a lucky escape.

Of course, they probably knew all this in the 1980s already. Again: to learn, first you must look back…

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