As previously Meganes, the latest version of the Renault family hatchback aims to attract buyers with style and technology. So, is the winning formula?
Auto Trader Verdict:
The latest Renault Megane no matter the best car in the hatchback class families, because it falls a bit short on quality, practicality and driving manners. That said, it's still pretty attractive proposition. It looks great, it's affordable to buy and run, and comes with the kit. For many buyers, that will be enough.
Need to know:
- The new version of the five-door family hatch Renault
- Built on the platform of the Nissan Qashqai, packed with luxury kit
- On sale now, with the range starting from £ 16,600
The latest version of the compact family hatchback Renault, the car which, traditionally, has been something of an also-ran in its class. It has never been short style, but never have the comfort and class of a Volkswagen Golf, or fun and frugality of the Ford Focus. As a result, the outgoing model was never really hit that many chord with British car buyers demand, or with us.
In theory at least, the new car seems to a much better start in life. It is built on the same platform with Kadjar Renault and Nissan Qashqai, the best cars of their kind (although the compact SUV) to drive, and uses pretty much the same range of engines. Renault also has to think hard about the type of buyer it wants to attract, and for that, the new car is absolutely packed with technology and flamboyant style.
You might recognize the C-shaped headlamp design, complete with LED daytime running lights on every model, on the other Renault models recently. There is much more interesting than that, with all sorts of curves and creases, which leads to elongated tail lights that stretches almost right across the back.
In the car, the process is dominated by a portrait of the infotainment system touch screen of 8.7 inches. At least, they were in the mid-range Dynamique S cars and above; lower-end models get the same screen 7.0-inch landscape found in other small Renault. The composition of the portrait immediately give the cabin a high tech feel, and the extra screen size does not make the R-Link 2 system easier to navigate, though still not the most intuitive system of this type.
Elsewhere in the cabin, it was a bit hit-and-miss. There are several ingredients that truly impressive display in some places, but in some others, you find it harder, plastic shine damaging the overall feeling of quality. Wonderfully sculpted seat supports and has bags of adjustment, but a small rear window and thick pillars mean your rear visibility is somewhat limited. While in the front seats have pockets of space, the rear seat is tight for both headroom and legroom - anyone over six feet tall will struggle on both counts - and legroom are also in short supply. Moreover, while the boot is a decent size at 434 liters, there is a lip which is so great that you will need to muscle heavy items on top, and rear seats do not go near the flat when you fold them down, leaving a big step and a small slope ,
Similar It's a mixture of positives and negatives when you hit the road. Neither The Megane is the most comfortable and cosseting car of its type, nor is it the sharpest or most thrilling, but it does a half-decent job in both areas. The suspension is supple enough that you will not be wincing over bumpy roads, but there's enough firmness to the make the car feel controlled and stable in bends.
There is no shortage of grip, either, but unfortunately, the steering does not really do the handling any favors. It feels incredibly remote, and when you leave the drive mode selector (provided on all but the entry-level version, altering the behavior of the steering, throttle and engine sound) in Comfort, the featherlight weighting can have you wandering around in your lane , Selecting Sport mode dumps a bunch of artificial-feeling weight into it, and Although this does not make the steering any more engaging, at least the extra resistance makes the car feel slightly more stable.
That said, the diesel engine fitted to our test car was a highlight. It's the same 108bhp 1.5-liter diesel used to cracking effect in many other cars from the Renault-Nissan alliance, and it's just as successful here. Granted, it's no ball of fire in the pace department, even when you rev it out, but its generous low-down torque makes it really flexible and easy to drive. The fact that It's also impressively smooth and quiet really helps its easy-going nature, so it's best to just sit back and adopt a lazy, short-shifting driving style. It's just a shame that the notchy, long-throw gearshift is not a little more satisfying.
We can certainly see why you might. We will not pretend that the Megane is the best car in the family hatchback class, as it has flaws in a lot of areas. But, if the class leaders are too common or too conservative for your tastes, then we could understand you Choosing the chic-looking Renault.
If you do, you'll enjoy a generous amount of standard equipment. The entry-level Expression + models comes with alloy wheels, cruise control, air-con, four electric windows and a DAB stereo with Bluetooth, while the upgrade to Dynamique Nav trim earns you nav (obvs!), Climate control, automatic lights and wipers , keyless entry, rear parking sensors and a part-leatherette upholstery. Dynamique S Nav gets you the portrait screen, front parking sensors and a reversing camera, while Signature Nav has full leather trim and LED headlamps; GT Line Nav gets a sporty body kit; and, GT Nav has four-wheel steering and a twin-clutch gearbox.
On top of that, being a Renault, the Megane will be one of the safest cars in its class. It's already earned the maximum five-star rating from Euro NCAP, and all versions come with six airbags and tire pressure monitoring, while all but the entry-level version Also have a lane departure warning and automatic high / low-beam lights. Strange, then, that autonomous emergency braking (standard-fit on many of its rivals) is left on the options list for all versions.
The 1.5 dCi Dynamique S tested here costs £ 20k, making it a useful slice cheaper than rivals like the Focus and Golf. The car Also returns the official figures of 76.4mpg and 96g / km, the which is pretty impressive by class standards and will the make the Megane affordable to run.
A word of warning, though: if our experience is anything to go by, it'll be the lower-end versions of the Megane that the make most sense. Also we tried the £ 25,500 GT 205 version, the which is the sportiest version currently available and powered by a 202bhp 1.6-liter petrol. It's really not up to much, as it has Neither the pace nor the involvement of a hot hatch, but it does have the punishing ride. Our advice? Stick with the more modest Megane models, and you'll be far better off.
Key facts:
- Model: Renault Megane 1.5 dCi 110 Dynamique S Nav manual
- Price: £ 20,400
- Engine: 1.5-liter diesel, six-speed manual
- Power / torque: 108bhp / 192lb ft
- 0-62mph: 11.3secs
- Top speed: 116mph
- Economy: 76.4mpg
- CO2 / BIK tax liability: 96g / km / 19%
- Boot space: 434 liters
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