Every generation of the Renault Megane has had its own style, and the latest version continues the pattern. It’s a truly individual piece of design, with an upmarket air making it look classier than any Megane gone before. It fits in well with the very appealing current Renault range, a line-up of cars with fresh, adventurous looks, from the cute Twingo to the distinctly desirable Kadjar SUV.
Desirability is key, and this is what Renault hopes will help the Megane capture buyers from rivals like the Volkswagen Golf, Ford Focus and Vauxhall Astra. It also takes on the Honda Civic, SEAT Leon, Peugeot 308 and Skoda Octavia, while also tempting people away from such good-value cars as the Kia Cee’d and Hyundai i30.
Our first taste of the latest Megane was of the top-of-the-range Megane GT, but most recently we’ve evaluated what’s expected to be the best-selling version in the UK, the mid-range Dynamique S Nav with the 108bhp diesel engine also used in the Kadjar.
It’s certainly an eye-catching car, with a far more interesting design than the previous version, with flourishes like C-shaped LED daytime running lights and easily-identified signature rear lamps. There are confident, sharp lines and attractive proportions – the Megane being a little wider than other cars in its class. It seems Renault has worked hard to increase the Megane’s ‘want factor’ in order to put it ahead of the Ford Focus in terms of showroom appeal and head-turning ability.
Renault’s hard work on the exterior hasn’t been let down by a lacklustre interior, either. It’s an exciting place to be, with certain models having a large portrait-orientated touchscreen display in the centre of the dashboard, a feature you’d usually expect on far more expensive cars like the Volvo XC90 and Tesla Model S.
In fact, the Megane is better equipped than ever been before, with Expression+ models having LED daytime running lights, DAB radio, air-conditioning and smart alloy wheels, while the R-Link 2 touchscreen infotainment and sat-nav system is standard on Dynamique Nav models upwards, along with dual-zone climate control. Dynamique S adds 17-inch alloy wheels and that impressive 8.7-inch touchscreen.
Signature Nav has an interior clad in leather, full LED headlamps and 18-inch alloy wheels, while a sports-styled model, the GT-Line, offers the looks but not the power of the full GT model, which has an advanced chassis with four-wheel steering. It’s engineered by Renaultsport, from whom we expect to see a Honda Civic Type R-rivalling version of the Megane in 2017.
There are currently four engines to choose from. The two petrols are a 1.2-litre turbo with 128bhp and a 1.6-litre 202bhp turbo exclusive to the GT. The dCi diesel range consists of a 1.5-litre with 108bhp or a 1.6-litre with 128bhp. Both diesels and 1.2-litre petrol can be equipped with a dual-clutch six-speed automatic gearbox as a £1,200 option, while it’s standard on the GT.
Economy figures range from an excellent 76.4mpg from the 108bhp 1.5-litre diesel manual (allied to road-tax-exempt 98g/km CO2 emissions) down to 47.1mpg from the 202bhp petrol GT – a figure that still isn’t bad considering the power of the car. Neither is the £130-a-year road-tax bill that results from its 134g/km emissions.
The Renault Megane achieved the full five-star rating when it was independently crash-tested by Euro NCAP, in line with the excellent reputation Renault has built up for safety over the past two decades or so.
This rating is in part thanks to sophisticated active safety technology, including adaptive cruise control (which automatically holds a safe distance from the car in front), automatic emergency braking and lane-departure systems, plus blind-spot warning and traffic-sign recognition systems.
Overall, the Renault Megane is a car that promises to keep your family safe while being transported in style and comfort, without costing the earth. It offers a strong combination of abilities and is another great addition to the Renault range. Source by carbuyer.co.uk
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