Renault Megane review ~ station of gear

For:

Efficient engines, practical interior, comfortable ride

Our Rating:

Against:

Not the sharpest to drive, limited engine range at launch, no hardcore RS for the time being

2016

The new Renault Megane is practical, efficient, comfortable and well built, it has the measure of almost all of its rivals

The new Renault Megane improves tenfold over the outgoing model. Not only is it more stylish and more desirable, it’s also better built, nicer to drive and even more efficient. It’s not the sharpest car in its class to drive, but its mix of abilities should ensure it finds a place on your shortlist if you’re in the market for a classy, spacious and cheap-to-run family car.

9 Dec, 2016

There’s no denying Renault has pulled out all the stops for the design of the latest Megane. At the front is the brand’s trademark diamond logo, flanked by a pair of headlamps framed by distinctive C-shaped LED running lights. Look down the sides of the car and you’ll spot the bulging rear wheelarches and neat kick in the window line ahead of the C-pillar, which are both reminiscent of the Clio supermini. At the rear are the eye-catching LED tail-lamps that run nearly the whole width of the bootlid.

GT Line models make even more of an impact courtesy of their bespoke bumpers, rear diffuser, metallic grey door mirror housings and unique 17-inch alloy wheels. The racy theme is even more obvious inside, with bright blue trim inserts in the doors and dashboard, plus the chunky, high-backed sports front seats. Elsewhere, it’s standard Megane, so you get slick design, high-grade materials and cutting-edge kit.

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Renault has made big strides with quality, and soft-touch materials are used throughout, while the interior feels robustly built. Everything falls neatly to hand, and the dials are easy to read.

The Megane’s showroom appeal is further boosted by the standard kit tally, which extends to keyless entry, dual-zone climate control, configurable mood lighting and automatic lights and wipers.

Sat-nav, stereo and infotainment

Entry-level cars get a dot-matrix display in the centre console, but Renault doesn’t expect to sell many cars in the most basic trims. Mid-spec motors use a landscape touchscreen but top-of-the-range cars get 8.7-inch R-Link 2 infotainment screen, which sits portrait-style in the centre of the dashboard.

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This unit groups together the sat-nav, driving modes and hi-fi controls, giving the rest of the dash a clutter-free look. The graphics are all sharply defined, while the on-screen functions respond crisply. Ahead of the driver is a seven-inch configurable TFT display that combines the speedo, rev counter and trip computer.

It doesn’t take long behind the wheel of the Renault Megane to discover that the brand’s engineers have focused on comfort and refinement. Not only does it ride well, but noise levels are impressively low, too. This relaxed approach extends to the car’s outright acceleration, though, with the popular 1.5-litre dCi diesel falling short of punchier rivals.

On the road, however, the diesel Renault feels every bit as eager as a SEAT Leon 1.6 TDI, plus its slightly shorter sixth gear means you’re less likely to need a downshift from the slick manual box on the motorway. There’s decent grunt, and it doesn’t sound too brash, either.

Refinement is impressive, and the Megane rides well, too. At low and medium speeds it soaks up bumps with the sort of supple finesse for which French models used to be famous. It’s also settled at motorway speeds, but sharp ridges send a shockwave through the cabin. Overall, it’s calm and composed.

This emphasis on comfort means the Renault doesn’t handle quite as sharply as rivals like the SEAT Leon or indeed the latest Vauxhall Astra. It’s still capable and poised through corners, but if you’re a keen driver then your money might be better spent elsewhere.

The steering is a little light and the Megane turns in more lazily than the Vauxhall, but once settled, the Renault grips hard. And while there’s some roll, body control is good, with mid-corner bumps failing to knock the Megane off line.

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Until the RS arrives, the Megane GT is the most powerful and sportiest model. It uses the same 1.6-litre turbo as the smaller Clio RS, only here it’s been tuned to produce a more potent 202bhp. The engine is relatively gutsy, and with launch control can sprint away from the line remarkably effectively. The 4Control four-wheel steering gives the chassis more bite, and we found the Renault agile and keen to change direction on twistier sections of tarmac.

Engines

Disappointingly, Renault hasn’t launched the Megane with a full range of engines. Instead, it is drip-feeding them over a longer period of time, with the high-performance RS not due until later in 2017.

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However, the selection isn’t exactly stingy, with a suitable range of petrol and diesel units to suit most tastes. The entry-level 128bhp 1.2-litre turbo is sprightly, and is offered with a choice of manual and automatic gearboxes. Apart from the top-spec 202bhp Megane GT, it’s the only petrol engine from launch – though more powerful variants will appear later.

There are two diesels to choose from, with either 108bhp, or 128bhp. The basic unit is punchy enough, though the higher-power car will suit those after more grunt and better acceleration. Again, both come with the option of a dual-clutch auto.

Renault hasn’t always had the best reputation for quality and customer care, but has worked hard to improve. The firm finished eighth out of 32 manufacturers in our latest Driver Power satisfaction survey, nine places ahead of Peugeot. Renault’s garages topped our dealer chart, too.

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The Megane has a strong safety record, with Euro NCAP awarding it five stars. All versions get six airbags and a speed limiter, while the GT Line adds traffic sign recognition, high beam assist and lane departure warning. Autonomous emergency braking is offered with the adaptive cruise control upgrade, at £400.

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Warranty

All new Renaults get a four-year/100,000-mile warranty, which makes it one of the most competitive guarantees on offer. Most rivals offer three-year setups, so the extra 12 months could come in handy if you plan to keep your car for longer. If you want or need to, you can extend this by a further 12 months for £229.

Servicing

Renault offers a four- year/40,000-mile servicing pack for just £499. A single service starts from £169 and Renault even offers a free vehicle health check for certain cars. Brake pads cost from £89, while owners can change both pads and discs from £199.

Despite being almost identical in length and width, the Renault Megane boasts a bigger boot than both the SEAT Leon and Vauxhall Astra. Better still, the 434-litre load bay is well shaped, although there’s a step down to the boot floor.

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This emphasis on luggage carrying ability means there’s a fraction less legroom in the rear, but extra features such as the rear air vents add a touch of luxury for passengers. Elsewhere, there’s plenty of handy storage, including flock-lined door bins and a trinket tray that also houses the USB and 12V connectors. Yet as with many French cars, the Megane’s glovebox is tiny as it has to share space with the fusebox – a problem not found when the car is converted to European left-hand-drive markets.

Size

The Megane’s external dimensions are a match for both the SEAT Leon and Vauxhall Astra. At 4.36m long and 1.81m wide, it’s feels easy enough to manoeuvre, while also offering decent interior dimensions.

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Leg room, head room & passenger space

While the front seats are supportive, they eat into legroom in the back slightly. Despite being nice and wide, the Megane doesn’t offer any space advantage over its rivals, and occupants will find the Renault is no more roomy in the back than a Vauxhall Astra.

Boot

With its 434-litre boot, the Megane serves up strong practicality, as well as decent performance and agile handling. However, fold the rear seats down and the 1,237-litre load bay this creates is actually smaller than the area found on both the SEAT Leon and Vauxhall Astra. There’s also a pronounced loading lip that you’ll have to lift cases past, while our test car didn’t have any underfloor storage as it featured a space-saver spare and a Bose subwoofer.

Renault has long prided itself on its economical diesel engines – and the point is proven in the latest Megane. The dCi 110 will allegedly return as much as 76.3mpg, while rock-bottom CO2 emissions of 96g/km mean it’s free to tax. Add the auto box and fuel economy drops to 74.3mpg, but emissions of 98g/km mean it is still exempt from VED. A Peugeot 308 BlueHDI is cleaner still, but in reality, few buyers will realise a true cost difference in the real world.

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The petrols aren’t bad either, with the TCe 130 managing 52.3mpg and 120g/km CO2 emissions. It’s worth noting that these models aren’t subject to the three per cent BiK diesel surcharge for company car drivers. Understandably, the high-power petrol is the least efficient, returning 47.1mpg, while emitting 134g/km of CO2.

Private buyers will be heartened by the brand’s PCP deals, which feature a low 3.9 per cent APR and dealer contribution of £1,750. With a modest customer deposit of around £2,000, you’ll be paying just £269 a month for a dCi 110 Dynamique S over three years.

Insurance groups

Insurance groups start at Group 14 for an entry-level Megane Expression with the 1.2-litre petrol engine. A range-topping Signature Nav with the automatic gearbox sits just one group higher, while the most popular dCi diesel in Dynamique S Nav trim falls into Group 21. The 202bhp GT petrol is Group 27.

Depreciation

Buy a Renault Megane and be prepared to suffer fairly heavy depreciation. An entry-level model will only retain around 38 per cent of its value, while some models are even worse. A top-spec GT petrol will hold on to as little as 35 per cent over three-years and 36,000 miles.

A Vauxhall Astra is similar, though many models manage to retain more than 40 per cent of their value, which is good in a class like this. The more desirable SUV body of Renault’s own Kadjar crossover is a better bet if you’re worried about plummeting prices, as it’ll retain closer to 50 per cent of its original list price after three years.

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