Renault Megane dCi : VIBRANT FRENCH ECONOMY?

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How does Renault Megane perform with a diesel engine under the bonnet? Steve Walker finds out.

The French love a diesel car and over the last few years, we've been coming around to their way of thinking. Petrol might be on the comeback trail but if you cover enough miles to let the oil-burner pay for its higher upfront costs in fuel savings, it should still prove a sensible and satisfying ownership proposition. Of course, it's essential that you choose the right diesel car in the first place and logic would suggest that the French might do a tidy line in this particular field. Renault certainly has full confidence in its Megane dCi range but is that faith well-founded?

Renault has driven a huge wedge down the centre of its latest Megane line-up, splitting the range along the line of its two very different bodystyles. The Megane Hatch is the five-door car and it comes at the market with a straight bat in a major departure from the adventurous chic of the previous generation model. This is the practical, family friendly Megane. Coming from a very different place is the Megane Coupe. This is the three-door car and it's a massively more enticing thing to look at. Sleek and modern, it shares the basic five-door front end but places a much heavier sporting accent on the detailing. Some practicality is lost by the curvier rear of the Coupe but people who travel one or two up 90 per cent of the time will happily make that trade-off. Despite their disparate bodywork, the two Meganes are identical beneath and the similarity extends to the diesel engines. Renault's dCi diesels tend to impress more for their economy than they do for their performance but that's not to say that the diesel Meganes can't get a shift on when the need arises. The entry-level 86 and 106bhp engines share a 1.5-litre capacity which looks small for a diesel engine powering a family hatchback. Still, with maximum torque of 200Nm and 240Nm respectively, they are flexible enough for most requirements. The 0-60mph sprint is dispatched in 10.9s by the 106bhp car with the 86bhp model requiring another two seconds to cover the increment. If it's extra pace you're after, the 1.9-litre dCi engine is the way to go. Here, there's a much more substantial 130bhp on offer and 300Nm maximum torque. The sub 10s 0-60mph time doesn't tell the whole story because the real enjoyment is in the surge of acceleration that the engine produces in the mid-range for overtaking or powering up inclines.

"The dCi diesel engines are a good fit with the Renault Megane"

The differences between the Megane Coupe and the five-door Hatch don't end with the bodywork. The coupe rides 43mm lower with 12mm of that total accounted for by its lowered suspension. The ride is noticeably firmer than the five-door car but still far from uncomfortable on a well-surfaced road. Indeed, the three-door Megane must be one of the smoothest-riding small coupes out there. Refinement is another strongpoint of the package with road and wind noise well-suppressed in both models and the dCi engines proving far from intrusive at cruising speeds. The Megane has short front and rear overhangs, a long 2.64m wheelbase, a steeply-raked roofline and a wide track, all helping it appear planted on the road. It certainly exudes a feeling of much higher quality than its predecessor, with thin cut lines between the different body panels. Great care has also gone into the quality and fit and finish of the materials used and there are nice touches like the soft-touch finish on the dashboard cowling that's resistant to daily knocks and the ageing effects of sunlight. The way that the windscreen wipers are concealed beneath the bonnet line is another neat feature. Climb in and the first thing you notice at the wheel is the innovative dashboard which features an analogue rev-counter alongside a digital speedometer which also incorporates the cruise control/speed limiter display. When this function is activated, the speed selected by the driver is displayed at the top of the speedometer which is itself ringed by a sequence of lights that take the form of an arc around the central display. In speed limiter mode, the red segment lights up as the speed increases, while the selected speed begins to flash if exceeded. Space in the cabin is unexceptional but the boot volume of 372 litres in the hatch (assuming a spare wheel) figures amongst the best in the segment. The divergent exterior styling directions of the two models aren't really reflected inside with the Coupe model sharing a broadly similar interior design to the Hatch. In terms of trim levels, it's a familiar Renault case of Extreme, Expression, Dynamique or Privilege for Megane buyers. Even the Expression gets 16" alloys, air-conditioning, a trip computer, keyless entry, remote central locking and front fog lights, so it's hardly spartan. The Dynamique adds automatic wipers and headlamps, plus an upgraded stereo, cruise control and tinted windows. Standard kit also includes ESP stability control, ASR Anti-Skid Regulation and a comprehensive collection of airbags in line with Renault's excellent reputation for safety. Model for model, the Coupe comes in at just £400 over the more spacious and practical Hatch but it should appeal to a very different kind of buyer. With its sleek looks and polished feel, it could conceivably pinch sales from the compact Coupe sector as well as from rival three-door hatchbacks. The Hatch is more your traditional family hatchback contender going up against the likes of the Focus, Civic and Astra from Ford, Honda and Vauxhall. The Megane's 1.5-litre diesel engines aren't earth-shatteringly powerful but it's hard to turn your nose up at the combined economy figures: 62.8mpg from both the 86bhp and 106bhp engines is a great showing. With respective CO2 emissions of 118 and 120g/km, these units help make the Megane one of the class leaders in terms of running costs. Even the pokier diesel power option doesn't fare too badly. The 130bhp diesel returns 55.4mpg and 134g/km emissions. The dCi diesel engines are a good fit with the Renault Megane. Perhaps the economical 1.5-litre units work a little better with the straight-laced hatch than the dynamic Coupe but the more powerful option has both pace and economy nailed down, broadening its appeal. The French love affair with diesel continues apace and in a car like the Megane, many British buyers will happily be taken along for the ride. In splitting the latest Megane range, Renault has attempted to cater for a wider range of customers and there's no reason why the policy shouldn't work. The Megane's safety and interior quality are a match for any rival in the family hatch sector and while the five-door might be on the bland side, the Coupe has more than enough visual drama to go round.

Facts At A Glance
CAR: Renault Megane dCi
PRICES: £14,950-£18,790 - on the road
INSURANCE GROUPS: 5-8 C02 EMISSION: 118-134g/km
PERFORMANCE: [1.9 dCi 130] Max Speed 130mph/ 0-60mph 9.5s
FUEL CONSUMPTION: [1.5 dCi 86] (combined) 62.8mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front and side airbags / ABS with EBD / VDC
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: [Hatch] Length/Width/Height 4295/1808/1471mm