Renault Megane II Range

A series of tweaks and enhancements has refreshed Renaults Megane for another tilt At the Family Hatch sectors top spot. Steve Walker reports

At this juncture, its probably just about safe to brand Renaults Megane a success and where better for the white-hot iron be applied than square onto the vehicles standout feature that huge, protruding rump? Most people werent quite sure what to make of this Megane when it first emerged. Its groundbreaking styling divided opinion and saw the car teeter on the line between flop and phenomenon in the public consciousness for a while. Then most people decided they actually rather liked it. Renault had succeed in producing a family hatch that looked distinctive, stylish and quite unlike anything else on the market.

Their reward was 2.4million sales across Western Europe and the Meganes was a mild facelift to keep things fresh.

Build
Comfort
Depreciation
Economy
Equipment
Handling
Insurance
Performance
Styling
Value

Todays Megane doesnt differ all that much from the original, with Renault sensibly deciding to gently massage their winning formula rather than drastically change it. More observant members of the public might spot elongated, sleeker headlamps and alterations to the grille which see everything come together in a V shape either side of a more prominent Renault badge at the front. The bumper and under bumper intake have been reshaped at the front, while the rear benefits from its own re-sculpted bumper and revised light clusters. The Megane line-up is a broad as ever with no less than seven distinct bodystyles on offer priced from £8,988.

The five-door Hatch, the three-door Sport Hatch, the Sport Saloon and the Sport Tourer estate form the mainstay of the range but then you have spin-off models such as the Scenic and Grand Scenic MPVs, and the Coupe-Cabriolet. Trim levels extend from Freeway and Extreme through Authentique, Expression, Dynamique and GT to Privilege but there are also driver-focused Renaultsport models to consider. Most intriguing amongst these is the Renaultsport 230 F1 Team R26 special edition which as the bulky name hints, is a tie-in with Renaults successful F1 operation - the current Grand Prix car being called the R26. Based on the Renaultsport 225 Cup, it yields various styling enhancements and squeezes five extra horsepower from the turbocharged 2.

0-litre engine. If thats a little too extreme, the 175bhp Renaultsport dCi diesel is well worth a look.

"The Meganes most impressive engine could well be the 2.0-litre dCi 150"

As is the norm in this sector, Renault make a diverse selection of engines available in the Megane. The 1.4 and 1.6 units are the stalwarts of the petrol line-up, both agreeable 16-valve units developing 100 and 110bhp respectively with the 1.

4 averaging over 40mpg. Then theres the 2.0-litre 136bhp option which, along with the 1.6, can be equipped with an automatic gearbox.

The 165bhp 2.0-litre Turbo powerplant is usefully quick, making 62mph from standstill in 8.3s, but those seeking real hot hatch credentials will need to step up to the 225bhp and 230bhp 2.0-litre Turbo units found in the Renaultsport offerings.

The diesel range is almost as broad. An 85bhp 1.5dCi unit opens proceedings with its headline-grabbing fuel economy average of 62mpg. Its not all that quick though and some may prefer the 105bhp version of this engine which is a second and a half faster to 62mph but still returns 60mpg.

The 130bhp 1.9-litre dCi is a strong all-rounder, packing 300Nm of torque at just 2,000rpm. It will achieve 0-62mph acceleration figures of 9s, return 50mpg at the pumps and its the only diesel you can get with automatic transmission. The Meganes most impressive mainstream engine could well be the 2.

0-litre dCi 150. With 0-60mph acceleration of 8.7s, its only fractionally slower than the 165bhp petrol alternative but it can still deliver 52mpg economy. Theres plenty of punch through the mid range thanks to the 340Nm of torque thats available from 2,000rpm.

That diesel is only trumped by the dCi 175 in the Renaultsport model. It will do 60mph in 8 seconds on the way to a 137mph top speed. The Meganes interior doesnt really mirror the cars unorthodox exterior styling but its a far from unpleasant place to be and build quality is strong. The gently-curving centre console is neatly laid-out with the audio, heating and ventilation controls.

The buttons may be a little small for some tastes but its refreshingly simple to locate the function you want. The instrument binnacle features chrome-ringed dials with white background lighting while Dynamique models carry this chromed theme on to the air-vents and door handles. The aircraft-style handbrake is an interesting touch that also works well enough and there are traditional Renault features such as the keyless entry, rain-sensing wipers and automatic headlamps - depending on the model you choose. Rear parking sensors are an option that will appeal if youre wary of taking the sheen off your Meganes party-piece rear end in a car park shunt.

The Meganes driving experience majors on comfort, with suspension that cossets you along well-insulated from the road surface. The tube-in-tube steering column also works to refine the experience at the wheel, cutting down on vibrations but maintaining the responsiveness and feel you need for an engaging drive. The Megane is by no means the sportiest of the family hatch contenders but its blend of impressive refinement and not uninvolving dynamics make a lot of sense in a car that must appeal to such a wide audience. It seems to be almost a given these days that each new Renault model will receive five stars from the men in white coats at the Euro NCAP crash testing laboratory and the Megane didnt disappoint.

The car is equipped with ESP stability control, CSV understeer control and ASR traction control. Then, should you somehow manage to confound that little lot and relinquish control of your Megane, Renaults Intelligent Protection System uses crumple zones and a plethora of airbags to keep the occupants safe. All five NCAP stars were predictably forthcoming. There will still be those who cant get on with the Renault Meganes oversize rump but if the sales charts are to be believed, theyre increasingly in the minority.

Its good to see a piece of bold design being rewarded with commercial success in this way and theres no real reason why the Meganes strong showroom performance shouldnt continue. The enhancements to the engine range, tweaks to the styling and boosted equipment levels will help to keep things ticking over for what is a well-rounded product and were not just talking about its rear end.

FACTS AT A GLANCE

CAR: Renault Megane II Hatch and Sport Hatch range
PRICES: £8,988-£20,850 on the road
INSURANCE GROUPS: 3E-18E
CO2 EMISSIONS: 120-191g/km
PERFORMANCE: [2.0] Max Speed 124mph / 0-60mph 9.2s
FUEL CONSUMPTION: [2.0dCi] (urban) 40 (extra urban) 61.4 (combined) 52.3mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front, side, curtain and anti submarine airbags / seatbelt pre-tensioners / ABS
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: (5dr) Length/Width/Heightmm 4209/1777/1457