Renault MODUS dCi RANGE
If You Want A State Of The Art Small Car, Renaults Modus dCi Is About As Good As It Gets. Andy Enright Reports
If you pause to consider how many car manufacturers are attempting something quite novel, the count is depressingly small. All too many of them peruse a copycat philosophy, waiting for one of the others to make the expensive mistakes.
Renault isnt like that. Instead its a company that likes to gamble on predicting customer trends.
Some of them, such as the Avantime and Vel Satis models, havent fared too well. In contrast, the Modus looks set to pay off in spades and the diesel-engined models look set to be the biggest winners of the bunch.
| Build |
 |
| Comfort |
 |
| Depreciation |
|
| Economy |
|
| Equipment |
|
| Handling |
|
| Insurance |
|
| Performance |
 |
| Styling |
 |
| Value |
|
Everything about the Modus is fresh, funky and bang up to date.
Renault have also forged a reputation for developing smooth and punchy diesel engines and three are available in the Modus line up. The trio that have been pencilled in for the UK are 65bhp and 86bhp 1.5-litre dCi units plus a 106bhp range-topper.
The 65 and 86bhp powerplants have each, when fitted to the Clio, won Diesel Car magazines Supermini of the Year Award. The range of 5-speed manual gearboxes is taken from the Mégane II, with gear ratios adapted to the Modus. Renault have worked hard to ensure low noise levels and the Modus features more noise insulation material than any other direct rival. All three engines are well worthwhile. Although the 65bhp is no ball of fire off the line, itll manage a combined fuel economy figure of over 60mpg and is pleasantly refined.
The torque figure of 118lb/ft should feel impressive given that the car doesnt have a huge amount of weight to shift about. From a standing start, the Modus dCi65 will accelerate to 60mph in 15.6 seconds and top out at 97mph. The carbon dioxide emissions figure of 125g/km is superb and the insurance rating of group 2 isnt going to break the bank either.
Prices start at £10,250 for the Authentique trim level, with the Expression tacking another £400 onto that figure.
"Everything about the Modus is fresh, funky and bang up to date"
If youre feeling a little more flush, the dCi86 powerplant offers a little more in the way of poke with no penalty when it comes to fuel consumption. In fact its 61.4mpg fuel economy figure is even more economical than its little sibling and the acceleration to 60 of 13.2 seconds and the top speed of 104mpg are both usefully quicker.
True, youll need to notch up mega mileage in order to recoup the additional cost of the 86bhp car in terms of fuel economy, but the £11,150 asking price for the Expression trim level doesnt seem excessive. More luxurious trim levels are offered too, with the Dynamique pitched at £11,650, the Privilege costing £12,750 and the Initiale topping the range at £14,450. At the top of the Modus diesel range, the 1.5 dCi 106 has a 0-62mph figure of 11.
2 seconds, a full 1.8 seconds faster than the 1.5 dCi 86. Delivering an impressive 106bhp at 4,000rpm, and torque up by 20% compared to the 1.
5 dCi 86hp engine from 200Nm to 240Nm at 2,000 rpm, this flagship diesel Modus offers a maximum speed of 116 mph. Prices start at £12,850. The addition of a sixth gear means the Modus 1.5 dCi 106 has improved fuel consumption enabling it to offer an impressive CO2 figure of 124 g/km and an urban fuel consumption of 50.
4mpg, an extra urban figure of 67.3 mpg and a combined of 60.1mpg. The importance of all Modus models to Renault cannot be understated.
Fully one-third of all cars sold in Europe hail from this small car segment and with both the Clio and Twingo models now looking rather old, Renault needed a fresh challenger. Only available in five-door guise, the Modus makes a convincing fist of things, especially when it comes to the vital first five seconds the period of time in which the majority of new car sales are either won or lost. The sunroof system for example, is unusual. The rear panel is fixed while the forward one can be operated by a one-touch switch.
In addition to the usual tilt position, there are also three possible slide positions. The manual roof offers two side-by-side panels which can be tilted or removed completely and stowed in a bag behind the rear bench
seat. Renault dubs this sliding rear bench the Triptic and it features a folding centre section. With a sliding range of 170mm, the rear of the car can be optimised for passengers, luggage or a compromise between the two.
In two seat configuration, it can be set to any one of four positions whilst in three-seat mode, two positions are available. It can also be folded down to form a completely flat floor area. The novelties dont stop there either. The Modus rear hatch can open much like a conventional hatchback (that is, hinged at the top) or the lower section can open using hinges at the bottom, thus making it easy to access the luggage bay in cramped conditions.
Should you ever get a puncture in the Modus, youll appreciate the sheer amount of design ingenuity in the way Renault have engineered the spare wheel system. No car in this class can cut it these days without generous safety provision and the Modus adopts a belt and braces philosophy. It benefits from a Bosch 8.0 anti-lock brakes with brakeforce distribution, new-generation ESP electronic stability control with understeer control and a tyre pressure monitoring system.
The Modus is also available with additional cornering lights a world first in the small car segment double-distance xenon headlamps, together with an automatic range adjustment system. Passive safety is impressive, reflecting Renaults strategy and expertise in this area. The Modus structure includes numerous strengthened crumple zones, designed to work in harmony with the restraint mechanisms of Renault's third-generation System for Restraint and Protection (SRP3). Other safety features of the Modus are its six airbags including two adaptive front airbags and front safety belts with load limiters and double pretensioners. The Modus has given every other manufacturer in the supermini sector some serious thinking to do. It offers something genuinely fresh and innovative with an engineering package that leaves nothing wanting.
Our pick would probably be a Dynamique dCi 86 version but whatever you choose, its going to be hard to put a foot wrong. Renault have another surefire winner on their books. Who said gambling doesnt pay?
FACTS AT A GLANCE
CAR: Renault Modus dCi range
PRICES: £10,250-£15,150 - on the road
INSURANCE GROUPS: 2-4
CO2 EMISSIONS: 122-125g/km
PERFORMANCE: [dCi86] Max Speed 104mph / 0-60mph 13.2s
FUEL CONSUMPTION: [dCi86] (Combined) 61.4mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front/side airbags, ABS, brakeforce distribution, ESP WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE ?: Length/Width/Height: 3792/1960/1589mm
<< Back to Renault car reviews
<< Back to car reviews homepage
Find New & Used Cars in the UK |
New & Used Renault Cars For Sale UK
