Renault MODUS RANGE
Customers, It Seems, Want Their Small Cars
Smart, Roomy And Versatile. The Modus Is Renaults Attempt To Fulfil These Requirements. Andy Enright Checks It Out
Youve got to love manufacturer PR guff. In introducing their Modus,
Renault claim its style expresses all the warmth and friendliness of Renaults small cars to the point where even the front face of the car seems to smile at you. Modus also comes in a version "which offers an original, fun manual control" for opening and closing the twin sunroofs. How much fun can be obtained by operating a sunroof?
| Build |
 |
| Comfort |
 |
| Depreciation |
|
| Economy |
|
| Equipment |
|
| Handling |
|
| Insurance |
|
| Performance |
 |
| Styling |
 |
| Value |
|
You have to wonder. I remember being chased across Milton Keynes by an irate driver who thought I was giving him an obscene hand gesture while operating my roof mounted electric sunroof button but thats by the by. The Modus wont get you chased by testy builders. Instead theyd rather pick it up and cuddle it.
Designed to offer a more family friendly focus while the next generation Clio gets all sporty, the Modus looks set to be a big hit. As
Peugeot proved with their 206, it doesnt matter how average your product is, if it has cheekily attractive styling and the right image itll sell like hot cakes.
Renault look destined to hit the same rich vein of customers with the Modus, priced from £9,350. The organisers of the British Motor Show had billed the Modus as their ace card for the 2004 event, a genuine world exclusive but Renault rather skunked them by unveiling it at the Madrid show the week earlier.
The Spanish connection is apposite, as the Modus is built in Valladolid, just up the A6 from Madrid. Renault have used the rather grandly titled Alliance Platform B (which to you and I is the
Nissan Micra chassis) as the basis for the Modus. The importance of this car 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.
"Renaults bullishness about the Modus prospects seems justified"
Thats not to say theres anything superficial about the Modus: were just paying tribute to its cleanly integrated styling and sheer versatility. The interior is exceptionally airy, the huge amount of glass up top and the low waistline brightening the cabin. The driving position feels more like a
mini-MPV than a conventional hatch and the centrally mounted instrument panel allows the designers to make a feature of the smooth sweep of the fascia, again giving a clean, minimalist look. The suspension of the Modus draws its inspiration from that of the Mégane II, itself one of the best riding cars in its class. Both its ride and road-handling aim to match best-in-class levels, and theres a wide engine choice available to UK customers. Petrol engines comprise three 16-valve units: 75bhp 1.2-litre, 98bhp 1.4-litre and 113bhp 1.6-litre.
The Modus diesel engine range includes the 65bhp and 80bhp 1.5-litre dCi units as well as a 106bhp 1.5-litre flagship unit. The range of 5-speed manual gearboxes is taken from the Mégane II, with gear ratios adapted to the Modus, while the 1.6-litre engine also drives through an automatic gearbox. Renault have worked hard to ensure low noise levels and the Modus features more noise insulation material than any other direct rival. The sunroof system 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. Renaults bullishness about the Modus prospects seems justified. With clever packaging, cheeky styling, a range of decent powerplants and a focus on safety, it seems to fulfil all the requirements for a contemporary supermini-MPV.
If the Valladolid factory can continue to screw them together with competence and Renault resist the temptation to hike the prices, a successful future seems assured.
FACTS AT A GLANCE
CAR: Renault Modus range
PRICES: £9,350-£15,150 - on the road
INSURANCE GROUPS: 2E-6E
CO2 EMISSIONS: 125-163g/km
PERFORMANCE: [1.6 16V] Max Speed 120mph / 0-60mph 9.9s [est]
FUEL CONSUMPTION: [1.2 16V] (Combined) 47mpg
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
