Renault MEGANE II
The family hatchback sector is bursting with new arrivals. So where does that leave the avant garde
Renault Megane II? Vanessa Hinkley reports
The Renault Megane speaks your language, or so the adverts for the original model told me. If thats still true, then the language in question isnt one Im familiar with. Quite simply, theres no mistaking this car for anything else which comes as a refreshing change in the increasingly me-too Family Hatchback sector. Its the rear that immediately grabs your attention on first glance, the bustle back design quickly growing on you.
My test car actually looked quite
smart with its crushed blackberry paintwork. Inside, it was tastefully finished with a mixture of plain and patterned fabrics and moulded plastic. So, yes, after the initial shock had worn off, I decided that this car might definitely suit me.
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My better half and I shared the driving on a recent 500-mile weekend round trip and got to know the car pretty well. The driving position suited us both, the adjustable steering wheel a welcome feature, given our different shape and sizes! The seats are firm but supportive and over the distance pretty comfortable. Children will be happy as sandboys in the back
seat which, unlike in some cars we've driven recently, is deep enough to accommodate booster seats and the like. The boot was surprisingly spacious for a medium-sized family hatchback, although we weren't overloaded with bags on this occasion. I'm sure that we'd have no gripes about luggage space for our fortnight summer holiday all the same. Some cars that look futuristic outside turn out to be notably boring once you slip into the cabin. This however, isnt one of them. Everywhere you look, genuine innovation is in evidence.
Take Renaults anti-submarining airbag, a device which leaps forth from the seat cushion to protect the pelvis. This replaces the traditional (and some would say uncomfortable) hump at the front of the seat and is a neat solution that provides both comfort and unparalleled safety, effectively making it impossible to slide beneath the seatbelt in the event of an accident. I thought that Renaults unparalleled experience in the MPV market shone through with this car, not only in terms of passenger space - which is excellent - but also in the provision of multifarious cubbies, boxes and pockets. Theres a hatch in the floor to stow valuables, storage boxes between both front and rear seats and even a chilled glove compartment.
The metallic hoop handbrake is a neat touch too. Since the last time I tried a
Renault, great strides forward seem to have been made in terms of quality of materials and finish. Soft feel plastics and quality fabrics make a pleasant change from some of the cars the French company has churned out in the past.
Six engines are available, a 98bhp 1.4-litre 16v, a 115bhp 1.6-litre 16v with variable valve timing, a 136bhp 2.0-litre 16v, again with VVT and the 2.
0-litre Turbo from the Renaultsport model. Two diesels are also on offer, an 80bhp 1.5-litre dCi for budget customers and a 120bhp 1.9-litre dCi for those looking for something with a little more shove.
The most powerful petrol and diesel versions are also fitted with a
Nissan-manufactured six-speed manual gearbox. A tiptronic-style automatic transmission is also available for the 1.6 and 2.0-litre petrol powerplants.
The steering, although power assisted, did seem a bit heavy to me, but the Megane passed the ultimate handling test - the multi-storey car park - with flying colours. I also managed some natty reverse parking in a very awkward driveway, something I attempt as rarely as possible. The excellent wing mirrors really came into their own here. On the motorway, we were generally impressed with the 5-door hatchback.
I found, though, that in the 1.4-litre model we were testing, I ventured out into the fast lane less than I might normally do. From time to time I felt I could have done with something with a bit more power - so I could move up the range to the 1.6 or the 1.
9 turbodiesel.
There are two distinct bodystyles - the Hatch and Sport Hatch which, translated out of Renaultspeak, mean five and three-door versions. Prices start at £11,090 either way. All of the remaining body styles have already been penned and will comprise a Scenic-style
mini-MPV, a cabriolet with the almost compulsory folding hardtop, a four-door saloon and a Sport Tourer estate. Whichever model you choose, equipment levels are both generous and inclusive of a number of features you might not even have considered.
Like wipers which slow when you come to a stop and a rear wash/wipe that automatically activates when you select reverse in the rain. We didn't get a chance to watch that in action as the weather was stiflingly hot en route.
On the whole, we found little to criticise and we learned to love that unusual styling. I think that most buyers will feel the same way.
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