Renault Mégane R.S. 300 Trophy
French hot hatch is one of the best in the class. We discover if it has the mettle to see off the MINI GP
MODEL TESTED: Renault Mégane R.S. 300 Trophy
PRICE: £32,995 ENGINE: 1.8-litre 4cyl, 296bhp
AT £32,995 for the manual Mégane R. S. Trophy model, the Renault is slightly cheaper than the MINI, but we’ve gone for this version of the car because these models are all about involvement.
Design & engineering score 4.0
IF you want an auto, there’s a dual-clutch model for another £1,500, closing the price gap to the MINI, but either way the Renault has price on its side. However, that’s less important here. These cars are more about the engineering detail and how they feel on the move – and the R. S. has plenty of interesting features, since the Trophy is fitted with Renault’s Cup chassis.
As with the MINI, there’s tuned suspension here for this more focused hot hatch, but the Renault features clever hydraulic bump stops as well.
There’s an equally effective mechanical locking differential on the front wheels, but power from the 1.8-litre four-cylinder turbo engine is sent there through a six-speed manual box. The engine makes 296bhp and 400Nm, so it’s down on the MINI, while the Mégane is also 164kg heavier, at 1,419kg.
That’s in part due to a four-wheel-steer system that’s been designed and engineered to improve agility. The rear wheels turn in the opposite direction to the front ones at up to 37mph to reduce the turning circle and make the car feel more responsive, but put it in Race mode and this happens at up to 62mph.
There’s also a choice of Normal, Sport and Race driving modes, with the latter increasing the steering weight and releasing a few more decibels from the central-exit sports exhaust, another similar feature to the GP. The Renault’s optional £1,500 Recaro sports seats that were fitted in our test car are much more supportive than the seats in the MINI; you also sit lower. The driving position isn’t perfect, but the Renault feels just a touch better thought out compared with the MINI.
Driving score 4.3
BOTH of these hot hatchbacks are hardcore, focused models, but the Renault’s set-up and approach seem more natural. The steering weight isn’t as heavy and doesn’t feel as artificial, either. There’s more in the way of feedback as a result and, once you learn to work with the four-wheel steering and get used to its sensations, it’s a nice engineering trick that helps.
That’s partly because the chassis serves up so much grip – at least as much as the MINI – yet there’s more composure, too. The GP feels too stiff for most British roads where you’d expect a hot hatch to excel; the R. S. is still stiff, but there’s an extra layer of compliance and absorption to the damping that keeps the tyre in contact with the road for longer. It means the Mégane doesn’t hop and skip around anywhere near as much as the MINI. It feels more settled, which helps comfort when cruising, but it also offers more options in how to pick apart a road – the GP just steamrollers it on its firm springs and dampers, which isn’t always the best way, but the R. S. has the ability to flow with the road more.
Its engine isn’t as punchy, though. It gives away capacity to the MINI, explaining some of the power and torque deficit, but despite carrying around more
Performance R.S. is pipped by the GP, yet not by much. The 0-62mph sprint takes 5.7 seconds and its top speed is 162mph
weight, too, the Mégane is still only half a second slower from 0-62mph, taking 5.7 seconds. The engine likes to rev, so it’s still fun to work it, and while the six-speed manual isn’t one of the slickest gearboxes, it’s still nice to have this extra layer of involvement.
In Race mode you get a few pops from the exhaust, too, adding a little to its personality. Despite the MINI’s fruitier exhaust, it rarely does this – only on start-up – which is a shame, because it drones most of the time. Overall the R. S. is the more exciting, involving car.
Practicality score 3.9
IT backs this up with more practicality. Despite having back seats, it doesn’t feel that much less of a focused machine, while this means it obviously boasts much more usability.
The Renault is also a bigger car, so there’s more room inside and, even though there’s lots of luggage space in the MINI due to a lack of back seats, there’s still 384 litres in the Renault with the rear seats up. Fold them and there’s 1, 247 litres available. If you’re into track days and really want to reduce weight you can take them out; but it’ll take a little work and won’t convert it into a Trophy R, so we wouldn’t bother.
The Renault’s 4Control steering system helps reduce the turning circle to 10.3 metres. It means you can have quick steering and a relatively good turning circle. The MINI’s turning circle is okay, but its more compact dimensions mean it’s easy to get a sense of where the car’s extremities are.
Ownership score 3.4
RENAULT ’S 15th-place result in our Driver Power 2020 survey beat MINI, but it’s still only mid-table. Owners rated the firm relatively well for running costs, but this is a hot hatch so it might not live up to that reputation, while Renault’s scores in all the other categories were middling, so it’s overall position is no surprise.
At least safety is strong. The Mégane range was awarded a full five-star Euro NCAP rating in 2015, but autonomous emergency braking is part of a £400 pack here. Blind-spot assist comes in a £500 pack that adds a 360-degree camera and hands-free parking. Lane-departure warning costs £250.
Running costs score 3.7
FEW people will run a hot hatch as a company car, especially hardcore ones like these, but it’s worth noting that both sit in the top 37 per cent Benefit-in-Kind tax bracket, so the MINI will cost a higher-rate earner £5,143 a year, while the Renault will cost the same driver £4,746.
Instead, given both are focused cars with sticky rubber, consumables such as tyres might be a bigger factor. The GP runs on rubber that costs £153 fitted, while the Renault’s fronts cost £156 including fitting, and they’re for bigger wheels (19-inch vs 18-inch).