A CAR FOR COOL DADS!
THE new Megane, which arries in showrooms this summer, perfectly fits the bill as a mid-sized five-seater family getaway car for those who are partial to French chic and still like to rev it up a bit.
IT HAS A good pedigree. This is the fourth-generation Megane and 560,000 have been sold in Britain since its launch in 1996. The UK is Renault’s sixth-largest market.
BOLD looks and coupe-like styling with distinctive rear running lights resembling the eyes on a Star Wars Stormtrooper’s helmet.
PLENTY of pace — powered by a 1.6litre turbocharged petrol engine developing 205bhp, and connected to a dual-clutch EDC seven-speed automatic gearbox with manual over-ride via gear-shift paddles on the steering wheel.
WHEN I drove it this week, it pelted along the beautiful open roads of the north Pennines at a fair old lick. Great for dads who want a practical family car with poke and sporty looks.
USING launch control, you can accelerate from rest to 62 mph in just 7.2 seconds with a top speed of 145mph. For oomph, press the RS (Renault Sport) button.
FAIR fuel economy of 47.1mpg with CO2 emissions of 134g/km.
YOU can personalise your driving mode — and the interior lighting — thanks to the Megane’s multi-sense system: neutral balances sportiness and comfort.
THE top-of-the-range GT version’s 4Control system gives extra grip and precise handling on corners by turning the rear wheels as well as the front.
THE large 8.7 in tablet-style touchscreen in the centre of the dashboard is great for satnav, music and other settings.
GT DRIVERS enjoy bigger 18in Daytona diamond-cut alloy wheels. The sporty, high-backed seats with distinctive stitching are comfortable.
DECENT rear headroom, a fairsized boot and flexible fold-down seating for extra luggage.
AN F1-style capless springloaded fuel filler saves having to unscrew every time you fill up.
YOU should stay safe thanks to the five-star Euro-NCAP crash test safety rating, achieved with emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane departure and blind spot warnings, and safe distance alerts.
TRAFFIC sign recognition warns you if you are exceeding the speed limit.
A HANDS-FREE parking system slides the car automatically into its slot, aided by 360-degree parking cameras.
THE more frugal Dynamique S Nav dCi 110 version, with its 1.5litre diesel engine, lacks the GT’s sportiness but has plenty of pulling power linked to a slick six-speed manual gearbox, managing 0-62mph in 11.3 seconds with a top speed of 116mph.
BASE price is £20,400, rising to £22,925 with extras such as hands-free parking and blind spot warning headlights.
The Megane range starts from £16,600 for the entry-level Expression+ TCe130. A hybrid-assist diesel-electric version is to be launched next year.
BAD
A REASONABLE base price for the Megane GT of £25,500 soars to £28,575, thanks to various options including the fetching two-tone blue and grey Alcantara trim pack (£1,200), upgraded Bose sound system (£500) and safety pack (£400).
THE visual guide for the automatic gear mechanism showing ‘D’ for drive, ‘P’ for park and ‘N’ for neutral, is hidden out of sight on the left side of the knob — great for French drivers but leaving Brits blind-sided.
ONE of the twin rear exhaust pipes is a dummy — it’s purely for decoration.
THE squawk from the lane departure warning will drive you nuts whenever you nudge a white line.
RENAULT may be French, but the Megane is built in Palencia in Spain.