Richard Berry road tests and reviews the Renault Megane with specs, fuel consumption and verdict at its Australian launch.
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The new generation Renault Megane has arrived in Australia. Now we drove some European version of the car that they snuck into the country back in May, but we couldn't get a proper feel for them because we weren't allowed to take them outside the test track onto real Aussie roads, plus they were left hand drive and not quite the same cars we'd get here. This is Australian version of the car and I'm about to head out onto local roads. What want to know is what's it like to drive, what do you get for your money and how does it compare to Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Hyundai i30 or a Volkswagen Golf could it be even better than those usual suspects?
Ok what do you need to know? Righto this is the fourth generation Megane. It's longer and lower than the previous one and it has a longer wheelbase as well and that means more room in the cabin.
Just to be clear we are talking about the Megane hatch here. Renault has decided to bring this to Australia first and coming soon will be a Megane sedan and a Megan wagon.
OK standard features. Let's cut to the chase. Meganes are a tad priceier than there rivals, and if tou're on a budget then go for the Life. It gets the best deal – there's the display sceen, rear view camera, rear parking sensors, dual zone climate, those cool LED DRLS at the front and back and 16-inch alloys. The only major things the Zen gets on top of that is sat nav and front parking sensors, both are nice but not essential. The GT-Line adds a sun roof, different driving modes, sports seats, blind spot warning, auto parking, tinted glass, and 17-inch alloys. The GT is like a brother from a different mother it that different – actually the mother is Renault Sport which is the company's tuning division. Along with the sports suspension and bigger engine, it gets all the GT-Line things, it gets RS mode, four wheel steering, paddle shifters and 18-inch alloy wheels.
OK so let's sit in the back. Right there's not a great deal of room here. I'm 191cm tall And can just sit behind my driving position. If the backs of these seats were concave I would be able to fit my long stilts in.
Now Renault says the boot is 343 litres, hat does that mean? Well you can fit one of these bags in, one fo these bags, and one of these bags and one of these.
I'm in the top of the range GT, it's the sporty one in the family that'll really be up against cars like the Golf GTI. It gets the gruntier engine, sports suspension, four wheel steering and some snazzy bits like these full on bucket seats.
What it like to drive? The steering is spot on it's light and accurate and it's one of thungs I love about the car most of all. The seats are pretty awesome as well. I actually prefer the seats in the base spec cars like in the Zen and the life. The higher specs like the Gt and the GT-line get these full-on race type seats and they're really good for driving like you're peter brock, but at the same time because I have long arms I bump into the bolsters.
The engines are great too the lower grades get 1.2 litres engines and it sound like a little baby engine but it's not - they have heaps of oomph, the gt gets a 1.6 litre which is more agro.
Things I don't like? Well we started in the Zen and then jumped up to the GT-Line and we found the ride to be a little rough. But when stepped up into this car the top of the range GT – it was like find suspension paradise.
Other things I'm not a fan of? This cars a mix of highs and lows, these nice stitching here and soft touch plastics along my window sill but then you get into the back seat there are hard plastic back there.
All the grades that we've driven today are great fun. The Zen, the GT-line, the GT. They are drivers cars – more so than you i30 or your corolla. That said the GT can't be beaten with it's suspension and it's four wheel steering. It's a little bit spooky at firs but then after you use it you can't imagine life without it.
It's funny how we do things the way we always do things. I mean when we buy a small car we tend to go for the same things each time – but sometimes thinking outside the box has its rewards. The Renault megane is good value for money, we've now driven it on Aussie roads and can testify that it is excellent no matter which grade you go for and it's also beautiful.
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