Car: Renault Megane Sport Saloon range
Prices: £13,980-£18,170 – on the road INSURANCE GROUPS: 3E-8E
Emissions: 120-191g/km
Performance: [2.0] Max Speed 124mph / 0-60mph 9.2s
Fuel Consumption: [2.0] (combined) 35.3mpg
Safety: Twin front, side, curtain and anti submarine airbags / seatbelt pre-tensioners / ABS
Dimensions: Length/Width/Heightmm 4498/1777/1457
RENAULT PUTS THE BOOT INTO THE MEGANE
Our Rating: 7.1 / 10
Medium Range Saloons Don’t Tend To Secure A Big Fan Base Here But This One May Well Change Your Views. Andy Enright Takes A Look At The Renault Megane Sport Saloon
It was Oscar Wilde who claimed that Britain and America were two nations separated by a common language. It’s not the only thing that divides us. Electing bodybuilders to public office, preoccupation with a glorified form of rounders and never accepting a beverage unless it’s served in a bucket have yet to make the translation to Britain. Other things don’t square either. Stick a boot on an American car and it’ll sell, whereas hatchbacks are denigrated as ‘soccer mom’ shopping cars. Over here, it’s very different, with small saloons struggling to shift in any meaningful numbers. Renault aim to change all that with the Megane Sport Saloon, a design that ditches the turgid image of many compact four-door cars.
Small, of course, is a relative concept. Break out the tape measure and you’ll soon discover that it’s not that small at all. With 61mm extra in the wheelbase over its hatch counterpart and another 228mm in the rear overhang, the Megane Sport Saloon isn’t in the Mondeo/Vectra class but it’s nevertheless surprisingly spacious. It makes a refreshing change that Renault have utilised a long wheelbase platform in order to offer passengers a little extra legroom. Research has shown that saloon buyers tend to be more conservative, want additional luxury features and keep hold of their cars for longer. Knee room in the Megane Sport Saloon is thus the best in class and the longer rear doors make for easier access. It’s all very civilised, as are prices that start at £13,980.
Renault had managed only modest success over here with the Megane Classic saloon, but it contributed hugely to their aim of achieving more than a third of their sales outside their traditional Western Europe stronghold. One of the key drivers for the decision to press ahead with the Megane Sport Saloon was to not only capitalise on these markets but also to offer both fleet and retail customers a downsized alternative to something Laguna-sized without sacrificing too much in the way of refinement.
Although the styling of the Megane hatch has found favour with younger customers, many find the whole bustle-backed design a little avant-garde and the Sport Saloon’s appearance is a little lower key. Manufactured in Bursa, Turkey, it’s nonetheless one of the better-looking small saloons. More observant members of the public might spot elongated, sleeker headlamps and alterations to the grille which see everything come together in a ‘V’ shape either side of a more prominent Renault badge at the front. These are the distinguishing characteristics of today’s facelifted car, which although only mildly different, looks usefully fresher. The rear end involves a clear stretch above the rear wheels with a stubby but capacious boot tacked on. The added security of being able to lock your belongings well out of sight is a bonus for many customers.
Seven engines are available; a 98bhp 1.4-litre 16v, a 115bhp 1.6-litre 16v with variable valve timing and a 136bhp 2.0-litre 16v, again with VVT. Four diesels are also on offer, 86bhp, 106bhp 1.5-litre dCi powerplants for budget customers and a 130bhp 1.9-litre dCi unit or a 150bhp 2.0-litre dCi for those looking for something with a little more shove. The diesel engines are certain to prove more popular with British buyers and Renault’s expertise in this field gives it a significant advantage over many rivals. The dCi diesels are all smooth and pleasantly punchy, but the 150bhp 2.0-litre unit is exceptionally good. If you want a diesel automatic, now you can have one with the 1.9-litre dCi 130 offered in conjunction with Renault’s Pro-Active gearbox.
No matter how striking you may find the exterior styling, for many the biggest surprise will come when they drop into the driver’s seat of the Sport Saloon. The design is neat without being gratuitously radical, but the real revelation is the great strides forward made in terms of quality of materials and finish. It’s almost as if a Renault designer’s company hack was rear-ended and
Renault Nissan Alliance to further the introduction of Ecars in the North
Ministers Edwin Poots and Conor Murphy have welcomed the inking of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the Department of Environment (DOE) and the Department for Regional Development (DRD) and the Renault-Nissan Alliance to continue introducing electric cars in Northern Ireland. "I see the use of electric vehicles as an important alternative to fossil f...
Renault Introduces new Wind Gordini Model
French carmaker Renault has made open air motoring in the UK more appealing with the launch of a new Gordini flagship variant of its Wind Roadster. To help customers make the most of the summer, the carmaker has slashed a few pounds off the price, up to £2,215 to be accurate. Renault has trimmed down the list price of its GT line and Dynamique variants of its coupe-roadster making the entry level model available for only £12,995. The vehicle, which is the...