Yahoo News Renault Megane Sport Tourer first drive: comfort and joy
Launched in 1995 as a rebodied Renault 19, the Mégane family hatchback has weathered the vicissitudes of what was once Europe's biggest market sector as it has come under sustained attack from within Renault, first by a multi-purpose vehicle (the Scénic) and now an SUV/Crossover (the Kadjar).
It wasn't just internal forces moving against the Mégane, either. One of the first things that Carlos Ghosn did on gaining the levers of control at Renault in 2005 was to attack design of the Mégane Mk2, particularly its rounded rear end, which was the responsibility of then design head Patrick Le Quement. At that time, the Mégane range was the second bestselling C-segment car in Europe behind VW's Golf.
There have also been quality woes, a failure to keep the range up to date and oversupply and discounting issues which affected residual values. Oh, and the version of the Mégane beforre this one looked as dull as a wet week in Walthamstow...
So you'd be forgiven for thinking that the new Mégane launched last summer would seem like a prizefighter swaying on the ropes for the last time, but when it is anything but. Under design head Laurens van den Acker, Renault's subtle French style has returned and the Mk4 Mégane is one of its best looking and most distinctive cars.
The estate, or Sport Tourer, which debuted at last year's Geneva motor show didn't disappoint, either. Mind you it needs to impress, as it's headed into a highly competitive C-segment of small estates typified by Ford's Focus, VW's Golf, Seat's Leon and Vauxhall's Astra. It went on sale in the UK last November.
It comes with a choice of four engines: turbocharged petrol units, a 130PS, 1.2-litre and 205PS, 1.6-litre; and a 1.5-litre turbodiesel with 110PS or 130PS. Transmissions are a six-speed manual and a six- or seven-speed dual-clutch semi-automatic, depending on which engine you chose.
There are four basic trim levels, with the addition of that strange and common half-way trim level which includes a satellite navigation system. So it starts with Expression and then Dynamique, the former getting 16-inch wheels, all-round electric windows, Bluetooth, DAB radio, with Dynamique adding auto headlamps and wipers, lane-departure warning, rear parking sensors, a better radio, and a 7-inch touch screen with Renault's R-Link system, which includes satnav and traffic updates. You also get the dubious Multi-sense system, which allows you to set up the driveline response, steering weight, interior lighting and change the engine note to sound like you've just driven it into a duck pond. The top-level Signature adds 18-inch wheels and LED lamps and there's GT line, which is a tad more whizzy, with bigger air intakes and 17-inch wheels, as well as Renault's four-wheel steering system.
Try to avoid the marketing gush, though, and the interior is pretty classy. Add a grand's worth of leather to the Dynamique level of car we tested and there's some nice surface changes, comfortable seats, that portrait-mounted central screen which while not the easiest thing to fly, looks good, with a simple satnav. Tiny details could have been better thought through, however. That upright screen is useful when you are following a route with lots of turnings, but it also means all the signposting is foreshortened, so the DAB page with all the BBC radio channels listed appears as 10 tags all labelled 'BBC Radio...'.
There's decent amount of storage space in the front, some useful and non-gimmicky sliding panels in the centre console and big door bins. The instrument binnacle is concise and easy to read, and it's easy to find and scroll through the various displays. There's also one of the best steering column radio controls in the business, barely changed since it was first introduced in the early Renault 5s.
Build quality seems good and the fit and finish of the panels is straight and consistent; this isn't like the barely put-together French cars of yore. In the back the rear bench is plush, comfortable and there's leg room to spare for three adults, although the sloping roof line restricts head room for the tallest passengers.
The boot isn't the biggest in class, though 521 litres seems plenty large enough and the low load lip makes it easy to get heavy items in there. There's a double floor with a hidden space underneath and the rear seats have one-touch folding and useful handles to help lower them gently. They also fold completely flat to give a 1,504 litre space into which you can easily slide loads up to 2.77 metres long.
The 1.5-litre four-cylinder diesel is the ubiquitous unit used across the Renault Nissan Alliance. We are expecting a more powerful diesel later this year, but for the moment, this 128bhp/236lb ft unit is the most powerful, giving a top speed of 123mph, 0-62mph in 10sec, with a Combined consumption of 70.6mph (we managed 57mpg) and CO2 emissions of 104g/km. Actually it's a fairly good compromise, though the turbo takes a while to spool up compared with rivals and it isn't the smoothest unit when extended towards the red line. Happiest between about 2,000rpm to 4,000rpm, that light-shifting six-speed gearbox allows you to keep up momentum without using too much fuel.
The chassis is the Renault Nissan Compact Modular Front Drive (CMF C/D) platform, which in this case consists of class-ubiquitous MacPherson strut front suspension and a torsion beam rear - the steering is electrically assisted.
Despite the trim name, this Mégane didn't feel that dynamic on first acquaintance. It's softly sprung with gentle but supple damping and has a lovely ride quality, particularly on poor British roads, blighted with sharp-edged bumps. Those 17-inch Michelin tyres must take some credit, but this chassis is built for comfort not speed.
That's not to say it can't be driven fast, but ultimately you are fighting the tendency for the nose to go straight on and the body to roll through corners. The steering is well weighted, but doesn't have the accuracy and sharpness of the Ford Focus, for example.
There are bigger estates and more sporting ones, too, Vauxhall's Astra Sport Tourer springs to mind here, but I rather liked the Mégane and felt it was no insult to say that it felt like French cars used to be; attractive with a high quality interior and a gentle chassis and driveline capable of being driven briskly for long distances in fine comfort.
Now if you'll point me in the direction of a tree-lined Route Nationale, I'll put on my beret and get Edith Piaf on the stereo.
Cars Jargon buster | Essential information for car buyers
THE FACTS
Renault Mégane Sport Tourer Dynamique S Nav dCi 130
TESTED 1,461cc, four-cylinder turbodiesel, six-speed manual gearbox, front-wheel drive
PRICE/ON SALE £23,840 (£27,385 as tested)/now
POWER/TORQUE 128bhp @ 4,000rpm, 236lb ft @ 1,750rpm
TOP SPEED 123mph
ACCELERATION 0-62mph in 10sec
FUEL ECONOMY 70.6mpg/60.1mpg (EU Combined/Urban), on test 57mpg
CO2 EMISSIONS 104g/km
VED 101 - 110g/km: £140
VERDICT What this little French estate lacks in absolute load-carrying ability, it makes up for in practicality. The chassis is soft, but the ride is lovely and the engine is peppy and economical. Its slow-burning charm is addictive.
TELEGRAPH RATING Four stars out of five
THE RIVALS
Ford Focus Estate Titanium 1.5TDCi, from £23,315
Not quite the overwhelming driving tour de force it once was, but Focus still targets driving pleasure and the new 1.5-litre diesel has a lot of low-end torque, even if the top end is a bit lacklustre. The cabin looks a bit dated these days and at 476/1,502 litres, the boot's a bit small.
Volkswagen Golf Estate GT Nav 2.0TDI £25,935
This Golf estate model is slightly more sporting, but it matches the Renault in most other aspects. And it's a Golf, which will be enough to persuade many to pay the extra for excellent residuals and great driving qualities. Huge 605/1620 litre boot.
Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer SRi Nav 1.6CDTi, from £23,9901
With a 136PS version of the "whisper" 1.6-litre diesel, the Astra is a formidable opponent. Sharp to drive, with its handling honed on UK roads, the Astra rides well, it looks good and, with its 540/1,630 litre load bay, it's plenty big enough for family motoring.
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