It's bye-bye to "Shakin' That Ass" as Renault plays it safe with the latest Megane Hatchback.
The controversial pert rear of the Megane Hatchback has been axed as Renault gets serious about gaining a bigger chunk of the small family car market with the latest Megane. It's a fact that bland sells, as most buyers are very conservative.
So, sadly, Renault has ditched the main styling feature that made the Megane stand out from the crowd and replaced it with a conventional looking machine that certainly won't find itself as a poster on a kid's bedroom wall.
Outside, the five-seat car is a conventional hatchback body. You have to look very closely to find design features that excite in the same way its sister car, the stunning Megane Coupé, does. Yes, there are curves and creases all over the body, but the overall effect lacks sophistication. The Hatch is more Opel Astra than VW Golf. When back-to-back testing my kids preferred travelling in the latest Golf rather than the Megane as there is greater cabin space - especially in the back. As for me, well, the VW is as bland as they come, but a much better car than the French offering.
Inside, the cabin is comfortable, but again the frustrating Renault design trend continues where the secondary controls are frustratingly small and fiddly. The seats, however, are supportive and you will be comfortable in this car. Overall, there is a greater feeling of quality compared to the less than solid old car. The speedo display is the main interior design talking point, as it houses a large digital speed display - unlike most French cars! It is impressive, especially as it features nice illumination. France has speed limits like ours set in kilometres per hour, but sadly they differ somewhat to those here and the end result is that most French cars fail to feature the numerals 120, 80 or even 60! Space is good up front, but in the back the car suffers due to the sloping roofline. However, the boot holds a useful 372 litres.
On the road the ride is supple and the redesigned chassis provides a very civilised ride. The steering has been given a makeover and is improved. The Megane Hatchback engine range is limited to two diesels, namely a 1.5 and 1.9. The 1.5 DCi is the best option as it sips juice, is affordable and available with either 85bhp or 105bhp power outputs.
Megane prices start at €20,400 for the DCi 1.5 'Royale' (85bhp) and rise to a very steep €27,000 for the 130bhp 1.9 litre DCi 'Monaco', which has all the toys. It is worth remembering that the very pretty, four-seat Megane Coupé starts at just €21,000 and is infinitely better looking than the hatchback.
Renault is celebrating 10 years of its partnership with Nissan and is clearly focused on gaining a bigger share of the car market with the synergy that it brings.
The latest Megane is a better car than the outgoing model, but it is not as good as the class leaders - and there are quite a few of those!
Michael Sheridan
