When it comes to building tyre-screeching, fire-breathing hot hatches, the French maniacs at Renault do it better than most. A quick glance at - or, better, a quick steer of - the brand's epic RenaultSport portfolio reveals a cracking line-up that's utterly uncompromised in its craziness, and one far more at home on a race track than on the road.
But the question we're here to answer today is, what happens when they dial back the crazy? Can Renault build a hatch with enough performance to keep you entertained, but that's comfortable and tech-savvy enough to pilot every day?
Explore the 2016-2017 Renault Megane range
Renault Megane hatch 2016 review | first Australian drive video
Renault Megane Life hatch 2016 review | snapshot
Renault Megane Zen hatch 2016 review | road test
Renault Megane GT-Line 2016 review | road test
Enter, then, the Renault Megane GT - the king of this fourth-generation, all-new Megane range, and a car that, if not quite a 'hot hatch', definitely plays on the fun side of warm.

And with a turbocharged 1.6-litre engine, a chassis and suspension setup tweaked by the RenaultSport team and a new four-wheel-steering system, a it promises to be quite a bit of fun,too.
Renault Megane 2017: Gt 205
Engine Type | Turbo 4, 1.6L |
---|---|
Fuel Type | Premium Unleaded Petrol |
Fuel Efficiency | 6.0L/100km (combined) |
Seating | 5 |
Price From | $16,170 - $20,680 |
Verdict
Wonderful to look at, a blast on the right road and with Euro-chic charm by the Chanel handbag full, the Megane GT hits all the right notes for a warmed-over hatch. Its inner-city manners occasionally leave something to be desired, and its standard safety equipment list lags behind the industry's best, but it's so damn charming it almost doesn't matter.
Does this Renault's charm overpower the usual warm hatch suspects? Tell us what you think in the comments below.
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