Renault Kangoo E-Tech Reviews

The Megane Sport Cup is distinguished by larger 18-inch smoky grey alloys and joins the Clio Cup edition as a flag carrier for the French marque Down Under.In launching the new addition, Renault Australia said it was responding to criticism that the standard Megane Sport, although powered by same 165kW turbocharged engine, was "too soft" in the handling department.The Cup addresses this criticism, with recalibrated springs, dampers and anti-roll bar, all designed to reduce the amount of body roll in corners.Front and rear Brembo disc brakes have been drilled to provide better cooling, optimum operation in wet conditions and a reduction in unsprung mass.Renault said it had put considerable work into improving the immediacy and rate of response to brake pedal movement.The diameter of the master cylinder has been increased from 23.8mm to 25.4mm, which in turn gives it a better pedal feel.In addition, electronic brake assistance has been deleted to allow drivers to make the most of the vehicle's braking potential.Although the electronic stability control system, designed to keep the driver from losing control, cannot be switched off completely, it has also been toned down to be less intrusive.If this all sounds like just what the doctor ordered, we can report the results are a tangible improvement.Although some have issues with the styling, the car looks tougher and goes harder, with electronics that kick in only at the very limits of physical adherence.It's still not anywhere near as quick as a WRX, with 0-100km/h taking 6.5 seconds, but it is a satisfying drive nevertheless – figures mean little in the real world.The Cup edition will appeal to those looking for something a little different.Megane Sport Cup comes out of Renault's Dieppe plant and at this stage, is available only as a five-door hatch.However, a three-door version is under consideration.The car is identical to European specified vehicles, apart from the absence of a tyre pressure monitoring system.Renault Australia boss Rudi Koenig said the Clio Cup was the most successful "cult" car in the range and it is hoped that the Megane Cup will emulate this success."We hope this vehicle will replicate this in the larger, higher priced segment with people who want a bit more and have a bit more to spend," he said.The Cup edition introduces a new electric power assisted steering system.It is designed to provide a more positive feel around the steering centre-point.Driving precision is improved thanks to the transmission of better feel from the road surface.As in the Megane Renault Sport, the Cup is powered by the F4Rt 2.0-litre, 16 valve turbocharged engine jointly developed by Renault's Powertrain Engineering Department and Renault Sport Technologies.The four cylinder engine develops 165kW of power at 5500rpm and 300Nm of torque at 3000rpm, with 90 per cent of torque available between 2000 and 6000rpm.The engine is teamed with a six-speed manual gearbox.There is no auto.Megane Renault Sport Cup is available in one specification with a recommended retail price of $42,990, $3000 more than the standard Megane Sport. 

The Cup is a car that boasts impressive stability, response and feel. Its firm and low suspension gives it handling capabilities like a go-kart but is still comfortable on the road.That go-kart feel is enhanced by the Clio's design of positioning the wheels as close to the corners as possible.Comfort is a feature highlighted by the firm suspension, which is something usually punishing on the driver.While every bump is felt (because of the hard suspension and low-profile tyres), the impact on the body is minimal. That is not to say there is anything soft about this car.The spring rate in the Cup has been increased by 20 per cent, with matching damper settings providing for even more incisive behaviour.The leather-trimmed, front-bucket seats have plenty of side support to stop you moving around when cornering hard. These are seats you sit in, not on.Finding a good driving position is also easier than anticipated. When first driven, the Cup's slightly odd-angled steering wheel felt a little uncomfortable. Yet, when the best driving position was found, everything seemed to fall into place.The clutch is light and does not require a lot of force like some high-powered hatches, and the five-speed box, was a throw into gear. This little Cup is one of the most comfortable sporty hatches encountered.The Cup has the same engine as its lesser-priced sibling, the Clio Sport, but gets firmer suspension, charcoal-coloured wheels and lower-ride height for the extra $2000.The Cup's engine is a cracker pumping out an impressive 131kW/200Nm from the naturally aspirated 2.0-litre.Get the right foot down and the Clio responds with the twin exhausts barking out a noticeably sporty note. The 2.0-litre twin cam loves to spin and howls near the 7000rpm redline. The Cup's impressive power to weight ratio sees the 0-100kmh sprint covered in just seven seconds.The five-speed is short geared to the point where you might be looking for another cog, such as on the freeway where for fuel conservation and a little less noise the extra cog would be handy. However despite running on premium unleaded the Cup still gets about 500km-550km out of a tank.Standard equipment includes climate control, automatic xenon head-lights, rain sensitive wipers, leather upholstery, remote central locking, power windows and mirrors, height and recline adjustment on the front head restraints and leather steering wheel.There's a six-speaker AM/FM stereo with single CD, cruise control, audio controls mounted on the steering column and a chilled glove box.The Cup is near the top of the tree for crash safety. Four airbags, an electronic stability program and ABS are all part of Renault's commitment to keeping its owners alive and coming back for more. It also has an anti-hijack mechanism where the doors lock automatically at a preset speed.The front drink holders are a little awkward because they are positioned below the centre dash and a bottle of water is not easy to fit, but the rear holders are big enough.The size of the boot is good with none of the weekly shopping having to ride shotgun.The Clio does not have a spare tyre for weight and space reasons, instead using filler to limp the car on the existing tyre to the nearest service station or dealer. That's great in theory but not so good if you happen to have destroyed the rubber on the rim.

The Sport Cup model can only be distinguished from the Sport by the charcoal-coloured alloy wheels, which betray the Cup car's intent as well as proficiently hiding the brake pad dust.The Sport is no shopping trolley, so when spring rates are stiffened by 20 per cent up front and 15 per cent at the rear, and the steering is tweaked even further, something special awaits in the Cup version.Settled behind the leather-wrapped wheel and testing my broad feet on the close-set alloy pedals, the specs ran through my mind – Renault says 131kW of power, 200Nm of torque, 1009kg and 0-100km/h in 7.1 seconds.Big brakes are nestled beneath the 16in alloys – 160km/h to standstill in just over three seconds is another claim by the manufacturer. The brattish stance, a wheel at each corner and the twin exhausts ready to poke double-barrelled fun at those you've just overtaken ... this car could be fun.It's firm on the road, with every misaligned manhole cover causing a sharp bump in the cabin, although bigger bumps tend to be better dealt with by the dampers.The seats will take some of the sting from the sharper jolts, as well as holding the occupants firmly in place.An ill-timed sneeze requires maximum steering concentration, as the rack is quick and sharp – 2.8 turns lock-to-lock, a trait that had obvious benefits once the country-road corners came into view. The two-litre engine is happy to potter through the suburbs, proving flexible and well-behaved, with just a hint of what was to come beyond 3800rpm.As the revs rise to the top half of the tachometer, the engine's character changes dramatically and the corners arrive much quicker.As the upshift light burns green at 8000rpm, the aural delights of the engine are well apparent, as is the potency of its outputs.The first corners are taken easily, as the initial efforts on the brake pedal wipe off far more speed than originally intended or required.The suspension has been significantly upgraded – not that previous Clios were sloppy handlers – with stiffened spring rates, a 24mm rear anti-roll bar (up from 22mm), all reducing roll and planting the special Michelin rubber on the road to great effect.The Renault Sport Clio 182 is the first car to be equipped with the Michelin Exalto tyre, no doubt because it was developed by Michelin in conjunction with Renault Sport.The result? It's like driving a go-kart with a roof.Minimal bodyshift, a distinct lack of fuss from the tyres and an attitude that thumbs its nose at the driver, who is taunted to try a little harder.Hard late braking, savage use of the wheel and the accelerator can start the Clio moving around, but the speeds at which this happens are best left to a racetrack.Winding back the pace a little does nothing to diminish the enjoyment, as the Clio darts from corner to corner, dismissing them with an arrogance that flies in the face of its sub-$40,000 price tag. There's no all-wheel-drive, no turbos and the driven wheels are at the opposite end of the car to which I would normally prefer, but handing the keys back is a tough experience.Commuting can be a tiresome experience on the hard suspension, but this little French flyer is anything but a bare-bones track-day special – a cruise control with a speed limiter function is now standard, as is a six-speaker CD-equipped sound system (with stalk-mounted remote controls behind the wheel), climate-controlled airconditioning, automatic xenon headlights and rain-sensing front wipers. Anti-lock brakes, electronic brake distribution control, switchable electronic stability control, driver and front passenger front and side airbags, and front and outboard rear seatbelt pretensioners with load limiters are all standard.The standard Renault Sport Clio 182 carries a $32,990 starting price, with the Cup adding $1500 to the bottom line.Opting for either Clio Sport model will provide an immensely entertaining package. Cup buyers might not want to engage in the daily mundane commute, but they will jump at any chance to go for a drive.

For the Scenic seems very French; or at least, very different to the average mid-sized five-seater hatch currently on the market in this country.And without claiming any expertise in voitures Francaise there's a lot to like about the French philosophy of motoring as expressed in the Scenic.The first thing to like is the easy interior. The visibility all-round is excellent; the inside trim on the Expression test model, stylish and uncluttered; the electronic instrumentation bright and easy to read.Behind the wheel, the differences between this car and – say – a Holden Astra, are instantly obvious.For one thing, there's no key as such.This car uses a credit card-sized "smartcard" to activate the ignition, the door locks, the remote entry, the boot.To get underway, you push the card into the slot on the dash – it's a bit like going to the ATM – then press the starter button, just like in the old days.But the drive is anything but old-fashioned.A collection of very neat technical "tricks" in the Scenic add a great deal of enjoyment to the motoring experience. The six-speed manual transmission on the test car was smooth, and the clutch action light and forgiving.The gear shifter itself is cleverly integrated into the dash rather than poking up from the floor, which makes for more leg room in front and a more functional layout.Braking nowadays is something you don't tend to think about – you just expect that it will be good – and on the Scenic, the feel through the pedal inspires confidence.The car stops easily with minimum pedal pressure, conveying the sense that it would pull up very smartly indeed if an emergency stop was required.On the subject of brakes, the automatic parking brake took a bit of getting used to – but once you get the hang of it, it's a thing you'd want on every car you drive. Activate the little brake handle on the dash to the right of the wheel and the old juggle of brake, throttle and clutch to execute the perfect hill start is a thing of the past. In the Renault, the parking brake is automatically released when the car starts to move forward, so every hill start should be perfect.Designed as a genuine family car, the Scenic has tons of appeal. There's storage space absolutely everywhere – in the doors, under the floor, in the dash, between the front seats – and the luggage compartment is surprisingly cavernous.On a weekend running around the city – including a trip to Homebush with four members of a marching band, plus their instruments (okay, trumpets and clarinets rather than tubas and drum kits) the accommodation was ample. Plenty of head room, leg room, stretching out room, places to put your book down, places to put your can of soft drink – terrific.And everywhere, a new, tricky piece of innovation, like the moveable storage bin between the front seats, the fold-away arm rests, the fold-down tray tables.Finding them all was half the fun.Performance-wise, the Scenic was very hard to fault. The 2.0-litre, 16-valve engine was smooth and responsive, providing reasonable torque across the rev range – even with the band members on board.It's quiet, smooth-riding, and comfortable; it all works. Just a good thing all round.All it really needed was a view of the Eiffel Tower out of the front window to make the experience absolutely parfait.

The visibility's great. A cross between a sedan and a people mover, the Scenic has passengers sitting a cut above the rest ... elevated but not "perched", and surrounded by huge windows.The view is, well, very Scenic.Then there are the gadgets. I love gadgets – especially when there are this many gizmos.Start with the key that's shaped like a fat credit card. Push a button to open the door, insert the card, foot on the clutch and push another button to start and stop the Scenic.It's all so simple being pampered. But it takes a bit of getting used to not looking for the key and reaching for the handbrake when you stop.This is a neat-freak's dream car, with storage compartments in all the right places – room in the doors, drawers under seats, flip-top wells under foot and they're carpet-lined to help stop rattles.A console between front seats takes the cake with a roll-top lid (bit like a bread box), cup holders and adjustable arm rests – and it slides all the way forward or back.But there's more ... The glove box is airconditioned; just in case you need to keep drinks cool, the back windows have lift-up sun screens; and there are flip-up tray tables for rear passengers. I love the dash, with its sleek veranda over digital readouts that politely remind you to insert or remove the key card or that the handbrake is still on. And there's no mistaking how fast you are travelling with the speed right there in big, bold numbers.The KISS concept works well in the Scenic but falls just short with a radio that takes a bit of trial and error to master.All these gadgets are within easy reach and there are extra controls on the steering wheel – not that you need to think of much yourself.Most essentials are automatic; lights come on in the dark, windscreen wipers spring to action in the rain and the handbrake comes on when you stop.The Scenic has been designed with flexibility in mind. It is really comfortable and perfect for a family of five, with the option of taking fewer people and more "stuff". The three rear seats operate individually and each can be removed completely to allow for bigger loads.I'm not sold on the big-butt back end but the longer you have it, the more it grows on you.The story of my life, really.

It's a compact wagon with lots of space, excellent flexibility, solid performance and prices from as little as $29,990.The Renault has incredible space and flexibility for a family of up to five. It looks more like an oversized hot hatch than a Tarago-style mini-bus.It would be better if it had three rows of seats, but the stretched Scenic in Europe will probably come Down Under as part of the total rework on the Megane, which has had a big II added for punctuation.The Scenic II is unproven as a secondhand deal, and unlikely to reverse the slippery slide in Renault's resale figures, but that's one of its few shortcomings.We do wonder about long-term quality and the durability of some of the cabin finishes, but that's about it.On the plus side, the Scenic II has everything you need for family motoring – from an eager two-litre engine and a full list of standard equipment to pricing that puts it clearly into the affordable range of family wagons.There are three models and even the basic Scenic II Authentique comes with airconditioning, cruise control, electric front windows, CD sound and Renault's flexible rear seat system – which means a three-way split with folding backrests and the ability to remove the seats for load carrying.The Scenic II is a top scorer, too, on safety and won a five-star rating in European NCAP tests.It has twin front airbags, curtain side airbags and emergency brake assist, which Renault believes will be the next safety breakthrough as it allows people to avoid a crash – or crash at a lower speed.The original Scenic didn't do much in Australia, despite a huge following in Europe, but that was probably down to its quirky looks and the timing of its arrival.It was a member of Renault's comeback family in Australia, at a time when the brand was struggling for any sort of acceptance and forging a new local link with its global partner, Nissan.The Scenic II is bigger and, to our eyes, better looking than the original and Renault has done a great design job.You see it in everything from the four storage compartments in the floor to back seat benefits that include pulldown sunshades, fold-down desks and unique two-buckle safety belts.It has grown from front headroom to boot space, and Renault says it is much more refined.The 2.0-litre four with variable-valve timing produces 98kW and 191Nm, fed to a six-speed manual or four-speed automatic.The suspension has MacPherson struts in the nose with a torsion beam in the rear, a bonus for rear floor space, and the brakes are anti-skid four-wheel discs.The model line-up runs from the basic Authentique up through the Expression to the Dynamique, with prices that take the automatic flagship to $37,690.The only options are a $1990 panoramic sunroof on the Dynamique and metallic paint for $650.ON THE ROADIT IS easy to get engrossed in the Scenic II's gadgets. There are storage bins everywhere and a super-flexible set of seats. Even the wipers are set on a pair of giant sweeping booms.But that would mean overlooking the car's real strengths: comfort, easy driving and plenty of space for a family.The Scenic II is a great way to get around. It will easily meet the needs of most Australian families on everything from a short sprint to the shops to a long interstate haul.The seats are comfy, there is incredible storage and, even though the Scenic is labelled as a multi-purpose vehicle, it drives as well as or better than most mid-sized family cars.Now that many brands, including Toyota with its Camry, have finished producing or importing wagons, there is a big gap for the Scenic to exploit.We did our test time in an Expression automatic, which means a bottom line of $33,690. But it has everything you need in a new car, from excellent automatic aircon to cruise control and even steering-column buttons for the sound system.The Scenic is surprisingly lively from the lights and it also cruises along nicely.The fuel economy is good. We tried it on both premium and standard unleaded and could not notice any real difference.The ride and handling are excellent, either one-up or with a family on board.The brakes are great, the headlamps are good and it is surprisingly easy to park.We could write a small book about the flexibility of the Scenic, but it's something you really need to see for yourself.It is hard to fit the car into a convenient category, at least to set it up against its rivals, and it's not even classified as a people-mover.So it's a five-seat mid-sized wagon, meaning it should be shopped against everything from a Subaru Liberty wagon to a Chrysler PT Cruiser.But it sits on its own in many ways and scores well, particularly the big cabin, regardless of what you see as its rivals.THE BOTTOM LINEWE WERE not sure what to expect when we collected the Scenic, but we are sure now that it is one of our first favourites in 2005 and a car that should be winning lots of friends in Australia.

Possibly because there is no front lawn, but more likely because spending time on a car is seen as an activity pursued only by the most fanatical of motoring enthusiasts.In an attempt to hide the dirt, motorists with little care for washing their cars choose drab grey, black, olive green or military blue paintwork.But there are exceptions, because Europe is, as a whole, an exception.Like the marmalade Renault Sport Megane 225, complete with Fanta-drenched seatbelts.Previously on test there was a Renault Sport Clio in bright blue. With silver seatbelts.All designed to stand out in a crowd. Not only that, but designed to have stand-out street cred, because the Renault Sport badge indicates something exceptional.The Renault Sport Clio tested in January was smart, spirited and soulful.The Megane 225 is a more adult interpretation, with bias on comfort and cabin room.It is basically a Megane hatch, with more oomph, tauter suspension, bigger wheels and more luxury items.The Megane hatch's distinctive bum remains, as does the vertical rear window and wheel-at-each-corner stance.Look closer, past the orange paintwork, and you see it sits squat on the road, with an attitude that shouts aggression.Though a tad odd in appearance, it grows on you in a macho sort of way. That aside, it's likely you'll be convincing the wife it looks nice, possibly for the rest of your life. Once inside, however, she would agree that the seats are wide and very supple, as is the ride and quietness.Equipment includes auto up/down windows all around, clever under-floor storage areas and well-placed front armrests.The standard kit list is exhaustive, leaving virtually nothing on the option list.Even the turbocharger is standard, at least on the $42,000-plus 225 version tested. The 225 refers to the horsepower.Mated with a slick, six-speed manual box, the 2-litre engine is a sparkler that will give most cars a run for their money.Though turbocharged, the engine feels very understressed and is noted more for its stump-pulling low-speed torque than its ability to sing at high revs.For this reason, it is an easy and almost lazy car to drive. It's quick off the mark, but its real forte is mid-range strength.Handling is good, but only up to a point. It has a tendency to show increasing degrees of understeer precisely when you think it's actually tracking the corner very well.As such, handling rates as very good, with the disclaimer that this is a nose-heavy vehicle. Excellent for the country, but a bit of a handful in tight corners.In that manner, it is most unlike its nimble and virtually fault-free Clio Sport, which handles like a Mini Cooper S used to.And though it doesn't show it, it can get very dirty when pushed hard.

Which is a shame for Marianne Faithfull's tragic musical madame because Paris – and indeed most of Europe – is very convertible-friendly, thanks to a summer sun less severe than Perth's.Which is why the French are getting pretty good at making cars that survive the tortures of the city and yet let you get your head into the warm air.Peugeot did a steel droptop car in the mid-1930s, which it followed up with the more recent 206CC (stands for coupe-cabriolet, not corn chips) and 307CC.Now it's Renault's turn. The Megane CC is the second-generation model that replaces the smaller, 1.6-engined convertible which had a fabric roof.The new car is bigger, comes with a bigger engine, is heavier and has the folding steel hat.It is an exceptionally comfortable to drive, with good dynamics of handling. The engine is willing but though it's a perfect cruiser, it feels the body's weight when pushed hard.The boot is simply huge, which accounts for the CC's huge bum, but when the roof is up it shrinks to a shallow cargo area.Though the car has four seats, there's precious little legroom to fit any human in those beautifully sculptured leather rear chairs.Drive over uneven bitumen with the roof down and you will note some body shakes, indicating more chassis strengthening is needed. It's not bad, but it can be disconcerting.But the good outweighs the bad.The roof is actually a thick slab of laminated glass that has been heavily tinted.It comes with a shadecloth affair which, despite all good intentions, will still try to cook your pate on a long drive on a hot Perth day.It takes only 22 seconds to get the top off, though a cover within the boot must be in place before the electrics activate. It's this cover that allows room for the retracting steel hood and is responsible for the dramatic reduction in cargo-carrying space.The Megane CC has a lot of interesting features – the broad and spacious door pockets for water bottles and other stuff, the hidden spaces beneath the door armrests, the comprehensive trip computer, the moveable cigarette ashtray, the oh-so-comfy seats, and the clarity of the main dials.The engine likes to rev and delivers strong torque to encourage the four-speed auto to work the front wheels.The gearbox has a semi-manual mode, but this wasn't really the type of car to encourage sports driving.It also has an annoying pause before engaging first or reverse, but I've been told that delay is deliberate to minimise transmission damage.The steering is very light at parking speeds but it firms up on the highway. The brakes are over-boosted in typical Renault style.In fact, it's a nice drive and not overly complicated in the way that French engineers enjoy.The credit-card size ignition key is unusual, along with the stop/start button, though it works well and the plastic card is a lot easier to carry in your back pocket than a cluster of metallic keys.The Megane CC has a few rivals and is not especially cheap, though it is an alluring machine. Just don't bring the children.

The not quite a hatch, not quite a people mover, is extremely well equipped, with a speed limiter standard equipment on all models.It's not something we normally see outside a Benz and comes as a real boon for speed camera-shy city drivers. Dial in the speed and it won't exceed the limit unless you tromp the accelerator.It's cars like the Scenic II that redefine where the family sedan is headed.Scenic II is priced from $29,990. Add $2200 for automatic transmission.Scenic II sits on the same platform as the Megane II hatch and sedan and shares much of the same componentry, including of course the engine. Style-wise it gets the controversial French bustle but it is not as pronounced as in the hatch.The car seats five with individually moulded seats for the rear three passengers instead of the normal bench seat. The centre rear seat is slightly smaller than the other two.The 2.0-litre, variable valve equipped four cylinder engine delivers 98kW of power at 5500rpm and 191Nm of torque at 3750rpm. Not the most powerful or torquiest of engines around but works well in combination with the transmission. Good fuel economy too.Transmission is a choice of either six-speed manual gearbox or four-speed "pro-active" tipshift style automatic. Our test car was fitted with the standard manual change mounted high on the dash within easy reach. It is smooth and intuitive and delivers the best performance the engine has to offer.The Scenic is a gadget lover's dream, with a digital speedometer and lots of switches to twiddle. It all takes a bit of getting used to, but once you work it out the car is user friendly. Kids will love the underfloor hidey holes.Scenic II scores a full five star safety rating. Safety features include dual front and side airbags, curtain airbags and front and rear seatbelt pretensioners. ABS brakes with elec- tronic brake force distribution (EBD) and emergency brake assist are also standard.Fuel economy is good at an average of 9.6L/100km from the 60-litre tank. And like the old one, it prefers premium but runs happily on standard unleaded.You don't get alloy wheels with either of the lower grade models. Standard model also misses out on climate controlled airconditioning, rear power windows, an automatic parking brake, and a mirror for communicating with rear passengers and a few other little things – but that's about it.There's always a catch and in this case be warned that any colour apart from white attracts a premium of $650.

The Renault Sport Clio is one of the surprisingly capable entrants in the performance market that is set to rejuvenate the hot-hatch title.It, together with its turbocharged Megane 225 sister, will mount a strong challenge against traditional sports-oriented rivals from Japan.Despite the Clio's benign appearance, the injection of a bigger 124kW 2-litre engine – up from 72kW 1.4-litres – is sufficient to make it quick off the mark.But that's only half the story.All that power driving through the front wheels theoretically makes this a handful through the bends and on wet roads. Not so Thanks to excellent suspension design, a rigid body, grippy tyres and a light weight of 1035kg, the Clio is an extremely quick machine through the corners.It also boasts strong brakes and pin-sharp steering – all the hallmarks of a hot hatch – and is a delight to drive in the city.But it's not what I'd call cheap. At $32,990 it's getting up there in price, even though it comes with electric windows, airconditioning, alloys, ABS and other good gear.I guess you'd also have to be something of a fan of European cars because they tend to require a dedicated owner who can put up with the odd foible. The same applies to big sister Megane 225.This is also a product of Renault's performance arm, Renault Sport, and is aimed at the serious driver who wants something a bit different.Based on the standard Megane sedan, the 225 – which indicates its horsepower and equates to 165kW – comes with a host of go-faster mods and superb handling in the same vein as the Clio.Unlike the standard Megane range, the 225 is made at Renault Sport Technologies' factory in Dieppe, which gives an indication to how serious Renault is about producing a capable machine.Above the normal Megane five-door, the hot version gets as standard fare a bigger front air-intake, a wider stance, lower suspension, twin exhausts, Brembo brakes and 17-inch alloys.Inside are leather seats, leather-wrapped steering wheel, alloy pedals and orange seatbelts. The Clio comes with silver belts.The car also gets climate-control airconditioning, electric everything, six airbags, stability control and cruise control – in fact, it's dressed up as an executive express.It's also not inexpensive at $42,990, though its pretty much on par with the Subaru WRX – except for the all-wheel-drive – in price and power.It will run hard to 100km/h in a 6.5 second time – and that's pretty quick for a big family hatch.The 225 is also a very flexible machine thanks to strong low-speed torque, which also makes it a doddle in the city.Both these Renaults are definitely worth a closer look.