Renault Master E-Tech Reviews

Renault's enrty into the booming baby SUV segment has arrived in Australia, promising an impressive list of standard equipment along with customisable styling.Standard features across the Captur range include a reverse camera with rear parking sensors, satnav, auto wipers and headlights, keyless entry and two-tone alloy wheels, while a unique two-tone body colour can be optioned on all models. Priced from $22,990, the entry-level Captur Expression is powered by a 0.9-litre three-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine which serves up 66kW/135Nm, connected to a five-speed manual transmission. Buyers wanting an automatic will need to step up to the $25,990 88kW/190Nm 1.2-litre turbocharged four-cylinder version which is equipped with a six-speed dual-clutch auto.Combined fuel consumption for the Clio-based SUV in manual guise is 4.9L/100km, while the auto-equipped four-cylinder models use 5.4L/100km combined. The $27,990 range-topping Captur Dynamique gets the same hardware as the mid-spec four-cylinder auto Expression, but adds chrome interior highlights, removable and washable seat covers, bigger 17-inch machine-finished alloys and comes standard with contrasting roof and door mirrors. The versatile interior of the Captur SUV also has a sliding rear bench seat which allows for an impressive seats-up cargo volume of up to 455 litres.

The major brands are keen for a good start to 2015 and that means a lot of sharp deals for the first two months of the year.Low profile brand Citroen currently has a hot deal on its Berlingo compact hauler, offering the 66kW diesel manual long body version for $25,990 drive away. It has also thrown in an extended warranty, covering it for five years/200,000km.Volkswagen has two limited edition vans available now, with special drive-away pricing.They are called Runner models and are effectively entry-level models.The Caddy Runner is based on the TSI 160 petrol version of Volkswagen’s small van. It is not loaded with gear, but does have airconditioning as well as stability control, and costs $23,990 drive away.The Transporter Runner, based on the TDI 250 diesel, is not completely void of features either and has just picked up Bluetooth phone connectivity and cruise control in addition to AC and stability control.Volkswagen is currently offering it for $32,990 drive away.Renault is receiving initial stock of the new Master large van, but there are a fair few of the old one left and that means bargains are to be had.The company hasn’t locked in incentives with the dealers, instead asking them to check in when someone is interested, so it might well be worth asking.The company does have an extended warranty offer in place at the moment to help its Kangoo compact van, which covers it for five years or 200,000km.Ford is offering two special deals with price cuts and extended warranty deals for its front-drive Transit Custom vans.The first is a short wheelbase model at $38,990 drive away and the second is the long wheelbase version for $40,990 drive away.These are keen prices, especially as Ford has now introduced an extended warranty that lasts for five years/200,000km.Both models are standard, but the Transit is very well specified and each van has a five-star crash safety rating, stability control, cruise control, Bluetooth connectivity, a bulkhead and even heated seats.There is only one transmission, a six-speed manual, as an automatic is still being developed, and only one engine, a 2.2-litre turbodiesel.Fiat is not doing any special deals on its just-introduced Doblo and Ducato vans, maintaining the strong pricing structure from the launch, including the well specified Doblo compact van from $22,000 for the petrol 1.4 and the larger Ducato with a 3.0-litre diesel from $38,000, but neither price includes drive-away costs.

The Renault Clio already has a Tick, but this one is different. Instead of the base-model starter car, it’s the full-on Renault Sport pocket rocket.The basics are same, from its four-door body to class-leading European safety score, but the mechanical package has had a significant tweak.The engine is now an RS-tuned 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol, while the brakes, tyres and wheels are bigger, there is sports suspension and a six-speed double-clutch gearbox.The car was great fun to punt around a racetrackIt sits at the top of the Clio line-up, as well as competing with a mixed bag of compact speedsters including the Fiat Abarth and Citroen DS3. These cars are popular choices in Europe, although not so much in Australia where V8s still rule.It also doesn’t help that the Abarth is well into the $30,000 bracket and the DS costs at least $28,000. The Clio RS is also relatively costly, from $29,290, but it is good value and well priced when you look at cars such as the Ford Focus ST at close to $40,000 and the Clio’s big brother Megane RS from $44,000.The Clio is officially called the 200, since it has 200 horsepower — that’s 149kW — to play with. It also has, more importantly, 240Nm of torque from around 200 revs.I come to the RS after a first drive in Europe that was masked by heavy rain, although the car was great fun to punt around a racetrack. I’m expecting a lot, particularly because the Megane RS is so sharp and enjoyable.There is way too much torque steerAt first, I like the car. It’s comfortable like the regular Clio, with a sharper edge, and a variety of engine and transmission settings that make it a great little sprinter. There’s a Race setting for extreme fun, but I avoid it for my road work.And yet, and yet.The longer I spend with the car, the more I find it is lacking. It’s good, make no mistake, but it’s missing the sharp edge of greatness I expect from a Renault Sport car.There is way too much torque steer — the wheel tugs under acceleration and the front end gets wayward — the engine is strong but not focused, and the gearbox never really snaps the shifts the way I want.

Paul Gover road tests and reviews the Renault Megane GT-Line hatch and wagon with specs, fuel economy and verdict.

Craig Duff road tests and reviews the Renault Megane RS275 Trophy with specs, fuel consumption and verdict.

James Standford road tests and reviews the Renault Kangoo ZE.

Are you tired of getting stuck behind an SUV? If you can’t see through them, you may want to join them.Australia is going to be crawling with a new type of SUV from next year: city-sized soft-roaders. Or as we like to call them, faux-wheel drives.They have the same tall driving position as a full-size SUV (to better navigate the traffic rather than the great outdoors) and yet have the economy of a small car because often they don’t even have all-wheel drive. Handily, they also fit in the same size parking space as a Toyota Corolla.The Suzuki SX4 (now known as the S-Cross) in many ways pioneered this segment; Holden and Nissan followed with pocket-sized high-riding hatchbacks with unusual designs.But Mazda’s CX-3 is the first one that appears to look just right. Due in March, it will soon be joined by the Honda HR-V, Fiat 500X, Jeep Renegade, Renault Captur and the reborn Suzuki Vitara (a sign of the times, now with car-like underpinnings rather than a 4WD chassis).Most of these vehicles will be priced between $20,000 and $30,000, the heart of the new-car market — and put SUVs in the driveways of those who want one but, until now, couldn’t afford it.If you thought it was already difficult to choose a new car in the world’s most competitive market, it’s about to get even tougher.

Nurburgring-storming Renault Megane RS275 Trophy-R lands in Australia.Renault’s latest record-setting hyper hatch is now available in Australia, priced from $61,990.The new Megane RS275 Trophy-R is limited to just 250 units worldwide, 50 of which are destined for our shores – the second largest allocation out of the 15 countries which will receive the Renault road-racer.Built as a track special, the Trophy-R is the fastest front-drive production car ever to lap Germany’s infamous Nurburgring Nordschleife circuit with a 7:54.36 lap time – beating the previous record set by a Seat Leon Cupra by around four seconds.Based on the  $52,990 Megane RS275 which arrived in local showrooms last month, the Trophy-R ‘Ring king is lighter and faster, but no more powerful than the car it’s based on.Using the same 201kW/360Nm 2.0-litre turbo four-pot (codenamed F4RT) and Akrapovic exhaust system as the standard RS275, the Trophy R can hit 100km/h in 5.8 seconds – two tenths quicker than before.However, because Renault has thrown away the rear seats and swapped the front pews for ultra lightweight Recaro polycarbonate buckets which save 42kg, this road-racer is 92kg lighter than the car it’s based on.The already-stiff Cup chassis has also been fiddled with, gaining a rear strut brace and retuned springs and dampers to match the car’s the on-track aspirations and its super-sticky Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 Tyres - the same tread used by the Porsche 918 Spyder hyper car.All Australian delivered Megane Trophy-Rs also come fitted as standard with the Nurburgring Accessory Kit, which is said to be worth over $5000.The kit includes a lithium-ion battery which saves a further 15kg, lightweight steel and aluminium brake discs and six-point harness belts.Visually, the Trophy-R is differentiated from lesser Meganes with striking 19-inch red alloys, matched to red side decals. The only paint colour available is Pearl white with contrasting Diamond Black roof.

Murray Hubbard road tests and reviews the Renault Clio RS Monaco GP with specs, fuel consumption and verdict.

Peter Barnwell road tests and reviews the 2014 Renault Megane Coupe-Cabriolet.