2004 Renault Megane Reviews

They look great, but when it is time to put the fabric roof back up, some can look tired and tatty.Mercedes-Benz started the folding metal-roof trend with the previous model SLK and SL. Peugeot joined in with the 206CC and 307CC and Daihatsu produced the Copen.The latest coupe convertible is the Renault Megane.The new Megane has an automatic folding metal hard-top that drops into the boot. The Karmann-designed roof also has a glass panel, but most of the harsh light can be blocked courtesy of a retractable screen.The four-seat Megane drop-top starts at $47,990, against the Holden Astra convertible ($45,990) and the Peugeot 307CC ($49,990).It has the same 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine as the Megane hatch with 98kW and 191Nm. A six-speed manual is standard. The four-speed automatic with manual shift mode is $2200 extra.Standard equipment includes leather seats, cruise control, airconditioning, 16-inch alloy wheels, CD sound with steering-wheel controls and a glass roof panel.An optional $1290 LX pack adds 17-inch alloy wheels and premium six-CD sound.ON THE ROADCONVERTIBLES are either tuned for sport or comfort and it takes less than a minute in the Megane to discover comfort is the focus. The suspension is soft and the car tends to wallow over some bumps.The Megane is a comfortable summer cruiser. Its metal top is well-designed and several passengers thought this Megane was a regular coupe until the roof started folding.Owners of drop-tops with fabric lids can tell you that even with the roof up it can be noisy inside.The black rag-tops can also heat-up the interior on really hot days when the sun is too bright to have the roof down.Folding metal hard-top cars such as the Megane don't suffer from these problems. Even when the roof is down, the Megane is fairly quiet, even at highway speeds.Its 2.0-litre engine lacks punch and torque. It can also feel harsh, especially through the pedal and works hard at 2800 revs when cruising at 100km/h.It would be better with a manual, but our test car had an automatic that was not good. Sometimes the changes were smooth, other times it slapped into the next gear.The auto also has an annoying habit of being quick to change down when coasting downhill.At least there is a manual shift mode, so you can make it change when you want.Cabin comfort is good, and seats providing adequate support.The Megane is a four-seater and there is enough room for adult passengers, as long as it is not a long journey.

Though similar in character, the newcomer is not only larger but is a turbo-car.Sport Megane looks the business with subtle go-fast goodies like 17in alloys, chunky rubber, optional glass roof with sunroof section, front and rear bumper aprons with additional driving lights and a really cool high-mounted dual outlet exhaust.Other stuff enhances the car's avant-gard styling but some people just don't like the looks of the Megane. -I do.The bustle back takes a bit of getting used to but, hey, you tend to fade into anonymity in most cars these days. Renault has "had a go" with the Megane.At $42, 990, the Sport Megane is stacked right up against the Subaru WRX on price.It has almost the same output at 165kW but is front wheel drive against the Rex's all wheel drive.Could be an issue with all that power going through the front wheels but apart from a few glitches, the car is a gem.Punch it hard around a bumpy corner and it becomes untidy but otherwise, the Megane sits pretty.There is a gorgeous rush of power from the 2.0-litre, twin scroll turbo engine that sees the Megane dash from 0-100kmh in around 6.0 seconds.But it's the roll-on response that really gets you.It feels like a grand tourer out on the open road and with 300Nm of torque on tap from low revs, gear changes are few and far between. It's a six speed box with ratios wider than you'd expect. That's to take full advantage of the engine's torque but the gear throws could be shorter.Sport Megane's dynamics are set to match the engine and that means big powerful four piston brakes, well sorted suspension and precise, firm steering. That's the operative word here – firm.It drinks premium unleaded and sips lightly for regular driving.Plenty of equipment means wheel time is more enjoyable. Features include a decent audio system, climate control air, auto on/off headlights, auto variable wiper speed.Like all Meganes, this one has a five star European NCAP crash rating and that means a full range of safety equipment.On the road, the Sport Megane is rewarding to drive, a bit unruly perhaps but with heaps of character. The cockpit features all metal pedals, semi race seats and a chunky steering wheel. There's a whistle from the turbo that becomes more intense when the second scroll cuts in.An option LX pack that includes six stack CD, a glass sunroof and leather upholstery costs and extra four grand.

The company this week introduced a tempter that should lift Renault's profile from nowhere to somewhere especially in the light of four other recent arrivals.The Megane Coupe Cabriolet completes six hectic weeks for Renault that saw the arrival of Master and (impressive) Kangoo vans and the high performance Megane and Clio sports models.Megane Coupe Cabriolet is a gorgeous thing with a stunning Karmann-designed and manufactured all- glass retractable roof thrown in for good measure. It gives an all season driving experience with the roof up or down, something no other car offers at present.Like retractable tin-top convertibles, the Megane's two piece roof is electrically operated and folds into the boot.Neat and tidy.The process takes a scant 22 seconds so sudden downpour syndrome can almost be avoided.Worried about the glass roof?There's no need because it's arguably tougher than steel and also knocks out 95 per cent of UV radiation. A dappled sunshade is provided for extra sun protection.The chassis is similar to Megane sedan and hatch with reinforcements in critical areas such as the windscreen and underfloor areas. It weighs about 150kg more but rides on a longer wheelbase. There are other chassis/dynamic adjustments throughout the car.The powertrain is a lift from Megane hatch – a 98kW, twin cam, 2.0-litre, petrol four cylinder driving through a six speed manual 'box or four speed automatic.There are plenty of goodies inside the Coupe Cabriolet as befits its asking price of $47,990, $2200 more for the auto.And it rates as the safest car in a frontal collision as tested by European NCAP which gives it five stars. Safety equipment includes six air bags and ABS.An optional LX pack ($1290 adds 17in wheels and a six CD stacker).Though pitched as a four seater, precious little rear seat legroom precludes adults from travelling in the back. The boot is generous with the roof up, less so when folded. A full size spare is included.The auto version tested proved impressive indeed, better than expected.It has a strong chassis and excellent engine response. There are no torque holes to fall into and the powertrain works smoothly and efficiently particularly kickdown.We drove (in the wet) with the roof on and off and it feels rock solid in both modes. The car's shape deflects light rain completely overhead and even allows a cap to be worn without worrying losing it.There's absolutely no windscreen shake and no rattles, groans or frequency vibrations that can plague this type of car.The ride/handling package is sporty with firmish suspension, electric power steering and (over) sensitive brakes.The car's fun to cruise in and you can turn up the wick and treat it like a sports car.Pretty well no luxuries have been left out and the interior looks modern and plush except for a quibble with some plastic surfaces.Distinctive rear styling pleases but the generic Megane front could do with a lift such as dual element headlights to differentiate the Coupe Cabriolet from Megane hatch.This car has plenty of competition and is priced right on the money for the segment. It looks a million bucks and has the added advantage of that all glass roof.

Even Renault admits sales of the turbocharged Megane 225 and its Renault Sport stablemate, the Clio 182 (numbers represent horsepower), won't be high in Australia. It predicts monthly figures of only 25 of each.But it's supposed to be an important step towards giving the Renault brand a shot of sex appeal."We are trying to avoid setting concrete targets," managing director Rudi Koenig says."Obviously, with this type of car, initial demand is going to be high. Then, like most sports vehicles, expectation dies down."But we want to use Renault Sport to enhance our brand awareness in this country."The Megane Sport 225 has a turbocharged version of Renault's 2.0-litre engine, boosting power to 165kW and torque to 300Nm, compared with the standard Megane's 98kW and 191Nm.The twin-scroll, watercooled turbocharger has what's called a "double-incident flow" that is supposed to reduce the amount of exhaust coming back into the cylinders. Basically, it reduces turbo lag and that means the engine doesn't have to be wound up to high revs to get the most from the turbo.Apart from the turbo, the Megane Sport has 17-inch wheels, a wider track, stiffer suspension, lower ride, and four-wheel Brembo disc brakes and calipers with electronic braking distribution. The Luxury pack includes full leather trim, a sunroof and six-CD audio.The more familiar Renault Sport Clio has also had a mild boost in power (up 7kW to 131kW), along with new standard features such as leather/anthracite trim, twin tailpipes and cruise control.It also has a wider track (12mm front and 16mm rear) and wider Michelin tyres.The biggest news is the arrival of the Cup variant, a track model with stiffer suspension (20 per cent stiffer in front and 16 per cent at back).Apart from grey metallic alloys, rather than the silver of the regular Clio Sport, and a (barely noticeable) 3mm lower ride height, there's little visual difference between the Cup and regular versions.ON THE ROADIF THE Renault Sport Clio is the genuine article hot hatch, the Renault Sport Megane 225 comes across as a bit "not quite".It's not quite edgy enough to be a hot hatch in the same sense as its stablemate, the Renault Sport Clio 182, which makes it hard to work out exactly what kind of buyer would go for it.While it's undoubtedly sporty, in the sense of having a reasonably stiff suspension, the Megane loses the edge with its steering.The best description is it feels "woolly". It's not sharp as you'd expect from a car with a sporty attitude, whether it be a genuine sports car or only a hot hatch.The ride itself is a bit "midway" as well, though in this case that's not necessarily a bad thing. Grip and control is good without the choppiness you can get in cars that have a very hard suspension.The Megane 225's biggest plus is the turbo engine, which is a delight from low in the rev range to the top. No noticeable turbo lag means it's also easy to live with.Through the windy stuff the engine gives the driver plenty in reserve to fire out of corners and dart up hills.The six-speed manual, however, isn't quite slick enough to take advantage of the motor. The shift from second to third, in particular, is fairly hit-and-miss. The Clio's five-speed is much more usable.But the car's biggest letdown is its drab and not especially sporty interior. The plastics are a dull dark grey and do little to excite. The orange seatbelts only partially compensate.The instruments are sparse for a car that will sell for $42,990 and the orange-lit display might be functional and easy enough to read, but look industrial rather than sexy.In contrast, the Renault Sport Clio, even the relatively "standard" one pushes all the right buttons.After driving the turbo Megane, power and torque feel a little bit light on, but everything else screams fun.Through the Tasmanian backroads, the Clio feels like a go-kart, the grip so impressive you can maintain speed to the point that the lack of brute power is hardly relevant.The steering and transmission are much more enticing for the driver than the larger car, as is the interior with its black and brushed aluminium highlights. The personality of the car shines through, whereas the Megane feels pale.For an extra $1500 you get the Club spec version with stiffer racetrack suspension and grey-coloured wheels. The wheels certainly look the part, but, except for those who intend to use the car on the track, the Cup has a noticeably bumpier ride without any noticeable improvement in grip.Now if we could just squeeze that turbocharged engine into the Clio . . . But I guess that's just being silly.

The Eiffel Tower instantly equates with Paris, champagne is French for bubbly, and a beret and a baguette of bread identifies its population to the world.Then there's the quirky cars – early model Citroens especially.But French cars have abandoned their outrageous style and impossible mechanical complexity to appeal to a broader audience.Look no further than the Renault Megane sedan for proof.While its hatchback sister has a rather abrupt tail, the sedan is sleeker, longer and more conservative. It loses nothing in terms of innovativeness, though restraint by the chief engineer means the oily bits are relatively simple.Innovative stuff includes the credit-card size key. Keep it in your pocket and the car will recognise you as you open the door. It will even let you start the car – there's a push-button on the dash – without using the key.The instrument panel is simple and effective with big, bright gauges, though the switchgear takes practice to operate.The cabin has storage bins under the doors' armrests, cubby-holes under the floor, a decent glovebox, centre storage areas and a big, wide boot.The Megane also boasts plenty of interior space boosted by split and folding rear seats. Access to the boot is via a lid with a yawn big enough to take a bicycle.The model on test was called the Privilege. At $6000 more than the $29,990 base Expression version, the upmarket model comes only as an auto and has leather upholstery, alloy wheels and body-coloured features.It shares with the base model an outstanding safety record helped along by six standard airbags, ABS and brake-assist systems.The sedan has a different platform from its hatchback sister, being 61mm longer for a much bigger interior. There's not much difference in leg and headroom between it and a Commodore.Yet on the road it has nimble manners and brisk acceleration and (the biggest surprise) a meagre fuel consumption even when driving in the city.This is the French-related odd bit: The Megane is a rewarding and economical car yet its engine is hardly powerful and barely sophisticated.At 98kW, it's well down on the power charts compared with rivals but it's quick off the mark and even the four-speed auto isn't able to reign it in.Speaking of the auto, it's a nice box with the ability to change gears yourself. But in full-auto mode it can get its knickers in a knot with erratic gear changes.I know it's a super-smart adaptive transmission and it was trying to be both economical and sprightly at the same time, but it still feels lumpy.More electronics are used in the steering in the form of variable assistance for its power steering (in this case, electric not conventional hydraulic) so it's light at low speeds and firm when on the freeway.Top car!

They include a powerful, turbocharged version of the quirky Megane hatch – you know, the one with the big derriere.The second is a slightly more powerful version of the smaller but highly regarded Clio Sport.Both cars offer high levels of performance and to go with this a free "performance" driving course will be offered to buyers.Renault which has a long history with Australia made a return to this country with a flourish and brace of new models back in 2001.But it has failed to build on the initial splash, with sales slipping backwards last year and still slightly down again this year.However, it argues that it is in for the long haul and the good news is that cars like the Megane Turbo 225 and Clio Sport 182 could set tongues wagging once again."Our aim is to develop the Renault Sport name and to show buyers a more passionate side of the brand," says director of operations Rudi Koenig.Renault Sport has its own plant which specialises in performance models at Dieppe in the Normandy region of France.Both the Megane and Clio models adopt the new Renault Sport DNA which consists of twin tailpipes and a special alloy wheel design.The Clio Sport will be familiar to readers as the little hotty that spearheaded the company's return four years ago.It was initially available in very limited numbers all of which were snapped up by performance hungry punters.The new car adds a more aggressive look and 7kW of extra power, lifting engine output to 131kW or 182bhp – a fraction more than Peugeot's 206 GTi 180 (ergo the 182 tag).Torque stays the same at 200Nm but is produced slightly lower at 5250rpm.The dash from 0-100km/h has been shaved from 7.3 to 7.1 seconds.With a longer, wider footprint and five-speed manual stick the Clio goes hard and offers the enthusiast plenty of bang for their buck, with a ride and handling package that is among the best in class.An even sportier Cup version is offered this time, with even firmer, lowered suspension for better handling.Both versions are an absolute hoot to drive.Wheel size has jumped from 15 to 16 inch on both cars but the Cup can be readily identified by its smoky coloured alloys.A bright Racing Blue is a standout new colour.On the downside weight in the Clio is up from 1035kg to 1090kg and in making way for the twin exhaust system the spare wheel has been replaced by a reinflation kit.However, it is the turbocharged Megane that is the real suprise packet.A turbocharged and intercooled 2.0-litre engine transforms the stylish hatch into something a whole lot more tastier than the standard car.The engine delivers 165kW of power and 300Nm of torque from 3000rpm, catapulting the car from 0-100km/h in just 6.5 seconds.That is quick but not quite as fast as a Subuaru WRX but then again it is an entirely different sort of car.It is the smooth, almost seamless way the Megane delivers this power that is most impressive, providing plenty of get and go across the entire engine range.The engine is hooked up to a Nissan-developed six- speed manual tranny and is one of the smoothest turbos that we have driven.Mid-range acceleration is particularly strong, mak- ing overtaking a simple matter.It is this same mid-range power that makes the car a joy to push this car through twisting mountain roads.A special front suspension setup minimises the torque steer normally associated with powerful front- wheel drive cars.This is the twisting, bucking sensation that you sometimes feel as the front wheels attempt to transmit power to the pavement.The Megane's aggressive Brembo brakes take some getting used to.Ventilated fourpot 312mm front discs are fitted along with one pot 300mm rear discs.Large 17 inch wheels and low profile rubber fill out the wheel arches.Inside, the look is ultra modern with color-coded seatbelts – bright orange in the car we drove.Both are the Clio Sport 182 and Megane Turbo 225 are very well equipped with many luxury features including stability control and several airbags.The Clio Sport 182 is priced from $32,990 while the Megane Turbo 225 retails for $42,990 – both prices exclude on-road costs.

But perky doesn't cut it with everyone and the Megane lineup is growing all the time.Renault has plans for a metal-top convertible coupe that has a connection to the Peugeot 307 CC, but the newest addition is the Megane sedan.Some will say J.Lo has just gone all middle-aged and frumpy, and the box-on-the-back look has taken away some of the car's style, but there are people who still prefer sedans to hatches.Most are getting on a bit, which is why hatches tend to be sporty and sedans put the emphasis on equipment and comfort. You only have to look at the Nissan Pulsar sedan, with a chromed grille that would have been right at home on the nose of an old Fairlane, to see the target age group.Still, the Megane family has been a hit and Renault has recently reported the production of car number one million in the Megane II production run.We are waiting with a smile for the Renault Sport Megane 225, with 17-inch alloy wheels, body building bits and a turbocharged four-cylinder engine with six-speed manual gearbox.But the action is all about the Megane sedan. It starts at $29,990 and is intended to boost Megane sales, which are ticking along at 100 cars a month.It has been the star performer for Renault this year, but the French brand is still only a tiddler with total sales of 2123 cars in the first four months of 2004.Renault says the sedan is more than just J.Lo with a boot on the back, and points to a 61mm longer wheelbase and stretched back doors as proof. As well as the boot, which has a claimed carrying capacity of 520 litres.The mechanical package is just the same, with a 2-litre engine and a choice of six-speed manual and four-speed manual gearboxes, fully independent rear suspension, anti-skid brakes with electronic brake force distribution, and electric power assistance for the steering.Renault Australia has set the equipment level high, while holding the starting price to $29,990 for the Expression manual, so the car comes with everything from front and side-curtain airbags to a trip computer, automatic airconditioning and cruise control.ON THE ROADWE ENJOY our time with the funky J.Lo Megane. It isn't perfect, but it looks good and it is enjoyable to drive.The sedan? Hmmmm. Much more middle-of-the-road. Definitely not a pop hit.Still, when we go on the road we try to forget our reaction to the styling...and a boot that's surprisingly hard to use because of a narrow opening.The car gets along well enough with its 2-litre engine. It's not a fireball, but it has solid pulling power, allowing easy cruising and some brisk sprints in the city.Our test car is automatic and it is far less enjoyable than the manual, which baulks a bit between 5th and 6th gears.The automatic is slow to respond and jerky, a tendency we have noticed in far too many European autos. It's because Europeans usually go for a manual change, which means development takes a lower priority.The auto Megane also loses some of the finish from the top of the shifter, something that also happens in the hatch, so we wonder about the long-term quality.The other big complaint is the steering. The electric power assistance is unpredictable, meaning the car sometimes feels as if it has a flat tyre or bent suspension.It's all right if you go gently, and it definitely helps parking, but our test car is over-sensitive to the wheel any time we are above 40km/h, and that is no fun.Still, we enjoy the equipment in the Megane sedan, from the airconditioning and the punchy sound to the trip computer and cruise control.The seats are great, soft and supportive, and the car is quiet at cruising speeds and easy at the pumps, though it does drink premium unleaded.Lined up against its rivals, it gives ground to the Holden Astra and the Ford Focus, even though they have smaller engines, and cannot compete with the Toyota Corolla for quality or finish. It is European, which wins points, and it is comfy, but that won't be good enough for people who shop on the bottom line.Overall, the sedan doesn't do anything special and will fade quickly from our memories.There are people who will like it, and some who will love it. We prefer J.Lo.THE BOTTOM LINEA NICE enough car, but we have driven others in 2004 that are far better.

"It is a little unusual to put two models into a small-volume segment like the sports hatch at the same time but they are very different cars that will give shoppers a welcome choice," says Renault Australia's managing director Rudi Koenig."The opportunity to offer such a different choice was a big part of the decision to use the five-door variant for the Megane."Both cars come out of the Renault Sport garages at the Dieppe facility where shells and basic chassis from the garden variety cars are worked over by Renault's 500-strong performance crew.The outcome for the Clio and Megane is a Charles Atlas act. The Clio weighs in with 131kW and 200Nm while the Megane, from the same 2.0-litre 16-valve engine, manages 165kW and 300Nm, 90 per cent of which is delivered on a torque curve so flat you could sleep on it between 2000 and 6000rpm.Koenig says he accepts that the Clio and Megane Sports will not add significant volume to Renault's Australian sales (about 50 cars a month combined) but believes they have an important role to play."Renault's history in motorsport is significant and on-going and we need to leverage off that in Australia for brand recognition."We also need to continue to re-inforce the determination of Renault to be in Australia for the long haul and offering as wide a model line-up as possible is a part of that."Unlike the previous Clio Sport, 80 of which were made available as part of Renault's re-introduction to Australia in 2001, the new model will not be supply restricted.With full availability the Clio Sport 182 will go head to head with Euro-hotties like the Peugeot 206 GTi 180 and BMW's soon-to-be launched 1-Series. For the Megane 225 the targets are likely to be a fair bit more disparate ranging across a wider power/price band that covers anything from a Subaru WRX through to Mazda's RX-8.While the Renault performance pair shares the same basic engine there are plenty of differences in the cars.The Clio has a five-speed close ratio box against the six-speed shifter in the Megane. Both are very well suited to their task with the aggression of third and fourth in the naturally aspirated Clio encouraging high-revving fun. For the Megane's part the extra ratio makes cruising a dream while the huge lumps of torque on tap in any gear take care of the fun factor.With its extra grunt and weight (1361kg against 1090kg) the Megane reasonably needs better stoppers and with 312mm four-pot front and 300mm single-pot rear discs, pulling the car down from speed is not an issue.That is not to say the Clio is underbraked. Its 2800mm vented front and 238mm solid rear discs do an admirable job but tend towards a slight fade on quick-repeat use.In raw performance figures there is not a great deal between the two cars with the Megane sprinting to 100km/h in 6.5 seconds on its way to 236km/h while the Clio takes 7.1 seconds to put the 100km/h behind it on track to a top speed of 222km/h.The most noticeable difference, other than in ride where the Megane retains a softer quality than the hunker-down and get on with it Clio, is how effortlessly the turbo-charged Megane picks up in any gear short of sixth when asked for an overtaking surge.In keeping with its likely more "civilised" owner the Megane features some extra electronic wizardry with an anti-skid and understeer control program on top of the stability program and ABS. The Clio's nod to electronic aids is restricted to a switchable ESP and anti-skid brakes.Both cars carry Renault's now almost-standard five-star NCAP safety rating. The Clio has front and side airbags while the Megane adds front lateral and curtain bags to the equation.The seating in both cars is up to Renault Sport's usual high standard of comfort and bolstering. The Clio rides on 16-inch alloys with the newly developed Michelin Exalto rubber 205/45 profile. The Megane's 17-inch alloys are shod with 225/45 Continental ContiSportContact.The Renault Sport Clio 182 is priced at $32,990 with the Clio 182 Cup $34,490 (add stiffer, lower suspension). Metallic paint is a $600 option.The Renault Sport Megane 225 is $42,990. A $4000 LX pack adds sunroof, six-stacker CD and full leather.

As a new mother, my priorities have changed. All of a sudden, everything is about the baby.For example, I picked up my black sleek number from the dealership and hit the freeway.In my pre-bubs days, I would have grabbed the hubby and headed for destination anywhere-we-feel-like. Somehow a Tupperware party just doesn't have the same ring to it, but that's motherhood for you. Again, it's all about baby.In my pre-baby days, I would not have settled for anything less than the more sexy Megane hatch.Now, looks take a back seat to practicality and, of course, safety.In my pre-baby days, I didn't care how big the boot was because I never used it. Now, it's one of the first things I look for because it's just annoying trying to squeeze a pram into the boot while junior is screaming. The Megane's boot is so big it could probably fit two prams (but I'm getting ahead of myself).In my pre-baby days, a cup holder was all the storage I cared about.Now, as all parents would know, storage compartments are all the rage and you just can't get enough of them. The Megane sedan has so many little storage surprises that I was still discovering them days after my first drive. There's one under the driver's floor, ditto on the front passenger side, one at the rear window and in the side doors, and then some.About all that was missing was the "Baby on Board" sticker, but I just couldn't do it to her. She's too cute and classy for that.But for those simply looking for a good car without the post-baby features in mind, Megane delivers.Forget the frustration of finding your car keys in the bottomless pit (aka handbag), the Megane has developed a simple feature that quite frankly every car should adopt.The key is designed like a credit card. You just insert it in the slot and press the start button.To switch on the lights, all you have to do is start the car. There are no knobs to turn. It's all done automatically – and likewise when you switch off the car.And for the leadfoots, say goodbye to your speeding-fine woes. The speed-limiter function means once you set your maximum speed, the car won't let you go over that. And, no, there are no annoying beeps warning you every time you pass the desired speed – she just won't let you speed.The Privilege model, like its name suggests, gives you a few extras such as a leather steering wheel and chrome door handles but, let's face it, they are not essential and for a few grand less you could do without.But even though the Megane passed my stringent baby-friendly check, you won't see my three-month-old in the back seat. A woman's gotta have some luxuries to her own, doesn't she?

Either way the result was the same and what had promised to be an early night turned into a much later one.Once that little misunderstanding was behind us I found myself warming to the Megane sedan when I didn't think I would.Our test car was the top of the line Privilege model with all the fruit including leather upholstery, priced from $35,990 plus on roads. it looks remarkably like VW's Passat in profile as one colleague has already pointed out. That's not a bad thing.although the Megane sedan dwells in the small car bracket it is much larger than this pigeon hole suggests.We'd describe it as almost medium-sized in proportions, with generous rear legroom.the wheel base is 61mm longer than the hatch and it has larger rear doors for easier access. Good sized boot.for those that find the hatch and its radical round rump a bit over the top the sedan with its more conservative styling will appeal. It is still quite elegant in design and the sporty flared guards convey a sense of power.2.0-litre 16-valve engine with variable valve timing (VVT) delivers 98kW of power at 5500rpm and 191Nm of torque at 3750rpm. It's not going to knock your socks off but it is not disappointing either.the engine in our test car was teamed with a "Proactive" automatic transmission that includes flick-shift selection. It's only a four-speed auto but it was more than adequate for the job. We didn't use the flick option much because with four cogs it didn't have much to offer.it's got one of those card thingies instead of an ignition key. You insert the card into a slot in the dash, put your foot on the brake pedal and then push the start/stop button to start the car. It's different but can't see the point really.Mac strut front end and torsion beam rear set up have been adapted from the hatch, with particular attention to the rear damper and suspension travel settings. The result is an excellent ride and handling package.a lot of thought has obviously gone into the Megane's design and it includes many practical features, like the fuel filler cap that has been dispensed with in favour of a spring loaded flap. You just open the filler door and push the nozzle straight in,. No more dirty hands.we also liked the integrated storage bins in the front doors. The armrest flaps lift to reveal them.the brakes are are grabby. The sedan is equipped with ABS, Emergency Brake Assist and electronic brake force distribution (EBD).fuel economy was excellent from the 60-litre tank, although it should be noted that it drinks premium. We achieved a figure of 8.2L/100km.five star safety rating, with two front airbags, side chest airbags in the front and curtain airbags front and rear.other nice touches include rear window sunblinds as well as sunblinds in the rear doors, plus cruise control and speed limiter, automatic wipers and headlights and auto dimming rear view mirror.