Renault Megane Reviews

Paul Gover road tests and reviews the Renault Megane TCe 130, with specs, fuel consumption and verdict.

Ewan Kennedy road tests and reviews the Renault Megane, with specs, fuel consumption and verdict.

The Renault Megane RS275 Trophy-R is the world's fastest hatchback, but it doesn't have a radio, air-conditioning or a back seat.

A bigger range, lower prices, plus the addition of a sporty wagon last year, has given Renault extra impetus in its drive to give the Megane more space in the crowded small car market.

What would be the best way to improve vehicle sales?

Renault Sport Megane RS and the Golf GTI are two very different hot hatches. The French machine is all about uncompromised performance, whereas the German hatch is designed as an all rounder.

It's fair to say Renault hasn't set thee world on fire since it returned to the local market in the 1990s.

Renault is determined to be a big player amongst a host of European marques currently being imported to Australia. The French maker used to be huge in this country, building cars here for many years, and would like to return to its days of being a mainstream player downunder.Using the time honoured method of increasing sales, Renault Australia has cut prices on its biggest selling model, the Megane. It has greatly expanded the number of models on offer and, best of all, has introduced a high-performance station wagon.RANGE AND PRICESThe Megane GT 220 Sport wagon is a slightly detuned version of one of our favourite high-performance cars - the Megane RS 265 coupe. While the 265 is a semi-track model for the very serious driver, the 220 is aimed at the person looking for a family transport with a healthy dose of driving excitement.By the way the numbers 265 and 220 refer to the peak output of the engines in horsepower. The French, who invented the metric system, don’t use it when measuring power outputs of engines, preferring to use the imperial units of horsepower. May we cynically suggest that’s because 265 and 220 are bigger number than 195 and 162 (the power in kilowatts for the powerplants)?Renault Megane wagon is sold in Dynamique level specification with 16-inch alloys, dual-zone climate control, roof rails, and rear parking sensors. It can be ordered with a petrol or diesel engine, but only with an automatic transmission in Australia.The Megane CC (Coupe-Cabriolet) with its folding hard-top is now offered in three models, previously there was just a single, rather expensive, one. In a new entry level specification the Megane CC begins at just $36,990, making it bargain priced in its class.For those looking for more, there’s a Renault Sport designed GT-Line as a package on the Megane hatch, station wagon and Coupe-Cabriolet. This has a sportier front bumper design, a honeycomb grill and boomerang-shaped LED daytime running lights. Megane GT-Line is available in a signature Malta Blue colour, sometimes called French racing blue. Inside, the GT-Line Megane has sport seats and steering wheel.There’s also a standard wagon with good load carrying capacity. As well as back seats that fold flat, the front passenger seat can also fold flat. With the front seat down there’s a load length of 2550 mm.Renault Megane hatch comes in a new entry level specification, Expression. This has a recommended retail price of just $20,990 with a manual gearbox. Interestingly, the Megane Expression automatic has an rrp of $22,990 which is the same price as the outgoing manual model.DRIVE IMPRESSIONSWe spent a great couple of hours driving the GT 220 wagon in the hills behind Brisbane and were impressed by the engine responding with a minimum of lag, the endless torque provided once it was on song and the overall handling and ride package. As it’s less fierce than the Megane 265 coupe the wagon will make a competent daily driver.The GT-Line has harder suspension than the standard models. We found this to be rather firm, and created quite a bit of tyre noise on the rough and ready Aussie backroads we used on some sections of our drive program. So it might be best to try it for yourself before falling in love with the appearance changes.VERDICTA fully imported European machine for the price of an Asian car? That’s likely to spark a lot of buyer interest in the new and expanded Renault Megane range.

Renault has finally gotten a handle on what Australians want - and has launched a GT-Line variant of the Meganes to give to us. The hatch and newly introduced wagon join the line-up as part of a mid-life upgrade and prioritise driver involvement over vehicle acceleration.What they miss in a straight line they more than make up for when the roads start to twist and tighten. Toss in a decent ride over broken surfaces and it’s easy to see why Renault Australia expects the GT-Line to give the Megane a decent kick in sales.VALUEEntry to the GT-Line club starts at $26,490 for the 2.0-litre petrol hatch with a better-than-average continuously variable transmission. The 1.5-litre turbodiesel with a dual-clutch automatic is another $2500. Step up to the leather-clad interior of the GT-Line Premium Pack versions and the petrol model is $29,990; the diesel $32,490. Wagon versions of all models attract a $1500 premium over their hatch counterparts.GT-Line versions are easily identified by the honeycomb front grille flanked by boomerang-shaped daytime running lights, 17-inch alloy wheels and a revised chassis and suspension tune.  Beyond the “Cool Grey” heated leather seats, the Premium Pack adds a sunroof, reversing camera with overlaid guidelines and driver assistance software.TECHNOLOGYThe drivetrains carry over, making the Visio software the biggest innovation in the facelifted Meganes. The system uses windscreen-mounted cameras to scan the road ahead and will automatically switch the headlights from high to low beam if it detects approaching lights, the tail-lights of a car ahead or street lights indicating the vehicle is in an urban area. The system includes a lane-departure warning chime if it detects the Megane is starting to cross the white lines.DESIGNThe Renault exterior has aged well and still looks contemporary from any angle. It’s a different story inside where the layout has some obvious shortcomings against its competition - including a marked absence of cupholders. The single drinks stowage spot nestles at the front edge of the centre console, meaning tall bottles, or large cups of coffee, can block access to some of the sound system controls.The sound system itself has been overhauled and is operated with a logical joystick/button setup between the seats, rather than the in-car remote seen on earlier versions. The seats are wonderfully comfortable but the pedals are slightly offset to the right. It isn’t huge and drivers adjust within moments. The steering wheel adjusts for reach and height but Carsguide suspects the inclined instrument panel may be prone to reflections with the sunroof open. A road test will tell. Rear legroom is modest to the point not many adults will be prepared to spend much time down back. That’s common in the small-car segment so it’s more of a caution than a criticism.SAFETYRenault stacks up well on the safety front. ANCAP rates it a five-star and it earned a score of 35.83/37, with the local crash-testing authority noting of the offset test: “The passenger compartment held its shape well. There was a slight risk of serious chest injury for the driver”.  Six airbags are standard and the fundamentals - steering, chassis and brakes - are good enough to avoid most problems in the first place.DRIVINGThe driving experience has been as sharply honed as the price on the GT-Line Meganes.  The chassis and suspension are tauter than regular models without losing the ability to absorb smaller bumps. The steering has always been a Megane highlight and that continues, with a well-weighted heft and precise feedback on what the front wheels are doing. The focus is on handling rather than outright power, so it shares its engines with the rest of the range. The naturally aspirated 2.0-litre is the straight-line hero but a 0-100km/h time of 10.3 seconds shows it isn’t a hot hatch (the wagon takes another 0.3 of a second).The engine is matched to a continuously variable transmission that doesn’t exhibit the dreaded drone unless the pedal is to the floor. The 1.5-litre turbodiesel is the pick of the engines and has a better engine note than most oilburners when underway and there’s only a hint of diesel clatter when the engine is cold and idling. The dual-clutch auto can hesitate on take-off and occasionally slurs when chasing a higher or lower cog with the foot down. Less enthused driving is its preferred mode and in those conditions it is hard to fault. Natural rivals include the better-sorted cars in the small-car class such as the Ford Focus and Mazda3.VERDICTThe GT-Line Meganes are for drivers who value on-road dynamics without wanting to break the sound barrier. It’s a smart formula on our over-restricted roads and is at least a match for the local suspension tuning that has earned accolades for the South Korean carmakers.

June 30 is D-Day. The end of the financial year is the best time to buy a new car because there are always special deals in showrooms. As carmakers and dealers aim to clear their outdated stock, Toyota uses a June push to cement its showroom leadership. Some of the special deals are on cars that have done demonstrator duty, or were built in 2012, or are just not selling as well as expected. So they're not the tastiest fruit in the bowl.But there is great buying across the board as demand for new cars fuels one of the longest growth periods in motoring. The bottom line is that you can save money -- and lots of it. So here's a look at the June sales, with Carsguide's assessment of the best deals on wheels.CITROENThe new importer is pushing hard so the Aircross SUV starts at $31,990 drive-away front-wheel drive or $33,990 with AWD, a saving of $3800. There's $5000 off the C4 Seduction turbo diesel auto hatch at $25,990. Carsguide says: The Aircross isn't great, but the C4 discount is tasty.FORDThe death notice for the Falcon and Territory has not helped buyer confidence but a 2.9 per cent finance push on Fiesta and Focus still looks good. The superseded Kuga SUV from $31,990 drive-away is a $10,000 saving. You can save about $3000 on a 2012 Escape SUV from $27,990 drive-away.The Territory gets a $6500 tickle, the TX seven-seater at $38,490 drive-away (third-row seat usually costs $2500). The impressive Mondeo liftback starts at $29,990. Good buying on Falcons, thanks to the arrival of the VF Commodore, from $33,990 and better if you haggle.HOLDENAs the VF Commodore creates queues, the outgoing Z-Series starts at $34,990 with five years' warranty and roadside assist. That also applies to the SV6 at $35,990 and the Cruze SRi and SRi-V at $23,490 and $26,990. Last year's Barina CD hatches are $15,990 drive-away with a sunroof. The Colorado is $39,990. Hard to see past the excellent Cruze SRi.HONDAClipped prices and free on-roads. The City VTi sedan is $17,990 and the (slightly) more lavish VTi-L automatic version starts at $21,990. The bigger Civic sedan is being cleared from $21,990. Free auto on the Jazz VTi at $19,990. The Civic is worth a look at $2500 off.KIAFree on-roads, discounts and $1000 gift vouchers on many models. A five-door Rio S is about $3K off at $15,990 drive-away with a $500 gift card; the three-door Rio is $14,990 and the five-door Si is $18,990. Runout Cerato TD sedans start at $17,990 for the S, saving about $5000, the Si sedan is $23,990 and hatch at $17,990. All get a $1000 gift card. Cerato SLi and SLS have drive-away pricing but miss the gift card. All Optimas have free on-roads. A 2012-build Optima Platinum is $37,990, saving about $4000 with a $1000 gift card. Most Sportage SUVs include on-roads and a $1000 gift card. Carnival and superseded Rondo pricing is drive-away. The Sportage diesel and Optima are top-notch.MITSUBISHIThe manual Lancer gets an old-school value pack on the Special Action Model for $19,990 drive-away. The Mirage is $12,990 drive-away for the ES manual, with a $500 cash-back that also applies to the auto.Driveaway prices also for the compact ASX at $24,990 for the 2WD manual, the Outlander LS 2WD auto at $29,990, Pajero GLX-R auto at $54,990 or $59,990 for VRX. Both come plus $3000 cash-back, saving about $6000.The Triton ute is now tackling Great Wall from China at $19,990 drive-away for a GL single-cab 2WD with alloy tray, or add luxury for a GLX dual-cab 4WD diesel at $31,990 drive-away with $2000 cash-back, saving about $14,000. The utes look good at those prices.NISSANA 2.9 per cent finance package, with agreed value after three years, makes the Pulsar ST sedan look good at $49 a week or $19,990 drive-away. The X-Trail ST 2WD petrol manual cops a $4000 reduction to $25,990 drive-away, while the Navara RX 4WD dual-cab manual is cheaper than ever with a $9500 cut to $30,990 drive-away. The Pulsar sedan deal is attractive.OPELThere are drive-away deals across the range. The basic Corsa is down by about $2500 to $16,990 drive-away, the Astra is from $22,990 drive-away for the 1.4-litre turbo petrol hatch with three years of free servicing, saving about $5500. The top-line Insignia sedan is from $39,990 drive-away with heated leather seats. The Astra is easily best of this breed.PEUGEOTFree on-roads at Peugeot on most models but not the cool new 208. The 4008 SUV cops a $1500 saving from $29,990 drive-away and there are deals on the outgoing 4007. Nothing to see here.RENAULTA Koleos from $26,990 drive-away looks even better with interest-free finance. The Megane hatch is from $22,990 drive-away with finance pegged at 1.9 per cent. The slow-selling Fluence and Latitude sedans are available with 2.9 per cent finance. The Megane CC convertible goes from $43,990 including on-roads. The sporty Clio RS is from $34,990 drive-away and the hotrod Megane RS has 2.9 per cent finance.Commercial deals start with the short-wheelbase Kangoo petrol manual with dual sliding doors from $20,990 drive-away, moving up to the Trafic short-wheelbase manual for $29,990 and the long-wheelbase manual for $32,990, while the Master large van starts from $46,990 drive-away. There's a five-year/200,000km warranty on all light commercials ordered in June. Hard to argue against a $3000 bonus on the Koleos but stocks are tight.SUBARUDrive-away pricing -- for savings of $3000 to $4000 -- is the bait, with Impreza pricing from $23,990 (excluding the WRX, of course). The Tribeca from $54,990 now includes on-roads but you need to visit a dealer to get the full story. Nothing outstanding.SUZUKIThe front-drive SX4 gets a Navigator pack with voice-controlled 6.6-inch satnav with Bluetooth for $19,990 drive-away for the manual and $21,990 auto. That also applies to the 2WD auto Grand Vitara at $29,990 drive-away, including reversing camera and satnav with Bluetooth. The Alto GL manual also gets satnav for $11,990 drive-away for the manual, with the Swift GL manual at $17,490 drive-away including cruise control and Bluetooth. The Grand Vitara is a polished piece.TOYOTAThere's 2.9 per cent finance on Aurion and Camry with the Camry Altise looking best at $29,990 drive-away. Other drive-away deals include $15,990 for the Yaris YR five-door, $21,490 for the Corolla Ascent automatic, $39,990 for the Kluger KX-R 2WD five-seater, $60,990 for the Prado GXL turbo diesel auto and $39,990 for the HiLux SR 4WD dual-cab ute. The right time for the cabbies' new favourite, the frugal hybrid Camry.VOLKSWAGENDrive-away pricing on passenger cars and zero finance on commercials. The Polo is $16,990 on-road, the Jetta is down to $25,990 and the Passat $36,690. The Polo is Carsguide's 2010 COTY.VOLVOFuel and servicing for three years or 60,000km plus roadside assistance. There are conditions -- with a pre-paid BP card based on 15,000km a year and $1.50 a-litre pricing -- and the latest V40 hatch is excluded. Clever twist on bargaining but a pity it doesn't apply to the V40.Paul Gover's 10 COMMANDMENTSYou must still do your homework. You must still check the fine print. You must still be prepared to haggle and compromise.But do it right, crunching the numbers and running right to the dealer's deadline, and you can drive away in something special at a special price.The starting point is all the deals, from sticker specials to cheap finance and steak knife-style free extras, being offered by most of the 60-plus brands in showrooms today.If something you want is on special, go for it. But check that the car was built in 2013, and is not a geriatric old-timer from 2012, and ensure your target is exactly what you want - not a stripped-out stocker, perhaps missing an automatic gearbox - that will cost thousands to get the way you want it.Once you lock down a target, don't think the advertised special is the end of the deal. You also need to negotiate for a better price on delivery and on-road costs, and avoid the trap of buying over-priced extras such as paint and upholstery protection, window tinting and extra-long warranties.No-one can expect to go into the ring with a showroom professional and expect to win, because buyers only get a new car occasionally and sales staff are dealing every day. But, by concentrating on the real bottom line - the changeover price - and being prepared to compromise, you can come out ahead.The best tips are the simplest. Run as close as you can to June 30 to sign the deal and get the car, because dealers are all aiming for targets that can mean tens of thousands in bonus money from headquarters. Also be prepared to take a car they have in stock, even if it's not your favourite colour, because dealers are aiming to clear everything they have on the lot.And have your finance in place before you arrive, especially if you're taking up a special deal, because that makes things quicker and you'll also be spared any hassle and potential extra costs.Watch out for 2012 cars because the warranty clock has already been running, don't forget that a big discount today will also mean less at changeover time, and remember that a demonstrator car could have had a hard life already.