Renault Reviews

It's handy having a light commercial vehicle at your disposal - there's always something to dispatch from here to there and all the better if it's a van - for security and safety.PRICEEven a small one like the Renault Kangoo has plenty of appeal and is extremely affordable at $24,490. Hugely popular in Europe. the diminutive cargo box with a cab is designed for work, has a cute disposition and quite a few competitors as well.TEMPTERSBut Renault offers a few tempters that are hard to ignore like a five year warranty, low interest finance (at 3.9 per cent spotted recently) and occasionally, free service for three years though that one hasn't been around for a while. Jag all three and you are looking at an extreme value van to buy and run that will take a surprisingly hefty 800kg payload.REPUTATIONAnd going on its reputation, you can't kill a Kangoo with a stick. They just keep on going. We snaffled a diesel Kangoo and immediately put it to work carting half a tonne of pavers and some tools from the landscape suppliers.ENGINEIt was like water off a ducks back to the Kangoo which runs a 1.5-litre, single cam, turbo diesel, four cylinder donk good for 63kW/200Nm. More importantly, fuel economy hovers around the 5.5-litres/100km mark with the combined cycle officially rated at 5.2. The diesel comes with a five- speed manual only. If you want an auto it has to be the 1.5-litre petrol. Why would you bother, the diesel is too good to pass-up.PERFORMANCEIt has decent performance, especially once you get into second cog. First is short and designed to get a heavily laden Kangoo cleanly off the mark.GOODIESKangoo weighs 1277kg and has plenty of work truck features. Central locking is a given, the rubber load area floor mat is handy as are tie down lugs in the floor and on the sides. The rear barn doors open 180 degrees and the left hand side slider further aids accessibility. You can option an additional right slider. It gets Bluetooth, cruise control and a/c, power windows, a trip computer and plenty of cabin storage. Not a bad working environment. 

No one knows what to make of the Renault Twizy, but everyone is fascinated by it. The Twizy is geared towards city drivers or commuters travelling short distances to work in small towns.It has a range of between 45 to 50 miles and a top speed of 50mph. But it has a deceptively quick burst of speed that makes it ideal for nipping in and out of traffic. It takes only three and a half hours to fully charge using a standard plug.

Having a good car isn't good enough to be a winner in the small car class. Just ask Renault, whose Megane is earning a trickle of interest amid a torrent of sales. Put that down to lack of knowledge in the brand.Renault is starting off a small base in Australia and is still educating the public that French flair is a no-cost option, not an extra-cost one. In the Megane buyers get a solidly built hatch that rides well and has enough standard gear to be value for money. The downside is a continuously variable transmission in the petrol models that drones worse that a seminar speaker. The diesel's a better engine but is too noisy under load.VALUEThe bottom line is $26,000 buys a base model Megane Dynamique with 16-inch alloys, a six-speed manual gearbox and most of the features you want except satellite navigation. That's about what it costs for a Mazda3 MaxxSport but the Mazda does come with satnav. Spend $2500 more for a Megane with the 1.5-litre turbodiesel and a six-speed auto. The Privilege spec level raises the bar by $4000 for the petrol and $5000 for the diesel.TECHNOLOGYThe dual-clutch automated manual transmission works well with the diesel. There's a moment of hesitation off the line but the torque rolls on early and gives the hatch decent performance around town. It doesn't have the punch of a Ford Focus TDCi but it also uses a litre less diesel every 100km, with Renault claiming fuel use of 4.5 litres/100km.STYLINGThe front end of the Renault is distinctive without straying too far from the accepted small car formula. The bumper sweeps up to the top of the wheel arches where it neatly blends in with the wraparound lights. Rear seat legroom is on the tight side to be packing two adults in the rear for a lengthy trip but the boot's 360 litres of space is easy to load.The interior is just starting to date - and Renault persists in putting the sound system controls on a block behind the steering wheel where they can't be seen or easily used. Putting a cupholder in front of the USB input isn't a "Eureka" moment, either.SAFETYThe Megane was the first small car to earn a five-star rating from Euro NCAP. That was five years ago and shows how well engineered the Renault is. Six airbags are supplemented by stability and traction control and there are seat belt reminders for both front seats.DRIVINGPut the boot in to the Megane and it punches back well above its weight. The transmission is geared for economy but will quickly drop down a couple of cogs if there's enough right-foot pressure.  And the brakes are close to best in class. The 280mm front and 260mm rear discs are consistent and effective at any speeds, though they start to bite earlier in the pedal travel than most Asian cars.Ignoring the diesel clatter, the 1.5-litre turbodiesel is the engine of choice. The 2.0-litre petrol is more than OK but uses too much fuel. That can't be said of the diesel - Carsguide averaged 6.0 litres/100km. That's above the claimed figure but still impressive for a car carrying four in the urban jungle.The seats are comfortable and the vision forward and rear is better than average, meaning the Megane ticks about every box you can ask it to. Better noise isolation is about all I'd want.VERDICTA five-year warranty sweetens an already good deal for the Megane. It isn't going to outsell the Corolla but is a smart alternative for those who don't want to run with the pack.

Things changed when the Renault Latitude landed in Australia last year.For the first time, the French maker had a car that didn't sit alongside 'quirky' in every sentence, or hang its future on a hatchback tail borrowed from J-Lo. The Latitude looks and drives like a run-of-the-mill mid-sized family sedan, not something oddball from France, and Renault Australia also managed to end its earlier battles against high-priced hopefuls with a bottom line from $36,990. The Carsguide crew has spent more than 2000 kilometres with a Latitude to compile a local report card, with solid Bs in most areas but a "Must do better" bottom line because of the classy competition in faces in Australia.VALUEThe basic Latitude has everything you need for family motoring, and a few surprising bonuses. The leather seats and side blinds are great for child-friendly motoring and a satnav system with built-in speed zone alerts, thanks to TomTom programming, works for everyone. The pricing plan works because the Latitude, despite its Renault badge, is a global hybrid. It picks up a mechanical package from Nissan and is built by Samsung in Korea.But, to put it into perspective, the Latitude has the same bottom line as the classy and well equipped Kia Optima Platinum and costs more than a basic Honda Accord Euro. In a mid-sized class that's loaded with contenders, and class, the Latitude is still struggling to win friends and only 208 cars were delivered through the first 11 months of 2011, compared with 17,637 for the Toyota Camry.TECHNOLOGYThere is nothing special about the Latitude, although the long-termer comes with the solid diesel engine and six-speed automatic that gives it great economy and long legs for touring. The chassis picks up Maxima bits and that shows with good handling and ride comfort that's good, but not as great as we remember from cars such as the Laguna.DESIGNThe Latitude is very conservative by Renault standards, and doesn't really sit all that way in a family of cars that is dominated by chic little Megane models. But there is nothing wrong with the shape or space, or the boot, or the dashboard layout and controls.SAFETYRenault was one of the world's first carmakers to commit to five-star ANCAP safety and, without including a big crash in the test program, there is nothing to fault. The car sits well on the road, the brakes are strong, and you know it has an ESP safety net for bad weather or some sort of silliness by someone else.DRIVINGLiving with the Latitude is easy, and enjoyable. It's no sports car, but it gets along nicely, works well for a family, and will puddle to the mall or handle a long country run. The diesel engine has plenty of shove, even with bicycles on the back end and fun stuff filling the boot, and is averaging around 8.2 litres/ 100km despite spending most of its time in the city and 'burbs. The car is quiet, the aircon works well, and the headlamps are good, but the seats are a major disappointment. They lack support and cushioning, which means the Latitude starts down the list for any trip over two hours. The biggest shortcoming in the Latitude is nothing to do with the car, but its position and its opposition. It just doesn't have enough zing or attitude - whether that's the bland styling or the lack of 'Renaultness' - in a class where there is lots of class. Our current favourites include the Ford Mondeo, the new Camry and - for value - the Skoda Octavia. So the Renault is doing the job, and still has some time left to impress, but it's not the first choice for a mid-sized winner.VERDICTThe Latitude is good, but not great. In a class with standouts like the Ford Mondeo, and even the new Toyota Camry, it's going to be a slow burn - at best - in Australia.

Craig Duff road tests and reviews the 2012 Renault Koleos.

There's much to like about a hook-up between the French and the Japanese. The Nissan Renault team has produced a worthy compact SUV range in the updated Koleos, it's just a shame they've priced themselves out of contention, particularly when considering the opposition.We've spent some time in the turbodiesel Dynamique and - without looking at the pricetag - there's plenty to like, but bring in the damage to the hip pocket and the dynamic abilities of it's immediate opposition and it's a different argument.VALUEThere's a decent features list that includes dual-zone climate control, rear passengers get vents at the rear of the centre console, there's a six-speaker Arkamys sound system with USB input or an optional eight-speaker Bose unit (including a woofer), satnav and Bluetooth phone and audio link.The Koleos also has reach'n'rake adjustable steering, leather trim, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, heated front seats with powered adjustment for the driver, a trip computer, rear side retractable sunblinds, power-adjustable and heated external mirrors, a full-size spare wheel, several 12-volt sockets and 17in alloy wheels.TECHNOLOGYThe diesel Koleos runs a 110kW/320Nm two-litre particle-filter equipped turbodiesel with a "normal" torque-converter-equipped six-speed automatic transmission, not a CVT that is teamed to the petrol-powered vehicles.The little four-pot engine has two balance shafts to counteract engine vibrations and runs common-rail direct fuel injection (running at 1600-bar, says Renault) using piezo injectors and a variable-geometry turbocharger to help reduce lag.The Koleos takes much from its Nissan cousins on this front, with a rotary-switch to flick between 4WD modes - front wheel drive, auto (front-drive biased but varying the torque as required) and locked mode, which puts the drive 50/50 front to rear below 40km/h for the rare moments when you'd take something from this segment off the bitumen.There's also hill start and hill descent assistance systems on the 4Wd Koleos models.DESIGNMost of the design budget for the new Koleos was spent on rhinoplasty, with the updated snout a nicer and less-polarising look than that of the outgoing car.The split rear tailgate will be welcomed by some and loathed by others - it makes for a wide-open load bay (which has remote levers to drop the backrests from the rear) and it's a good place to take a pew for tailgate parties, but shorter folk might lament the long stretch into the cargo area.The seats are comfortable but the front buckets need a little more lateral support. Some of the driver's controls for the sound system and phone (on a stalk behind the steering wheel) are not easy to decipher quickly, although the satnav buttons on the centre console are less difficult to use.There has been plenty of thought put into the storage with the snug-but-comfortable cabin - any space that could be used for storage has been (Renault says there's 70 litres of in-cabin stowage), with other helpful touches including the child-monitor mirror, folding tables for rear seat occupants and side sun blinds.SAFETYRenault was the first brand to score five stars under the NCAP regime and it has plenty of safety gear to maintain that crash-test cred - anti-lock brakes with emergency assist function, traction and stability control, the aforementioned all-wheel drive system and dual front, side and full-length curtain airbags all on the list.All seatbelts are equipped with load-limiters and the front seatbelts are also endowed with pretensioners.There's also a cruise control with speed limiter function, automatic wipers and headlights, and in the event of crash, Renault says the car's doors unlock automatically, the ECU stops the fuel injection system and the hazard lights turn on.DRIVINGThe Koleos has picked tough territory into which it has waded - established players like Subaru, Mitsubishi and now VW have diesel offerings.The VW Tiguan and Mazda's CX-5 promise to redefine diesel engines, the latter with its new Skyactiv-D drivetrain. Toyota's RAV4 doesn't do diesel and neither does Jeep's renewed offerings in the segment, but the Renault feels a little leisurely when compared to its opposition.The payoff comes with reasonably good fuel economy, which was 8.9l/100km when we finished our stint in the car - not far off the claimed 7.6l/100km and suprising given the Koleos was largely used in surburbia.Dynamically it's a cruiser too, endowed with a reasonable ride comfort but not with the dynamic ability that the Volkswagen or the Mazda bring to the fight.With 186mm of ground clearance listed in the specs, it isn't a number that's going to mean peace of mind if you're getting into rougher terrain.That said, the all-wheel drive system does a good job of maintaining grip in loose conditions and it is not shy of getting its wheels muddied more than the soft-roader brigade.VERDICTThe Koleos has plenty of gear and (I think) improved looks but is up against renewed and all-new models in the segment. It's a competent and comfortable machine but is pipped for on-road dynamics by the Tiguan and the new CX-5.If you want to get it dirty doing more than traversing a long unsealed farm driveway then the Koleos can cut it. It also completes metropolitan duties without any issues but it's not a segment-topper.2012 Renault Koleos Dynamique dieselPrice: from $40,990Warranty: 5 years, unlimited kmResale: 50% Source: Glass's GuideService Interval: 15,000km or 12-monthsEconomy: 7.6l/100km, on test 8.9, tank 65 litres; 200g/km CO2Safety: Equipment six airbags, ABS, EBD, stability and traction control.Crash rating: 5 starEngine: 110kW/320Nm 2-litre common-rail direct-injection particle-filtered turbodiesel four-cylinderTransmission: six-speed auto, four-wheel drive.Body: 4-door, 5 seatsDimensions: 4520mm (L); 1865mm (W); 1710mm (H); 2690mm (WB)Weight: 1789kgTyre size: 225/60R17Spare tyre: full size

We turn the spotlight on the Renault Megane Renaultsport 250 Cup and ask the questions to which you want the answers. But there's only one question that really needs answering -- would you buy one?What is it?Renault's feisty 2.0-litre hot hatch. If you fancy an EVO or STI, do yourself a favour and have a good, long hard look at one of these. It's that good (without qualification).How much?The Megane Renault Sport 250 Cup is priced from $41,990 while the harder edged Trophee version is $46,990.What are competitors?Mitsubishi's Lancer Ralliart and of course Sooby's evergreen WRX, both of which are around the same price (avantgarde styling might put conservative punters off)What's under the bonnet?Motivation comes from a 2.0-litre turbocharged four cylidner engine that pumps out 184kW at 5500 revs and 340Nm at 3000 revs. 80 per cent of torque is available from 1900 revs. Drive is through a six-speed manual box, with a limited slip diff and Brembo stoppers.How does it go?0-100km/h in 6.1 secs. Don't fall into the trap of arguing this has got more power than that. This has got all the get up and go you need and is one of the finest handling fronties you'll ever experience. With 80 per cent of the torque available from 1900 revs, acceleration is smooth and responsive thanks to the twin scroll turbocharger and continuously variable intake valve timing.Is it economical?Takes premium unleaded. Rated at 8.7 litres/100km (bog standard car 8.2). We clocked up 400km at a rate of 9.0 litres/100km (even with a bit of twisty stuff thrown in).Is it green?Surprisingly, it gets 3.5 out of 5 stars from the Govt's Green Guide, producing 201g/km of CO2.Is it safe?You bet. Scores five out of five in crash tests.Is it comfortable?Fits like a glove. Short shifting manual is forward mounted and falls easily to hand. Features an independent steering axis layout at the front where the suspension and steering functions have been separated to ensure a particularly high standard of handling and traction performance.What's it like to drive?Let's just say it will put a smile on your dial. Not a lot of rear vision, but you're going to be more worried about what's in front rather than behind. Ride quality depends on the surface, but it remains suprisingly settled on bumpy country roads. Wicked turn of speed with incredible levels of grip  who needs all wheel drive?Is it value for money?For the price it's a steal. Only option metallic paint at $800. Pity it doesn't include satnav.Would we buy one?Show me where to sign. Bang for your buck, this rates up there with the best of them.

There's something about Renault that is not quite getting the Australian public's attention. Although that may slowly be changing. The Clio and Megane side of the French brand's catalogue, as well as the Koleos SUV, are finding some favour but the larger vehicles have historically are yet to make a big impact. The Laguna was a low-key model in sales terms for the brand here but the car maker would be hoping the Latitude gives the sales figures more altitude.VALUEWe're in the top-spec petrol V6 model that has so far this year proven the most popular - the Luxe, priced at $42,490 (one of the few models that charges the same money for the turbodiesel), the Latitude has a features list that suggests a higher pricetag might be expected.The Luxe flagship (which represents over 90 per cent of sales since April) has a 10-speaker Bose surround sound system, filtered tri-zone climate control with ioniser and a "fragrance diffuser," TomTom satellite navigation, Bluetooth phone and audio link, the obligatory (for Renault) key card with auto-locking doors and keyless go, power-adjustable front seats with heaters, the driver gets a massaging function as well, reach and rake adjustable leather-wrapped steering wheel, a switch-operated electric parking brake, power-adjustable folding heated exterior rearvision mirrors, leather trim, 18in alloy wheels (including a full-sized spare) and a two-pane glass sunroof.TECHNOLOGYThe Latitude's petrol V6 has come from the Nissan Maxima - with the six-speed auto in place of the CVT - so not a cutting edge drivetrain, but perhaps proven might be an appropriate adjective. The Latitude does get some interesting features that are far from common - the air ioniser, fragrance diffuser and air filtering  system within the tri-zone climate control.The Luxe employs a Samsung air ioniser which Renault says produces active hydrogen atoms and negative oxygen ions to counter positive ions which can lead to stress and fatigue, according to the French car maker.The system can also produce scents (from a choice of six and in varying degrees) via the climate control system. The Latitude also has the brand's auto-locking function, which comes into effect if the driver walks away from the vehicle and doesn't use the manual lock button on the keycard.The car then locks itself and can be opened keylessly; lock it manually and it requires a button-push to unlock the car. The nicest (for the driver at least) feature is a massage function for the driver's seat, which uses five rollers within the driver's seat backrest to massage the driver - just the thing to reduce stress behind the wheel ... "cut me off, I don't care."DESIGNSomething of a Renault staple, the Latitude seems to have had a bypass on the design styling front - given that it shares plenty with the Nissan Maxima perhaps that's no surprise. It's no monstrosity but it's not going to win any design awards either, but Renault calls it generously-proportioned and elegant. The Latitude's cabin is not built for taller folk - seat adjustment range and headroom suggest occupants under 190cm would be well looked after, but above that the dimensions will start to struggle. Four adults within normal height ranges would be easily accommodated in head and leg room, with a 477-litre boot also able to swallow a decent load as well.SAFETYThis brand made a name for itself with active safety and the Korean-built Latitude follows that path - anti-lock brakes with brakeforce distribution and emergency brake assist (which kicks the hazard lights into action), stability and traction control (with an understeer control function), dual front, side and curtain airbags.Also on the list are seatbelt pretensioners and load-limiters on the front seats, lap-sash seatbelts for all seating positions, parking radar front and rear, a cruise control with speed limiter function, automatic windscreen wipers, automatic headlights, anti-dazzle rearvision mirror, a reversing camera and a tyre pressure monitoring system.DRIVINGA Maxima with a Korean dad and a French accent would be a cynic's view of the Latitude. The conservative exterior won't win any beauty contests and the interior takes the low-key line as well, but it's comfortable and well-equipped. The Nissan-sourced V6 was last experienced with a CVT directing outputs to the front wheels - the V6 is a smooth, if not overly powerful unit that requires a solid amount of force on the right pedal to get things underway with purpose.A relaxed gait is this car's forte - an attitude easily adopted with ionised air, soothing tunes on the excellent Bose sound system and the massager working nicely on the vertebrae.The serenity is ruined to a small degree by the six-speed auto, which has a tendency to roughen up the mood with sharp shifts without provocation.Nasty Australian bitumen - especially the oft-repaired roads with lots of little imperfections - don't always agree with the 18in wheel/tyre package, but aside from that the ride quality is good.The Latitude can be hustled along a little to maintain a brisk pace on a country road, turning in with more intent than first expected and able to corner with reasonable dexterity, but it's no super-tourer road-racer. Seating front and rear looks inviting and are comfortable if a little small in area (in the front), but the rear half of the cabin is a little tighter than you'd expect from the generous exterior dimensions. The highset rear bench and the falling roofline conspire to keep headroom at a premium for taller adults - children dwell easily and are fond of the door-mounted and rear window blinds. Satellite navigation is controlled by an iDrive-like set-up, which is easier to use and much better than the remote-control system offered in the smaller Renaults.VERDICTThis multi-cultural UN style Renault sedan should easily eclipse its Laguna predecessor for sales volumes, thanks to a sharp pricetag that belies an extensive features list and a smooth petrol V6 drivetrain that's only let down by the auto's sporadic clunks. With German, Japanese and French product all wading into the mid-size battleground, the medium car buyer is becoming spoilt for choice. The Latitude falls more into the cruiser category.

Renault has been circling the wagons since re-entering the market back in 2001, looking for a way in. It's had limited success with some models, but must be wondering what it needs to crack the Aussie market? The Koleos for example has been a big success overseas but has failed to fire here. We can't understand why because it's got everything going for it.VALUEPrices for Koleos start from $29,990 driveaway for the two-wheel drive petrol model. The 4x4 diesel is offered in the one Dynamique grade, which is middle of the range, priced from $40,990.WHAT YOU GETPretty much everything. Leather, dual climate and satellite navigation are standard with this model. Bluetooth, iPod connectivity, rear parking sensors, cruise with speed limiter, auto lights and wipers, 140W sound system are also standard.Exclusive to the Renault Koleos Dynamique is an innovative child-minder mirror which allows the driver to easily view the rear seat occupants.TECHNOLOGYYou get a choice of 2.5 petrol or 2.0-litre diesel four cylinder engines. The diesel kicks out 110kW of power and 320Nm of torque from a low 2000 revs, compared with the petrol engine's 126kW/226Nm. It's hooked up to a six-speed auto that allows the driver to change gears manually if desired.The benefits of diesel in the compact SUV segment are not quite as apparent. They cost significantly more (in this case $3000) and don't offer nearly as much savings at the pump, but diesel is still our preferred option.The big difference is the diesel's high torque output because it's the difference between relaxed and frenetic driving.  V8s for example produce plenty of torque and that's why driving a V8 is so effortless.With almost 100Nm more torque delivered at much lower revs, it means you don't have to push the diesel as hard to achieve the same result.DRIVINGThe diesel suffers from a bit of turbo lag but not enough to be annoying. Generally it's a very smooth and remarkably fuel efficient engine, with a biggish fuel tank that's going to take you a long way. The unfamiliar controls posed an intial problem and some  getting used to. For instance it took much longer than it should have to pair our mobile phone, basically because the procedure is completely different.FUEL ECONOMYCompared with the original Koleos, the diesel engine offers an 8.5 per cent reduction in fuel economy and emits 9.5 per cent less CO2. Claimed fuel economy is 7.6 litres/100km (equivalent petrol model is 9.5). We've been getting an impressive 6.6 litres/100km from the 65 litre tank.SAFETYRenault has been one of the front runners in making their vehicles as safe as possible and the Koleos benefits from a full array of passive and active safety systems, with a five-star Euro crash rating. Also comes with a full size alloy spare.

Anyone think the small car class is underdone for choice? No, I didn't think so. Three and five-door small cars are running rampant in the marketplace, sourced from all four points of the compass and with petrol, diesel and hybrid drivetrains.Renault has updated its Megane with a little diesel with a six-speed double-clutcher, available in Dynamique or Privilege spec - we're in the former.VALUEThe Dynamic is priced from $27,490 - a $1500 price impost over the petrol-powered equivalent, with a features list that's really not missing much. The cabin is trimmed with cloth predominantly, with a leather-wrapped reach'n'rake adjustable steering wheel and gear shifter, 16in alloy wheels (with a full-size steel spare wheel slung under the bum), dual zone climate control with rear vents, power windows, a 60/40 splitfold rear seat backrest,  a four-speaker sound system with auxiliary and USB input as well as Bluetooth phone and audio link, power-adjustable and folding exterior mirrors.The test car was also fitted with satellite navigation - a $1490 option.TECHNOLOGYThe turbodiesel now in the hatch is an 81kW/240Nm 1.5-litre SOHC 8-valve direct-injection intercooled turbodiesel engine with a particle filter, which is not anywhere near the diesel outputs from the class leaders - Ford, Mazda and Holden all have mid300s for torque and over 100kW of power.The Renault makes up ground with a six-speed dual-clutch automated manual gearbox, which claims 4.5 litre per 100km and 117g/km. The Megane also gets the flat credit-card -like key with smart locking features and keyless ignition.It's handy to be able to walk away and have the car lock itself, or unlock by touching the handle, although a couple of times it didn't always work as you'd think and you'd have to press the unlock button on the card - a first-world problem.DESIGNGone are the angular looks of the old car's front and the rump is far less pronounced - think Sharapova instead of Williams - it is a more attractive and cohesive look than that of the previous generations. The cabin has an open feel about it, with the driver getting a digital speedo that might not be to all tastes.The sound system controls - on the dash and the stalk behind the helm - would take some getting used to. The chrome trim highlights on the front doors look good but are hard on the driver's right leg, which rests against it. Rear head room is adequate but leg room isn't.SAFETYA five-star NCAP car (Renault was the first to gain that ranking many moons ago), the Megane has stability control, anti-lock brakes with emergency brake assist, as well as dual front, front-side and full-length curtain airbags. The safety features also include automatic headlights and windscreen wipers.DRIVINGThe little French hatch is behind the eight ball for outputs and but for the lighter kerb weight would be a genuine slug. Fuel economy numbers make up for it to some extent, but for now there are more lively diesel alternatives that can acheive similar numbers.The little diesel is a chuggy powerplant but the cabin is reasonably well-insulated from it - but it's still not the quietest. The chassis compromise between ride and handling is pleasant, one of the better balanced set-ups in the segment. Cabin space is not abundant, particularly for the legs of rear passengers, but bootspace is good - the full-size spare is slung outside the car, under the more-svelte rump.Seating is comfortable for the driver, who checks speed on a digital readout that some mightn't like but I got used to; the sound system controls (on the dash or stalk) are less easy to like. The instruments and centre display have been given an effective cowling to shield from light and that's not something that is always done well by European brands (Range Rover Evoque being a prime example).It did prove frugal despite the bulk of its time being spent on suburban roads - 7 litres per 100km were taken from the 60-litre tank, so 1000km on the open road is achievable. Complaints are few - it could do with rear parking sensors as standard as vision aft isn't perfect; the trim piece on the door pull handle is quite hard and fails as a comfortable knee rest for the driver.VERDICTThe Megane hatch joins a tidal wave of small hatches hitting the top-end of the Australian small-car segment and it's in for a tough fight. The pricetag is in the ballpark but the segment leaders are offering more powerful packages without a big jump in real-world fuel use. The less-polarising looks will help the Megane's cause but the diesel engine falls short of the competition.Renaut Megane Dynamic automatic dCiPrice: from $27,490Warranty: 5 years,  unlimited kmResale: 50% Source: Glass's GuideService Interval: 10,000km or 6-monthsEconomy: 4.5 l/100km, on test 7l/100km; 117g/km CO2Safety Equipment: six airbags, ABS, EBD, stability control.Crash rating: 5 starEngine: 81kW/240Nm 1.5-litre turbodiesel four-cylinderTransmission: six-speed auto, front-wheel driveBody: 5-door, 5 seats Dimensions: 4295mm (L); 1808mm (W); 1471mm (H); 2641mm (WB)Weight: 1366kgTyre size: 205/60 R16Spare tyre: full-size steel