ON THE ROAD: RENAULT MEGANE 1.9 DCI

On a very different note…

Gone is the chopped-off rear end and in is the new more rounded look at the back. I quite liked the old look actually, unorthodox as it was, it gave the Megane character that rivals just didn’t have. Of course it wasn’t everyone’s cuppa but it certainly was mine.

The front end looks aggressive
As well as feminine. They probably have the best combination of both on that front, so to speak. The smiley face is not overdone, the front grille is subtle, and the curves flow indefinitely all around. Automakers have kind of done away with the black bumper style but Renault inserted it on the rear and sides. No qualms about it, but I do suspect the facelift will feature colour-coded options.

Not much has changed inside

At first glance this is true. The Renault-ness is evident on just about every surface and gadget, from the volume adjusters behind the steering wheel to the start/ stop button and the gear lever, you’d think you were still sitting inside the previous-gen model. But changes are numerous. Virtually every interior panel is new, including the handbrake (sadly no longer my favourite aviation-style design), steering wheel, and instrument panel.

Drives like a Renault though?

Yes. There is adequate communication between steering wheel and tyres, although I wouldn’t say it’s class-leading. In low-speed situations the communication tends to dwindle a little bit but becomes stronger as you accelerate. The foot pedals are a little too close to each other and the gear action is a bit on the loose side. But again, it is a Renault.

That TomTom seems nice

A revelation. I’ve driven plenty of cars with satellite navigation systems, most were built-in, some were add-on. But none were as accurate or as powerful as this TomTom device which is fitted standard with many Renault cars nowadays. Working it takes some getting used to but once you have the hang of it it’s a breeze. For some reason Renault designed the Megane’s ergonomics to be as difficult to operate as possible. Being the driver and perhaps travelling alone most of the time, you’ll find switching radio stations, or utilising the air conditioning quite a challenge, especially if you’re tall. These systems have been placed so low on the dashboard that one has to slouch quite considerably to access them. The speedo and rev counter dials are stylish though, giving some aspirational design to an otherwise faulty interior.

Good news on performance?

Not really. Look at the statistics and you’ll see the 1.9-litre turbo diesel makes 96kW which is good but lags competitors by some margin. So it’s not performance-oriented but when it comes to frugality it’s up there with the best. Driven very carefully you could even average below 6 litres per 100km, a range of between 800km and 1000km depending on the application.

Could the Megane hatch be the best in its class?

Not at this point to be quite blunt. Far too many questions with no valid answers. Hopefully the facelift in 2012 will address many of these questions.

QUICK STATS

RENAULT MEGANE 1.9 DCI HATCH

ENGINE: 1.9-litre turbo diesel

POWER: 96kW (131hp) at 3750rpm

TORQUE: 300Nm at 1750rpm

0 – 100KM/H: 9.5 seconds (claimed)

GEARBOX: 6-speed manual

TOP SPEED: 210km/h

FUEL AVERAGE: 7.0 l/100km

CO2 e: 135 g/km

TEST ALTITUDE: 1600m

WHEELS AND TYRES: size 205/55 R 16 tyres

PRICE STANDARD: R257 000

NATURAL RIVALS: Volkswagen Golf 2.0 TDI, Honda Civic hatch 2.2 i-CTDi, Fiat Bravo 1.9 Multijet

*PRICE RIVALS: Alfa Romeo MiTo, Audi A3 1.9 TDI, BMW 118i, Honda Civic sedan 1.8 VXi, Hyundai Sonata 2.4 auto, Isuzu KB 250 D-TEQ LE, Kia Sportage 2.0 auto, Mazda 5 2.0 Active, Mercedes-Benz A180 CDI, Peugeot 308 SW

BABE-MAGNETIC FACTOR: Very High

*A price rival falls within R20 000 or so of the subject’s price on either side of its price spectrum for cars over R350 000, R10 000 for cars of between R250 000 and R350 000 and R5 000 for cars below R250 000.