Renault Megane 2016, presentation and road test in Madrid

The Renault Megane is one of those eternal models that everyone, at some point in their “motoring” life, mentions, evaluates or discusses.

Today Highmotor travels to Madrid to test the renewal of the Megane, a new generation -and there have been four now- that arrives with a lot of force.

The Megane is an institution within Renault. In Spain, the French compact has been the best-selling car 12 times in the last 20 years, a true bestseller. Furthermore, it still holds the all-time sales record in a single year, specifically in 2004, when it managed to sell 112,000 units in our country. Now, we are getting to know the fourth generation which, thanks to a huge leap, goes from being the big brother of the Clio to the little brother of the Talisman.

Exterior design

The fourth generation of the Renault Megane arrives with very clear aims. It seeks a great leap forward in every aspect, including the emotional one, where the previous Megane fell a little short, sometimes being guilty of too much “blandness”. And let’s be honest, a product is much better received by the public if, at first glance, it catches the eye.

That has been the clear objective of Renault’s designers when creating the fourth generation of the Megane. The brand’s design language is embodied in the French compact with lines that have more personality than ever. The front end, the house trademark, offers all the ingredients that make up the designs of the latest Renault models, such as the Espace, the Kadjar or the Talisman.

Both the logo, of more than generous size, and the light signature, boomerang-shaped and made with LED technology, stand out. This generation is launched with two types of exterior trim, the “normal” and the “GT”, with a more aggressive look. The bumpers have more angular mouldings, enhancing the sense of width and robustness.

The Megane goes from being the big brother of the Clio to becoming the little brother of the Talisman

The side profile of the Megane has also changed substantially. Now the glazed surface is larger, improving visibility and brightness from the inside. The waistline is more pronounced, with a clearly rising trend at the rear door. From the B-pillar onwards there is a clear widening of the door, which culminates at the rear, housing the slim, elongated rear lights, with an LED strip that extends practically to the centre of the tailgate, as already seen on the Talisman.

The bumper shows more pleasing shapes, with a black moulding in the form of a diffuser, which on the GT versions is, in fact, functional. On the normal versions there is an oval exhaust outlet on one side, while the GTs show their potential with two square outlets (only one of which is real) integrated into the diffuser. The alloy wheels are offered in sizes ranging from 16 to 18 inches.

The dimensions of the Megane have changed substantially, as it is now longer, wider and lower. It measures 4.357 metres long, 1.814 metres wide and 1.447 metres high. The rear overhang has been reduced, although the wheelbase has increased, reaching 2.67 metres.

Interior design

For the interior, the people at Renault have opted to design a cabin where the sense of quality is the dominant note. The design has nothing to do with that of its predecessor. Truth be told, it has nothing to do with any of the compacts currently on sale.

Once again, they have chosen to follow the trend of the current Espace and Talisman, with a dashboard of smooth, flowing lines, in which the large vertical touchscreen -optional- is the control centre. The materials used have taken a huge leap forward, both in quality and in the fit between parts. This Megane clearly targets the top of the segment with a quality never before seen in a compact from the French brand.

Some elements are borrowed from other models in the range, such as the steering wheel, the gear lever knob or the digital instrumentation, taken from the Talisman. In this Megane, the trends of the motoring landscape are followed, playing to a greater extent with textures and brightness. The Megane’s cabin can feature a large amount of LED ambient lighting which, moreover, changes colour according to the selected driving mode.

The seats have also been redesigned. They are now more similar to those of the Kadjar, which, incidentally, I remember fondly in terms of support and comfort. In the GT versions there are, as an option, more sporty semi-bucket seats. You can see them in the vehicle in the photographs. Interior space has improved over its predecessor. In the front seats there is plenty of room, while in the rear two people will travel very comfortably provided the front seats are not pushed too far back. The boot has gained capacity, and now offers 434 litres, expandable to 1,247 litres if the rear seatbacks are folded down.

Driving dynamics

Time to get behind the wheel. For the first drive, I chose a version that, while not the best seller, is the best showcase -so far- of the evolution and technological content of the new Megane. This is the GT version, equipped with the 205 CV 1.6 Turbo engine paired with a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. It is the same engine that powers the Clio RS. It runs smoothly, with plenty of power across the whole rev range, without any harshness.

It is the most expensive -and most technologically advanced- version so far. It also features the 4Control rear-wheel steering system, a system that Renault has been using since the previous generation of the Laguna. The Megane has the Multisense system, which offers four different driving modes. In the case of the Megane GT, the modes are NEUTRAL, COMFORT, SPORT and PERSO, the latter being customisable at will.

When starting off and driving at normal speeds, the car behaves smoothly. The gearbox does not jerk, no irregular operation is noticed and no strange noises are heard, despite having larger, grippier tyres. It is, therefore, a GT that faithfully meets the definition, as it enables agile and fast driving -without becoming extreme- while also allowing everyday use without hassle.

When we increase the pace, the Megane shows off its charms, thanks to one of the best-tuned chassis in the segment. The front axle features independent MacPherson struts, while the rear axle uses a torsion beam. Although not an especially innovative configuration, it is enough for the Megane to offer a great sense of security and agility. The steering is electrically assisted, and the disc brakes offer sufficient stopping power.

The seven-speed EDC gearbox works well, without jerks, responding promptly to the driver’s demands whether via the paddles or by pulses on the gear lever. As a negative point, in manual mode when reaching the fuel cut-off the gearbox upshifts even if you do not ask it to. The 4Control chassis adds an extra touch of agility when turning, with the rear wheels steering by up to 2.5º (up to 80 km/h in the opposite direction to the front wheels and above that in the same direction), improving manoeuvrability in corners. Personally, I was very satisfied with the Megane GT’s manners, since although it seemed to me one of the most agile compacts of the moment, it never felt uncomfortable in any circumstance.

Versions and equipment

The Megane arrives in our market with a range of four diesel versions. These are the 1.5 dCi in 90 CV and 110 CV versions with a six-speed manual gearbox, the 1.5 dCi 110 CV with a six-speed EDC automatic gearbox, and the 1.6 dCi 130 CV with a six-speed manual gearbox. In a few months the most powerful variant will arrive, a 1.6 dCi 165 CV with a six-speed EDC gearbox. It will presumably be available with the GT trim.

There are also four petrol versions, starting with a 100 CV TCe with a six-speed manual gearbox, a 130 CV TCe with manual and automatic gearboxes of six and seven speeds respectively, and the aforementioned 205 CV 1.6 TCe paired with the seven-speed EDC.

There will be four equipment levels, LIFE, INTENS, ZEN and BOSE for the normal Megane saloons, and GT LINE/GT for the sporty range. Prices start at €16,600 for the 100 CV TCe version with LIFE trim and €18,100 for the 90 CV dCi with the same trim. The variant I drove starts at €26,900 (GT 1.6 TCe 205 EDC7 4CONTROL).

Photography | Daniel Valdivielso

Technical specifications of this car

HatchbackRenault Megane3 versions · from 39,650 €