Test drive Renault Megane GT Sport Tourer, dynamism and space

This week in Highmotor’s road test section we have with us a companion who aims to satisfy both those who demand space and those who prefer a sporty touch in everyday driving.

We are talking about the Renault Megane in its Sport Tourer estate bodywork, combined with the most powerful engine in the range, a 1.6 Turbo with 205 CV that enlivens the GT trim.

The Renault Megane is an institution within the diamond brand. The French compact is already in its fourth generation in a story in which success and popularity have always been two of its best companions. The current generation of the Megane has been completely redesigned, and shows capabilities far superior to those of its predecessor.

Exterior design, personal and unmistakable

In its fourth generation, the Megane has chosen to stand out with a design that breaks completely with its predecessor, drawing the lines of a figure that embraces sportiness, maximised in this GT version. The front is 100% Renault, maintaining the personality of the range’s latest creations.

This model measures 4.62 metres long, 1.81 wide and 1.46 metres high
The 3D boomerang-shaped light signature of the headlights is repeated at both the front and rear, combining perfectly with the front grille, which features the brand logo at its centre, of truly generous size. The front expression is completed by a bumper with pronounced and enlarged moulding in this GT version.

The Megane’s side profile is already very attractive, with a sufficient but well-balanced glazed surface. In this ST version the dynamism is maintained, with an ascending waistline that culminates in a C-pillar which, thanks to a decorative moulding, gives the sensation of a floating roof.

The GT version includes certain decorative details painted in anthracite. This shade can be found on the 17″ alloy wheels, on the edges of the front and rear bumper mouldings, on the mirror caps and on the roof bars.

If the front is attractive, the rear is no less so. The rear three-quarter view stands out for its sturdiness, the result of the combination of widened rear wings, a large chrome moulding that begins at the C-pillar window and, of course, the rear lights with extensions and LED technology.

The rear bumper again includes a central moulding on its lower part that simulates the presence of a diffuser. It is painted in the aforementioned anthracite colour and includes an oval-shaped exhaust outlet. It is strange that the estate bodywork has only one exhaust outlet when the compact bodywork fits two, with a much sportier appearance.

Interior design, modern and with better quality

If the change in the Megane’s bodywork is evident, in the interior it is even greater. The cabin of the fourth generation Megane is, without any doubt, the best of the four editions, measuring up without fear to the best rivals from mainstream brands, something worthy of mention.

The cabin is pleasant both to the eye and to the touch
The interior ambience is very similar to that of the Talisman, the new saloon from the diamond brand. In fact, it should be recalled that when we attended the presentation of this fourth generation Megane, the brand insisted a great deal on the concept that the Megane has now become the younger brother of the Talisman, no longer being the older brother of the Clio, in a clear allusion to the leap forward in terms of quality.

They were not exaggerating. The new Megane enjoys a dashboard of high quality, with well-resolved lines and a very notable perceived quality that is evident in the use of padded materials on the upper and middle parts of the doors and dashboard. The remaining pieces fit well together, with precise adjustments and small gaps between them.

Another detail that increases the sense of quality is, for example, the ambient lighting system present in the doors and centre console. The buttons are backlit in a pleasant white colour that increases the warmth of the interior once we are seated.

The instrumentation combines a large digital screen with multiple pieces of information and two analogue gauges for coolant temperature and fuel level. As a negative note, the location, as is usual in Renault, of the button that activates the speed regulator/limiter, situated behind the gear lever.

In this GT version we find a series of distinguishing elements such as the steering wheel with perforated leather upholstery, the paddle shifters on the steering column with black and blue finish, the decorative mouldings in “sport” blue and, of course, the excellent front seats with semi-bucket structure and a very pronounced contour that aids support during spirited driving.

In terms of space, the Megane ST has gained above all in comfort, with a cabin large enough for five people, although the occupant of the centre seat in the second row will suffer from a transmission tunnel somewhat bulkier than we would like. The second-row occupants also enjoy very practical air vents.

On the other hand, the space for both legs and head is notable, also enjoying a very pleasant posture due to the increased backrest angle of the rear seats, which results in a more natural body position. The boot, meanwhile, offers a capacity of 521 litres, placing it in the middle of the segment. If we fold down the second-row seatbacks, the capacity rises to 1,500 litres. This operation is carried out very simply thanks to the two handles located on the boot walls.

Driving dynamics, quick and above average in corners

The fourth generation Megane is the first that can be fitted with the 4Control four-wheel steering system, a system the diamond brand has been fitting for several years now. The previous generation Laguna had it and, currently, besides the Megane, both the Espace –which we tested thoroughly a few months ago– and the Talisman also use it.

Due to its progressiveness, it seems to run less than it actually pushes
Our unit has a 1.6 turbo four-cylinder engine with 205 CV and 280 Nm, exclusively paired with a 7-speed EDC dual-clutch automatic gearbox. It is the most powerful version of all those available in the Megane range.

With this combination, the Megane Sport Tourer GT is capable of accelerating from 0 to 100 km/h in 7.4 seconds, reaching a top speed of 230 km/h. The consumption figures homologated by the brand indicate 7.8 l/100 km in the city, 4.9 l/100 km on the extra-urban cycle and 6.0 l/100 km in mixed use.

Reality, as usual, is quite different. Real-world consumption is considerably different, with a good 9 litres average in the city, which on the motorway drops to 6.7 l/100 km. On the open road the figure can fall to 6 litres, but never below that. After a week of use in all kinds of situations, the average consumption was 7.4 l/100 km, with a range of around 600 km given the modest 50-litre fuel tank capacity.

In this version, the French compact proves to be a good long-distance car, capable of travelling comfortably on long motorway journeys and, at the same time, putting a smile on its driver’s face if they wish to enjoy a fun stretch of winding road, provided they are aware that they have a 4.5-metre Megane in hand and not a Twingo GT.

A rigid chassis and firm suspension – with McPherson struts at the front and a torsion beam at the rear – combined with the 4Control four-wheel steering system result in one of the most dynamic estates in the segment, with a quick and clean cornering performance, allowing agile line-taking without needing to cross your hands on the steering wheel in 99% of situations.

As a discordant point, the EDC gearbox. This dual-clutch transmission shows a conservative character at all times, and is not as quick as it should be when driven aggressively, although, for example, the paddles have a good feel, are fixed and their size is more than generous.

Range and prices, how much does the unit you are looking at cost?

The version in question, Sport Tourer GT EDC 205 CV, has a starting price of €26,576. Its standard equipment is very complete and already includes, among other items, sports seats, full LED headlights, light and rain sensors, dual-zone climate control, keyless entry and start system and the Multisense driving profile system.

In addition to all this equipment, our unit also included the Azul Rayo metallic paint (€831.40), the Safety Pack (€623.56), the R-Link 2+ system with Bose sound system (€831.40) and the Head-Up Display system (€363.74). In total, our Megane had a configurator price of €28,908 including taxes.

However, the Megane Sport Tourer range is very broad. The offer starts at €17,468 for the Life model with the 1.2 TCe 100 CV engine. The most economical diesel engine is the 1.5 dCi 90 CV, priced at €18,788 with the same trim. The most balanced options are found in combination with the already very complete Zen trim, starting at €18,876 for the 130 CV TCe, rising to €23,320 for the 130 CV 1.6 dCi.

The Megane Sport Tourer presents itself as one of the most attractive alternatives in the segment, where it competes fiercely with models such as the Astra Sport Tourer or the SEAT León ST. Thanks to its design and the wide range of its offering, the French estate manages to adapt to the demands of practically any customer.

Photography | Daniel Valdivielso

Technical specifications of this car

HatchbackRenault Megane3 versions · from 39,650 €