Renault has always made pretty good family cars but in the old days they often felt rather cheap. Now things have changed greatly and one of the most impressive features of the new fourth-generation Megane is its feeling of quality.
This is a well-built and refined car which rides well and corners with little roll. Its minimalist dashboard works efficiently and its ambient lighting in a choice of shades adds a classy touch.
I tested the most economical version, the Dynamique S Nav dCi 110, which claims a combined 76.4mpg and emits only 96g/km of CO2 — its fuel gauge remained stubbornly glued to maximum for days into my week-long test.
In this spec, the Megane is well-equipped, with automatic lights and wipers, slightly oversensitive parking sensors which beep when you are a long way from an object, lane departure warning, reversing camera and TomTom sat-nav with voice control. There is also a choice of driving modes to suit your mood.
It’s an easy car to drive for long distances, but you won’t be too popular with your rear-seat passengers if you do, as head and legroom are fairly restricted in the back. The boot, on the other hand, is capacious.
Styling is up to the minute — it’s a little longer and lower than before and the front driving lights have an instantly recognisable signature.
Built in Spain, alongside Renault’s equally attractive Kadjar and based on the same platform, the Megane bodies are produced in a new factory with 350 robots and only 14 people, so quality control should be high.
Renault has built 6.5 million Meganes over the past 20 years, and the fourth-generation model seems to be the best yet.
Renault Megane Dynamique S Nav dCi 110
Top speed: 116mph;
0-62mph: 11.3 secs;
CO2: 96g/km;
Price: £20,400 (£22,925 as tested)
