Safety, ride comfort, low noise and vibrations define a large family sedan. Has Renault got what it takes?
By Tushal Bhadang
RENAULT (PRONOUNCED REY-NOU) SHOT into the limelight with its hot hatch Megane back in 2005. The design of the rear was something peoplehad never seen. No, I’m not reviewing the bachelor friendly hatchback but instead got my hands on a family friendly Megane sedan!
This is a pure 5-seater; the exterior design elements are smart and attractive. A muscular stance and bold wheel arches define the profile of the Megane. Unlike regular car keys, the Megane can only be started with an electronic remote card key. A start/stop button turns
the car on or off, awesome! A 4 cylinder 1.6 litre gasoline engine powers the car so you can lug your wife and kids around. Developing 111hp at 6000 RPM and a whopping 151 NM of torque at 4250 RPM, the car pulls well from midrange. Starts are slower than expected but when there’s over 1.2 tons to lug around, the output from the four-pot could’ve been higher. With a 0-100kph time of 13.2 seconds, this is clearly not a traffic light car. Its road manners are too composed, you could be burying the throttle and your kids wouldn’t even know the car was moving, it’s that smooth.
Ride quality is the Megane’s forté. MacPherson struts up front and rear independent torsion beam suspension do the trick. I gave it smooth tarmac, uneven roads, even off-road and it
didn’t skip a beat. The soft suspension is extremely comfortable for long drives. But don’t for a
moment think that it takes corners like its on jelly. If you keep the tail in check, high speed cornering is a breeze even with the soft suspension, it rarely loses composure.
The speed sensitive power steering aids in parking and becomes harder at higher speeds to enhance stability. 195/65R15 tyres with a wide track provide that floating feeling. Disc brakes with ABS and EBD on all four wheels are highly effective but do feel a little oversensitive. In cabin amenities are cozy, the seating, soft. All the control dials fall into place within arms reach.
Rear passengers have loads of legroom and built in window blinds and there are storage spaces in every nook and corner. The armrests, the front driver and passenger foot-well, small boxes in the door armrests, a closed compartment in the rear parcel shelf, a deep centre arm rest, a spacious (and cooled) glove box and even extra space under the rear boot matting, a place to store that bucket and spade for a sunny day at the beach. At 520 litres boot capacity,
makes it ready for long journeys. Fit and finish of the interiors is tough but the finishing of certain parts is tacky leaves a lot of room for improvement. Pollen filter equipped air conditioning is powerful and chills the cabin quickly.
There are so many interconnected gizmos, the 6 speaker CD audio system increases the volume with increase in road noise. A smart display in the speedo console informs about service messages and other vital stats like fuel economy, range, etc. A dash mounted display indicates current temperature, time and audio settings. A windscreen mounted sensor determines when the projector headlights and/or wipers need to be switched on. The Megane has 4 airbags,
including driver passenger and side airbags and it has a 4 star EuroNCAP safety rating. The
windows too have anti pinch feature that prevents injuries.
Last Word
The Megane is built to a price. The 4 speed auto box doesn’t impress in putting power to the wheels. Road noise from the Bridgestone tyres isn’t too comfortable at high speeds. As a family sedan it has everything that you would want for the safety of your loved ones. Though if you are travelling alone from work and want to add some zing in your life, go for the 2 litre (136 hp) engine which has many more gadgets and more luxury too.
Rating 3/5
Car supplied by Y.K.Almoayyed & Sons, Kingdom of Bahrain.
By Tushal Bhadang
RENAULT (PRONOUNCED REY-NOU) SHOT into the limelight with its hot hatch Megane back in 2005. The design of the rear was something peoplehad never seen. No, I’m not reviewing the bachelor friendly hatchback but instead got my hands on a family friendly Megane sedan!
This is a pure 5-seater; the exterior design elements are smart and attractive. A muscular stance and bold wheel arches define the profile of the Megane. Unlike regular car keys, the Megane can only be started with an electronic remote card key. A start/stop button turns
the car on or off, awesome! A 4 cylinder 1.6 litre gasoline engine powers the car so you can lug your wife and kids around. Developing 111hp at 6000 RPM and a whopping 151 NM of torque at 4250 RPM, the car pulls well from midrange. Starts are slower than expected but when there’s over 1.2 tons to lug around, the output from the four-pot could’ve been higher. With a 0-100kph time of 13.2 seconds, this is clearly not a traffic light car. Its road manners are too composed, you could be burying the throttle and your kids wouldn’t even know the car was moving, it’s that smooth.
Ride quality is the Megane’s forté. MacPherson struts up front and rear independent torsion beam suspension do the trick. I gave it smooth tarmac, uneven roads, even off-road and it
didn’t skip a beat. The soft suspension is extremely comfortable for long drives. But don’t for a
moment think that it takes corners like its on jelly. If you keep the tail in check, high speed cornering is a breeze even with the soft suspension, it rarely loses composure.
The speed sensitive power steering aids in parking and becomes harder at higher speeds to enhance stability. 195/65R15 tyres with a wide track provide that floating feeling. Disc brakes with ABS and EBD on all four wheels are highly effective but do feel a little oversensitive. In cabin amenities are cozy, the seating, soft. All the control dials fall into place within arms reach.
Rear passengers have loads of legroom and built in window blinds and there are storage spaces in every nook and corner. The armrests, the front driver and passenger foot-well, small boxes in the door armrests, a closed compartment in the rear parcel shelf, a deep centre arm rest, a spacious (and cooled) glove box and even extra space under the rear boot matting, a place to store that bucket and spade for a sunny day at the beach. At 520 litres boot capacity,
makes it ready for long journeys. Fit and finish of the interiors is tough but the finishing of certain parts is tacky leaves a lot of room for improvement. Pollen filter equipped air conditioning is powerful and chills the cabin quickly.
There are so many interconnected gizmos, the 6 speaker CD audio system increases the volume with increase in road noise. A smart display in the speedo console informs about service messages and other vital stats like fuel economy, range, etc. A dash mounted display indicates current temperature, time and audio settings. A windscreen mounted sensor determines when the projector headlights and/or wipers need to be switched on. The Megane has 4 airbags,
including driver passenger and side airbags and it has a 4 star EuroNCAP safety rating. The
windows too have anti pinch feature that prevents injuries.
Last Word
The Megane is built to a price. The 4 speed auto box doesn’t impress in putting power to the wheels. Road noise from the Bridgestone tyres isn’t too comfortable at high speeds. As a family sedan it has everything that you would want for the safety of your loved ones. Though if you are travelling alone from work and want to add some zing in your life, go for the 2 litre (136 hp) engine which has many more gadgets and more luxury too.
Rating 3/5
Car supplied by Y.K.Almoayyed & Sons, Kingdom of Bahrain.
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