Renault Mégane
Renault Mégane 1.9 dCi 130 On track
The compact sedan market is booming. Peugeot launched the 308, the new Volkswagen Golf VI, Citroen and Ford have rejuvenated the C4 while Opel and Focus looks at the replacement for the Astra. So many new developments that have kicked the old Megane.
Never mind, Renault was quick to respond by revealing, at the Paris Motor Show , Mégane 3. Then suddenly in the new Megane?
She joins the ranks
Unlike the Golf, it is impossible to confuse the new Megane with its predecessor as the two cars differ in terms of style. Those who had been deterred by the incremental design of the previous generation will appreciate, others regret that the Megane 3 is a little too “Germanized.”
Anyway, the French this rather well, it lacks just that little touch of originality that would make the difference. At about the Mégane Italianised?
I love the new meters
Inside, the new Megane has a few surprises. Starting with the quality of materials and assemblies that have made serious progress to the point of reaching the level of a Golf VI , the reference category. Another positive point is that the ergonomics are as good as the Laguna 3 . The controls are basic and well located. In short, we can find its bearings in the car.
Pressing the “Start”
Pressing the “Start” button is enough to attract attention. And for good reason, the Megane inaugurates a position completely redesigned instrumentation. It consists of a digital screen in the center that shows speed and a tachometer needle backlit in yellow. In addition to being successful, these counters are legible day or night and does not restrict the field of vision.
Interesting detail: the light turns red when you exceed the speed recorded by the regulator.
Safe, right!
One of the biggest flaws that plagued the old Megane was her chest too small for the class (330 liters to 385 liters against a Ford Focus). It’s also partly why she was ignored by salespeople.
The new Megane fixes it and is now among the best students in its segment with 405 liters, 50 liters more than the Volkswagen Golf VI or the Peugeot 308 .
Level habitability, the Megane is less than its predecessor, so it is larger than 9 cm! This is especially the back that the place is counted, the legroom is quite limited.
The light bulb
One of the best stories that happened to the owners of Megane 2, is having to change a light bulb headlights. An operation could not be more simple you might say except that the French sedan, it was downright remove the front bumper to change the defective bulb, forcing the owner to go through the box “garage” and pay s hand The work …
This problem, which affects more and more modern cars, has been resolved on the Megane 3. The principle of optical blocks sliding forward in facilitating change the bulb. Stupid but he was thinking!
A diesel homogeneous
The range of diesel engines is one of the richest class. She has no fewer than six blocks, whose powers range from 85 to 160 hp.
For this first test, we took the wheel of Mégane 1.9 dCi. This engine, known within the Renault range has benefited from profound changes to improve driving comfort, reduce consumption and emissions for future Euro 5 standards.
Coupled with a gentle 6-speed manual gearbox, this midrange diesel has not changed in terms of its power (130 hp) compared to the previous generation, but its 300 Nm of torque available 350 RPM more earlier (1750 rpm), improving flexibility at low revs.
This new 1.9 dCi is also more restrained than before, with an average consumption data for 5.1 l/100km (135 g / km CO2), against 5.4 l/100 km for a Golf V 2.0 TDI 140 and 5.5 l/100 km for a Peugeot 308 2.0 HDi. Downside, the particulate filter (DPF) is optional on the Mégane when he comes to office on the two rivals. Not very green for a car struck the eco-label “Eco ²”…
100% new direction
From one generation to another, the Megane has grown as it has lost weight (9 cm and -8 kg on average). Frame, taken from the old version, still refers to the category. The Mégane 3 is more dynamic, it slows down more and new power steering offers a much better feeling than before. The effect of elasticity of the Megane 2 is a bad memory!
Only problem, the Mégane has earned agility it has lost in comfort. The last straw for a Family Car.
Conclusion
Despite a controversial design and safe riquiqui for the category, the Megane 2 has encountered a great success on the European market. Mégane 3 will therefore difficult task to do as well as its predecessor, if not better.
A task that seems within reach of the new Megane since the main faults have been fixed: trunk larger, quality and finish up, reworked sound, incisive direction … unfortunately at the expense of comfort and livability.
The success of the Mercedes SLK and the 206 CC is we discover at the end of summer two new representatives in the roadster class. In a dozen years, the European market for cut fell from 300 000 to 250 000 copies while the convertibles rose to nearly 100 000 300 0000 in the same time, boosted by the roadsters. These accounted for over one third of sales last year of convertibles. The Mégane II Coupé-Cabriolet designed internally by Renault Design stretches over a length of 4.35 m (4.21 m for the sedan). The entire front except the wings and windshield comes from the sedan. The long doors, obviously specific, allow easy access on board, including the rear seats. Inside, though the dashboard and seats remain those of the sedan, one is struck above all by the light afforded by the glass roof designed and developed by German coachbuilder Karmann, unlike most coupes and convertible top up. The claustrophobic will be happy.
As for those who fear that the passenger quickly turns into gases, they can rest assured this is not even in the summer sun of Seville. The opening (and closing) to the electro-hydraulic roof completely automatically without any manual locking, request 22 seconds. It takes a stationary vehicle for more security. A tempo in the middle without plus.Rangé in the trunk, the roof module in secret two-thirds. It is 190 dm3, slightly more than its congeners. Cut in the volume reached a record of 490 dm3 allowing 4 people to join them without resort to skip the toothbrush or comb. Though the two rear seats for habitability is not royal, albeit improved compared to a 206 CC or former Megane cabriolet (with a longer wheelbase than 6 cm), it does not permit the take two adults voluntarily for a long ride.
