Design review: Renault Megane

My early memories of the Renault Megane are vivid. On holiday in rural France, my granddad would wow me by opening the electric sunroof as we rode through the warm countryside towards the sea. I also recall being in awe over the CD player – a luxury that our old Corolla lacked.

Back then, it seemed to me that the Megane was the pinnacle of technology. So how does it stand up today?

Blending in

The Megane has never been the prettiest car on the roads, nor the ugliest. It is straight down the middle. A safe option. This arguably makes it forgetable and uninspiring, but Renault would disagree. “Ready to turn heads?”, reads the company’s website. Perhaps it should read, “Ready to be humble and unobtrusive?”

With ten colour options to choose from, our test model was finished in a standard ‘Iron Blue’. Four new colours are available on this model, including ‘Highland Grey’, ’Titanium Grey’, ‘Baltic Grey’ and ‘Diamond Black’.

At the front end, two large C-shape headlamps connect to the grille, which is small in its surface area and features three layers of chrome dashes (also C-shaped, if you look closely) as well as chrome outlines. The lamps and grille retain the same line at the top, interrupted only by the enormous Renault badge in the centre, so it is relatively neat and tidy. But the bottom of the grille has sweeping curves to extend the shape in the middle and make it narrow at the flanks, while the lower narrow sections of the lamps hook into the body work. It’s a bit busy.

Under this sit the fog lamps and honeycomb air vent. These are placed in the same unit, which spans the width of the car, and are seperated only by a smooth ridge of grey plastic that mirrors the shape of the grille. The numberplate floats in the middle of the honeycomb vent.

The sculpted bonnet includes four distinct lines, two of which run down from the A-pillars to the headlamps while the inner two draw the eye to the Renault logo. These lines, along with the headlamps and wide air vent/fog lamp unit, make the front end appear extremely wide.

Small bits of detail on the body work make the sides of the Megane pleasing, at least in the trim that we tested (R.S. Line TCe 140). The RS Line badges are embedded into the panels above the front wheels. They stop on the gap that signals the start of the door panel. However, two grooves and an indentation continue along the door panel so as to draw out the shape of the badges. The skirts are the same colour as the main body work, giving it a clean finish, and a narrow strip of chrome underlines the windows.

The rear wheel arches are significantly emphasised by the shape of the body work, which pinches in high up above the rear lamps. These lamps stretch in to the centre of the rear, but they don’t meet due to the positioning of the Renault badge.

Most of the rear draws on the protruding wheel arches, and is therefore chunky in its stature. Similarly to the front end, the stretched-out lamps also make the back seem wide, as does the horizontal boot lid and the layered body work underneath. The bumper is finished in the same grey material that acts as a partitioner on the front air vent, but here it wraps around the two flush exhaust pipes.

Staying simple

As with the exterior, the inside of the Megane is far from revolutionary. But this is where the car starts to make sense.

Most of the surfaces in reaching distance are clad in hard plastic. Some chrome and metallic strips are dotted about, but they are only used to outline vents and switches, with the exception of the centre console. This simplistic approach to materials results in a space that is ready to be used, rather than one with fancy, delicate materials that could be spoiled if used too much.

A 10.2-inch touchscreen (it is 7 inches in the lower spec model) is embedded in the dash. Its graphics are sharp, and the menu is simple and easy to navigate. There are no lavish animations or overcomplicated functions. It is arguably one of the most intuitive systems on the market. In the same glossy black unit are the climate controls, which include two circular dials and a group of buttons that were not present on the previous model. The dials are finished in a textured metallic material, making them nice to feel and use.

Two air vents flank the infotainment unit, with a chrome strip enclosing them as well as the touchscreen. These look a little dated, and the screen would be far tidier if the vents were positioned differently.

One of the key areas of focus for Renault with the Megane was lighting. LED strips on the doors and centre console provide a soft glow and a welcome level of detail, and can be adjusted with eight different settings using the ‘Multi-Sense’ system inside the touchscreen. It is surprising that the dash does not include any lighting strips, but maybe this was seen as overkill.

The front seats are bucket-like in their shape, hugging the sides of the occupant. They are covered in a Alcantara upholstery, and include several lines of detailed stitching. The backseats get the same treatment, but are without the heavy bolstering. Room in the back is in short supply, and could potentially result in uncomfortable rear passengers on long journeys.

Sensing the change

The Megane can either be equipped with a 1.3-litre petrol or 1.5-litre diesel engine. A plug-in hybrid option is available on the Megane estate and is coming to the hatchback later this year. Our test car had the 1.3 petrol, with an output of 140bhp and a six-speed manual transmission. As it is a fairly compact and light car, the Megane feels nimble on smaller country roads. However, at higher speeds, the lack of power in the 1.3-litre engine is evident. It takes a fair bit of time to go from 60 to 70mph, and although it feels agile, 0-62mph takes 9.4 seconds.

The steering and handling are refined, as is the suspension. The revised power steering system is lighter than the one on the previous Megane, and features more powerful on-board electronics to respond to the driver with greater accuracy.

The ‘Multi-Sense’ system can be used to adapt the driving modes. So, for example, in ‘Sport’ mode, the steering is 25% firmer and the engine mapping offers 20-25% more torque. Alternatively, ‘Comfort’ mode will increase steering assistance between 10 and 40% depending on the speed. This adapability is noticeable when playing with the settings, and while it may not be needed in most scenarios, it certainly provides an extra level of detail during the driving experience.

When CDN reviewed the pre-facelift Megane, it was noted that the model lacked a “stand-out element” – a distinctive character. And while this latest version includes some added extras such as the climate control buttons beneath the touchscreen, the problem remains. That said, the Megane is a safe option, and if repeat customers value simplicity, it might be the only option.

Some exciting production and concepts have been coming out of the Renault design studio of late, namely the retro-style 5 and the eVision.