Test drive: Renault Megane dCi Hatch

Renault used to have a reputation for electrical gremlins, but the company is confident it has got those licked in its latest range of Méganes.

The Hatch, Sport Tourer, Coupé Cabriolet and range-topping Renaultsport 265 all have a feeling of quality about them that has sometimes been absent in the past, and the new models have adopted Renault’s corporate frontal styling, familiar from the Captur and the latest Clio.

Pick of the bunch is the 1.5-litre dCi diesel, which feels faster and more sporting than the performance figures suggest. Acceleration of 0-62 in 12.1 seconds doesn’t sound sparkling, but the car is so well balanced and precise, with little body roll, that threading it along winding country lanes is good fun.

The official fuel consumption figure of 80.7mpg means around 60mpg in the real world, and its modest engine output of 110hp feels more than adequate thanks to the car’s lightness.

The petrol-engined TCe squeezes an extra 5hp from its 1.2-litre motor, which is remarkably smooth and willing and still manages a claimed 53.3mpg. The cabin is uncluttered and quite elegant, with decent materials, and the rear legroom is on a par with the opposition, which is strong in this keenly fought sector of the market.

Those wanting more oomph might go for the Renaultsport 265 version, with a 2.0-litre petrol engine that can reach 62mph in six seconds. It also has grippy Recaro front seats and rather dashing bright red seatbelts.

Its extra punch can come at the expense of smoothness, and at £31,665 it is much more expensive to buy and run than the lesser models. That said, it is still about £1,200 cheaper than the previous version.

There are price reductions across the range, but they are much more modest than with the range-topper.

Renault Megane dCi

Hatch Dynamique TomTom

Energy dCi

Top speed: 118mph

MPG: 80.7

Emissions: 90g/km

Price: from £19,245