The Renault was one of the surprise packages of this year’s tests, running the Golf a very close race.
Strong, quiet and refined, the 1.9-litre engine is a key part of the Mégane’s appeal. With a 30-60mph time of 14.9 seconds, it was just a tenth of a second slower than the Golf in the sprint to the legal limit. The Renault was happy to hold 60mph in sixth gear, with the engine hardly audible in the background.
In an emergency, the Mégane’s able chassis will be on your side. It coped easily with the lane-change test, remaining firmly in control of the van.
The practicality judges were just as impressed as the drivers. The boot held a full load of holiday luggage, and it was pleasing to see a full-size spare in these days of so many compact tyres and get-you-home gunk.
However, there’s not as much room for passengers in the Mégane as there is in a Golf or Focus, although there is no doubt the cabin is well built and attractive to look at. What’s more, resale values aren’t as strong as the Golf’s, with What Car?’s experts predicting the car will be worth 39% of the original asking price after three years.