RENAULT'S MEGA HATCH (some text hidden) --NONE--

By Jonathan Crouch

Introductionword count: 76

Renault's fourth generation Megane family hatchback proved to be a smarter proposition - in more ways than one. If you're shopping for something Focus or Astra-shaped from the 2016-2020 era, it'll probably not be one of the first cars you'll immediately think of, but this MK4 model is clever, sensible and very good looking, with the bold exterior styling matched by the cleverness of the fresh platform that lies beneath. In short, it might surprise you.

Modelsword count: 22

5-door hatchback / Sport Tourer estate - 1.2, 1.3, 1.6, 1.8 [petrol] / 1.5, 1.6 [diesel] [Play, Iconic, Dynamique Nav, GT, R.S.]

Historyword count: 475

Ordinary family cars can no longer be well, ordinary. People want polish these days, a smarter feel and hi-tech features that make them feel pampered and premium. Which means that in the Focus-sized family hatchback segment with models from the 2016-2020 era, they may find themselves looking at models like this one, Renault's rejuvenated fourth generation Megane. Back in 2016 when this MK4 model was first launched, with the French maker's position as one of Europe's biggest car makers severely under threat and a slimmed-down range of conventional models forced upon dealers by this brand's commitment to electric power, it was hard to over-state this Megane's importance if you happened to run a showroom with the yellow-backed silver diamond above the door. Especially as this family hatch had failed to make much of an impact on the market in the third generation guise that sold between 2009 and 2016. But then, with underpinnings based on a second generation design dating back to 2002 and smart but unremarkable styling, there wasn't really much to set that car apart. This one had to do better, which was why, for almost the first time in the Megane's history, a clean sheet approach was taken to its design. Well quite a clean sheet anyway. The new CMF platform, for example, was shared with a car that by 2016 we were already familiar with, Renault's Kadjar crossover. And the engines were mostly carried over from the previous generation range, though were quickly updated after launch. Ultimately though, what was important here was that this was a more class-competitive Megane than any previous version we had seen to date. After all, the cabin was completely redesigned, the efficiency figures stack up and an increase in wheelbase freed up some more cabin space. Perhaps most significantly of all, this car looked genuinely desirable, longer and lower than its forgettable predecessor - and certainly more recognisable. All of this was crucial, for in the Golf and Focus family hatchback segment, this Renault had to take on and try and beat some of the very best cars family customers could consider. The few that wanted more power from a mainstream Megane were kept happy with a 1.6-litre petrol turbo GT Nav model with 4-Wheel Steering (the engine borrowed from the Clio R.S.); that variant lasted until the Megane R.S. hot hatch was launched in 2017 with a powerful 1.8-litre petrol turbo engine; an even more track-focused ''Trophy' version followed. In 2018, the mainstream diesel range was updated with a cleaner Blue dCi version of the brand's 1.5-litre dCi engine. And the 1.2-litre TCe petrol unit was replaced by a 1.3-litre powerplant. The early version of this MK4 Megane sold until the Autumn of 2020, when a facelifted version was launched. Here though, it's the pre-facelift 2016-2020-era versions we look at as a used buy.

What You Getword count: 302

This MK4 Megane is certainly distinctive, primarily because of its unusual and rather eye-catching LED front lighting signature. Fortunately though, there's more to the aesthetics than that, the long, low hunkered-down stance and wide track giving this fourth generation model more dynamic and balanced proportions than we saw on any of its predecessors. What'll you notice behind the wheel? Well the answer's obvious in a top variant - the 8.7-inch 'portrait'-style centre dash 'R-Link 2' touchscreen there to bring a touch of Tesla to this humble family hatch. We'd want it, not least because without this feature, the cabin of this car does look a touch ordinary. With this iPad-like colour display dominating the centre of the dash though, your Megane will feel satisfyingly sophisticated as you poke, pinch and swipe your way through menus for things like Navigation, 'Phone functions, apps, Multimedia options and a DAB audio system that offers superb sound quality when ordered with either Arkamys or BOSE 3D sound. Time to take a seat in the back. We had quite high expectations here, given this fourth generation model's lengthier wheelbase and the fact that it's one of the widest cars in its class. In the event, accommodation here is quite tight, despite Renault's insistence that there's more shoulder room than most rivals can offer. Finally, the boot. Lift the tailgate and you'll find that the opening is a good square shape but that the high sill will make it a little awkward to get heavier items in. The good news though, is that this fourth generation model's 'CMF' platform allows it to offer a much larger boot than that of the old MK3 model, capacity having risen by 62-litres to a 434-litre total. That's makes this one of the biggest luggage areas in the class from this era.

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