At Renault they are doing this as well as making their cars affordable. On arrival at Charles Hurst Renault in Newtownards I was greeted by salesman Ash Higgins with a huge smile and the keys of a Renault Megane Coupe Dynamique Tom Tom. We know that the car is at a turning point, it has to evolve whether you believe in global warming or not; to emit less in cities, to make less noise and to use increasingly scarce energy more efficiently.
First impressions of the Megane were good, beefy styling especially with the subtle OE bodykit all round. On opening the door I knew it was going to be a pleasure to be in this car, bucket style seats with soft padding comfort you like a good fry in the morning.
Behind the leather steering wheel, the radio hand controls were easily reached and the Megane Dynamique also comes as standard with BlueTooth, auxiliary input to the audio system, tom tom sat nav with easy to use joystick controller as well as auto lights and wipers.
The Megane is more than capable of accommodating a family of four with child seats in the back and a buggy in the boot as well as the golf clubs or whatever else you may wish to put in there, the only slight issue may be the access to the boot being slightly narrower than the storage space itself.
As per the norm these days, the Megane has a 5star EuroNCAP rating with eight air bags in total as well as ABS, ASR, CSV, ESC and brake assist. On a reasonable drive to Comber on varying road types I was encouraged with how the Megane Coupe has evolved throughout the years (I owned a mk2 model in 2003 for a few years and I have to say this is 3 times the car now). Performance wise, its 110bhp 1.6L 16v petrol engine goes very well indeed and doesn’t seem to struggle through the gears and will easily slip around town or take you to Cork with ease and comfort.
Model variations in spec see the I-Music come in lower, without the sat nav and auto lights/wipe while the GT comes in higher and is spec’d up with alloy pedals, Renault Sport seats and climate control. Diesel alternatives are also available in a 1.5DCi or 1.9DCi producing 110bhp and 130bhp respectfully with prices around £1.5k dearer for the 1.5 and £2k dearer for the 1.9 over the petrol models. However saying that, the road TAX comes in at a mere £20/yr for the 1.5 and £115/yr for the 1.9.
TECH SPEC Engine: 1.6L 16v petrol
Power: 110bhp CO2 Rating: 163g/km Economy: 39.8mpg combined cycle Trim Level: Dynamique Tom Tom Price: From £15,295 at Charles Hurst Newtownards Road Tax: £165/12months Insurance Group: 16e
Words and Photos: Graham Curry
