The Renault Mégane is the French Golf. In order to score points against the German bestseller, the compact from France comes up with, among other things, all-wheel steering, massage seats and 300 hp. How is the fourth generation doing at TÜV?
The current Renault Mégane has been on the market since the beginning of 2016. The fourth generation of the French compact vehicle relies on an attractive but not polarizing design and on comfort. And wants to make a better impression on the TÜV than the previous generation.
body and interior
Unlike the third generation, Renault is limited to two body styles for the Mégane: the classic hatchback and the Grand Tour estate version. The coupé and convertible fell victim to the cutbacks. At 4.36 meters, the five-door is slightly larger than its predecessor. The interior is correspondingly spacious, but the trunk volume is average with values between 384 and 1247 liters. The Grand Tour, which also drives up with a decent amount of space, stretches to a length of 4.63 meters and, depending on the position of the rear seat backrests, offers a luggage volume of 521 to 1504 liters. If you also fold down the backrest of the passenger seat (standard from the Intens equipment line), objects up to a length of 2.70 meters can fit into the vehicle.
Both variants stand out in comparison to their predecessors thanks to their more appealing design. The C-shaped daytime running lights around the LED headlights, which are available in the higher comfort levels, are striking.
The cockpit is dominated by a large touchscreen, which is used to control navigation, telephone, driver assistants and comfort functions.
In early 2020, the Mégane received a facelift. LED headlights are now standard, there is also a slightly revised bumper and an equally carefully modified rear end.
engines and propulsion
Renault has petrol and diesel for the Mégane in its range, and since the facelift a plug-in hybrid with a system output of 116 kW/158 hp has also been available.
The range of petrol engines offers a wide selection, ranging from 74 kW/100 hp to the top model with 221 kW/300 hp and always comes with turbo support. Above the 1.2-liter four-cylinder base petrol engine, there was an expansion stage with 97 kW/132 hp. In 2018, the 1.2 was replaced by a 1.3-liter four-cylinder, which was or is available with 85 kW/115 hp (until 2020), 103 kW/140 hp and 118 kW/160 hp. The "GT" (until 2018) used a 1.6-liter engine with 151 kW/205 hp, which featured, among other things, all-wheel steering, sports suspension and sporty design extras. Above it was the R.S. with a 206 kW/280 hp 1.8 liter, which also forms the basis for the R.S. trophy serves. Of course, the 300 hp of the top unit want to be fed. The standard consumption of 8 liters, like the 7 liters in the GT, should only be achievable if the power is used very tamely. The other petrol engines have an average consumption of between 5.2 and 6 liters.
The performance range for the diesels starts at 66 kW/90 hp and 81 kW/110 hp (each with a displacement of 1.5 liters) and extends to a 1.6-liter with 96 kW/130 hp and 120 kW/163 hp (GT) . Between 2019 and 2020 there was also a 1.7-liter with 110 kW/150 hp. The choice is now limited to a 1.5 with 115 hp, which is also available with a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox (DSG). For many engines, Renault offered a DSG with six or seven gears as an alternative to the manual six-speed gearbox. The average consumption of the diesel is between 3.5 and 4 liters.
equipment and security
With five equipment lines, Renault covers a wide range of comfort requirements. The most popular "Intens" line, most requested by first-time buyers, includes 16-inch alloy wheels, automatic parking brake, keyless entry, high-beam assistant, traffic sign recognition and climate control, among other things. The "R-Link" multimedia system with modern mobile phone integration and a driving mode selector switch are also on board. Massage seats or a head-up display are available, as is a heated steering wheel. In addition to the three comfort levels "Life", "Experience" and "Intens", it is also worth taking a look at the luxurious "Bose Edition" with a sound system from the manufacturer of the same name and the sporty "GT Line". The Mégane achieved a five-star rating in the 2016 NCAP crash test.
quality
The good news: The fourth-generation Mégane fares significantly better than its predecessor at TÜV. The less good news is that the appearance at the TÜV main inspection (HU) is still not really convincing. The TÜV inspectors criticized the brake system - here especially the brake discs - and the axle suspension. Axle springs and steering, on the other hand, have so far been inconspicuous. So far, the Frenchman has done very well in the light and environment test points.
Conclusion: The Renault Mégane looks good, offers decent space and, depending on the equipment variant, a lot of comfort and extras such as all-wheel steering. For older used copies you have to invest around 8000 euros.
