See all New Car Reviews
Pros: Great safety features as standard, sporty-looking exterior, comfortable interior
Cons: Clunky gearbox, infotainment system
The Megane has been a popular car in Ireland since it was first launched in 1995 by French car manufacturer Renault. Over the years the Megane has come in the form of a hatchback, saloon, coupé, convertible and estate. We drove the new fourth-generation Megane IV Grand Coupé to see how the family saloon fairs out on Irish roads.
Design
The exterior of the Megane Grand Coupé has a muscular character with broad, sculpted shoulders. At the front, you immediately notice the impressive-looking chrome grille which is surrounded either side by two LED daytime running lights. At the rear of the Megane, you will notice Renault’s distinctive dark red lighting that runs across the boot and illuminates the vehicle on the road at night.
Alloy wheels come as standard in the Megane Grand Coupé. The entry-level ‘Play’ model comes with 16-inch alloys, while both the ‘Iconic’ and ‘Signature’ models come with 17 and 18-inch diamond-cut alloys respectively.
Interior
When you step the inside Megane Grand Coupé you are immediately welcomed by the start-up sound of Renault’s R-Link multimedia system switching on, as well as ambient lighting along the sides of the doors and centre console that illuminates the cabin. The cabin itself is spacious and comfortable. The Signature model we drove comes with black leather upholstery as standard.
The centre of the dashboard hosts a tablet-style touchscreen with R-Link 2 technology. The built-in technology in the Megane isn’t exactly easy to use and the touchscreen can be tedious at times, especially when you are trying to adjust the air-conditioning or find a radio station. The Multimedia system is however compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto which is connected via USB and can be controlled through voice command.
In the rear, passengers can enjoy quite a bit of width from the broad shoulders of the Megane, but legroom can feel tight in the back. The boot is also quite spacious for the size of the car with 384-litres.
Driving
On the road, the Megane Grand Coupé doesn’t blow you away in terms of performance but is quite a comfortable ride when driving on flat surfaces or motorways. The suspension can feel a bit stiff at times and you will feel bumps when travelling at higher speeds. Gear changing in the Megane does feel a bit heavy and clunky and is not as smooth as some of its rivals.
The TCE 140 GPF 1.3-litre petrol engine we drove offers 140hp and 5.7 l/100km average fuel consumption. There is also a 1.5-litre diesel engine available with 110hp. Both engines are available with manual and automatic transmission.
Price
Pricing for the new Megane Grand Coupe starts at €23,940, which will get you the entry-level Play model with a 1.5-litre Petrol engine and manual gearbox. The Iconic model starts at €26,140 for the same engine and transmission but includes extras such as rear parking sensors, 17-inch diamond-cut alloys, digital speedometer and hands-free boot opening. The Signature model that we drove starts at €28,440 and includes 18-inch diamond-cut alloys, leather seats, full LED headlights and a rear parking camera.
Verdict: 4/5
The new Megane Grand Coupé is a sporty looking family car with lots of safety equipment as standard. Driving it isn’t as exhilarating as some of its rivals, but it is good value and practical when it needs to be.
Test Car Details:
Model-Driven: Megane IV Grand Coupé
Colour: Mars Red
Prices From: €23,940
Price of Test Car: €29,015
Annual Motor Tax: €270
Engine: TCe 140 GPF
Transmission: Manual
CO2 Emissions: 130 g/km
Body Style: Saloon
Boot Space: 384-litres
Rivals:
Skoda Octavia
Honda Civic
Toyota Corolla
Ford Focus