Nice, but turbo power better
Nick Bates
2010-03-15
Price versus looks versus performance - three factors I’d have to consider if I were in the market for a coupé of sorts.
And in the case of Renault’s newly-launched Megane Coupé it’s a very strong contender in this rather select market.
Having recently spent time with Volkswagen’s twins, the Comfort Coupé (CC) and Scirocco I guess it will be a tough call, except when it comes to the price tag.
Okay, the CC has four doors whereas the others have two, so strictly speaking it isn’t a true coupé, but VW say it is and in pure appearance, it’s just that!
I won’t go into detail on each vehicle’s appearance suffice to say that Renault’s offering is on par with its two German rivals while the Scirocco, although attractive, certainly has the broadest backside of the trio.
The front end of Megane is rather striking with its wraparound headlights, built in bumper-mounted fog lights and air vents set lower down.
The rear is very streamlined while the rear lights boast a combination of split lenses, clear for the reverse/indicator clusters, opaque red for ignition and brakes.
But the price is where the Megane stands out and our 1.6 version reaches floors at a very sensible R220 000, whereas the cheapest VW CC comes in at a hefty R356 000 for the 2.0 diesel version while the petrol model of same capacity, is R361 000. Sirocco’s smallest unit, the 1.4Tsi demands R282 000 while the larger 2.0 model will set you back R325 200.
Agreeably, the Germans make more power across the range versus Megane in 1.6 guise – the 1 598cc mill makes 83kW of power at 6 000rpm and 151Nm of torque at 4 250rpm.
Power is fed to the front wheels via a six-speed manual gearbox which sees it trundle to 100km/h from standstill in 10.5 seconds while a top speed of 195km/h is realistic.
Fuel usage of 6.9 litres per 100 kilometres is claimed by Renault in the combined cycle, but after a week with her, expect around 7.4 litres realistically. The interior is plush and modern with its LCD, backlit, digital speedometer including fuel gauge and temperature while the rev counter reverts back to analogue.
Besides electric everything, Renault has also included dual climate control and cruise control while the CD/Radio can be operated from steering wheel-mounted controls.
The drive is as smooth as its looks, thanks to McPherson struts up front and a flexible beam arrangement for the rear. The electric power steering, like most designed using this technology, tend to be a bit vague but in the interests of greening the planet, most manufacturers are headed in this direction.
Standard safety features include six airbags plus the additional Pelvis Restraint Cushion (PRC) anti-submarining airbag, which is exclusive to the coupé.
On the active safety side the coupe gets ABS with EBD and EBA while Electronic Stability Control with CSV understeer control is available as an option.
In summary: if you want performance with looks, the VW twins will suffice, but at a price.
If you want the looks, status and good styling with adequate performance and are budget conscious, the Renault Megane Coupé is a superb alternative.
The price includes a three-year/100 000km warranty, and a five-year/100 000km service plan. Service intervals are every 15 000 km.
