Renault has added to its recently refreshed Mégane model line-up, with the addition of the Renault Grand Mégane. Renault’s new Mégane range benefits from recently styled front and rear bumpers, along with an oversized Renault emblem on the front, giving the car a familiar face, just like the chic new Clio.
The Grand Mégane is an estate variant of the Mégane, our test car was the sporty GT Line model. There are three trim levels on offer, the entry-level Expression, Dynamique and GT Line. The standard level of equipment on the Expression model is generous, with air conditioning, Bluetooth & USB connectivity, ABS and EBA (Emergency Brake Assist) and keyless drive all included. The mid-range Dynamique benefits from such additions as 16” alloy wheels, cruise control, fog lights, LED daytime running lights and a leather steering wheel. The GT Line boasts a sport chassis that has been developed by Renault Sport, 17” alloy wheels, sports seats, aluminium pedals, climate control, rear parking sensors, automatic wipers and a GT Line sports steering wheel.
Customers have a choice of one petrol and two diesel engines to power their Grand Mégane. The sole petrol unit is a 1.2-litre TCe turbocharged unit. It produces 115hp and 190Nm of torque, interestingly 90 per cent of its torque is available from just 1,650rpm. The 1.5-litre dCi diesel engine is available with two power outputs, 95hp and 110hp, the former is available in Expression and Dynamique models, while the later is offered on Dynamique and GT Line variants. Our test car was equipped with the dCi 110 diesel engine, it’s a quiet efficient unit, with low CO2 emissions of 90g/km which places it in tax band A2, with an annual road tax fee of €180.
On the road this engine certainly feels more powerful then the figures on paper suggest. It’s an eager engine that offers sufficient power for city commutes and long distance journeys. All occupants are seated in comfort, the front sports seats in our GT Line test car offer excellent support, the chunky steering wheel is satisfying to hold. The layout of the main controls is quite simple and uncluttered, operating the TomTom satellite navigation is fairly straightforward with the use of a toggle control mounted close to the driver’s seat. A clever feature we are particularly fond of is the storage compartments on the floor in front of the seats, they offer a discreet location to store items. As this Mégane is an estate variant of its saloon and hatch siblings, boot space is more generous. As standard it has 524 litres of luggage capacity, this can be increased to 1,600 litres with the rear seats folded down.
On a daily basis the Renault Grand Mégane is effortless to live it, it’s comfortable, stylish, economical and above all practical with an abundance of space available. It’s well equipped to take on its key competitors including the Ford Focus estate and Opel Astra Sports Tourer.
