- Doors and Seats
5 doors, 5 seats
- Engine
1.6T, 4 cyl.
- Engine Power
151kW, 280Nm
- Fuel
Petrol (95) 6L/100KM
- Manufacturer
FWD
- Transmission
Auto (DCT)
- Warranty
5 Yr, Unltd KMs
- Ancap Safety
NA
2017 Renault Megane GT Wagon she says, he says review
He: Compact wagons, like this one based on the Renault Megane small car, are a rare breed in Australia. We prefer SUVs as family transport but if you need a bit of extra space, without wanting the extra height, they are well worth consideration.
To help this one stand out, the French brand has let its performance division, Renault Sport, weave its magic over it, adding a larger engine, bigger wheels, four-wheel steering and more go-fast bits compared to the rest of the Megane wagon range. It’s not a full-blooded hot-hatch, but it is quicker than your average wagon. What did you think, Dani?
She: Wagons don’t often catch my eye but this one did. I think Renault has nailed the look. It’s beautifully designed. The glossy black front grille, 18-inch alloy wheels, GT badges and well-rounded rear look athletic and stylish.
Inside, it looks premium. The mood lighting sets a nice tone, while the aluminium pedals and black and blue Alcantara seats (which are part of the Renault Sport makeover) look sleek and high-end. There’s some good storage for items but there are also some quirks. The size of the cupholders in the back armrest appear better suited for espressos and a supersized drink. Though we’re in the top-spec model, I was surprised that neither the front seats nor tailgate were powered. Did you like the cabin?
He: Yeah, like you I enjoyed the sporty bucket seats - they add to the ‘hot wagon’ image Renault is going for. I also like the presentation of the rest of the cabin, and the Megane in general. The 8.7-inch infotainment screen looks good and the ‘R-Link 2’ system is relatively user friendly - although I’m unconvinced of the safety merits of this modern trend for tablet-style systems which require more time taking your eyes off the road.
But in practical terms I think the space is good inside. There’s ample room in the rear, enough to give any similar-sized SUV a run for its money.
The boot measures 580 litres, which is generous for such a small machine. And if you need to move even more, dropping the rear seats expands it to 1504 litres.
She: I did find the R-Link 2 a bit fiddly. I like the portrait-style screen but it’s not as refined as Apple CarPlay or Android Auto; there are too many menus and submenus to click through.
The range-topping GT sport gets a bigger engine than the lower grades. The beefier 1.6-litre turbo four-cylinder petrol engine (over the 1.2-litre in the rest of the range) has 151kW of power and 280Nm of torque, plus the sport-tuned chassis with rear-wheel steering. How was it on the road for you?
He: Those performance numbers are short of what you expect in a modern hot hatch these days, but aren’t too far off one from a decade ago. So if you judge it as a warmed-up wagon, as opposed to a truly hot one, I thought it had plenty of punch.
Being a relatively small car it handles better than an SUV rival would, but with Renault Sport’s influence on the suspension and the four-wheel steering the GT feels especially responsive. It’s a fun and engaging machine to drive.
She: I’d say it’s the best Renault I’ve driven so far. It handles well and has decent grunt. The seven-speed dual-clutch auto is relatively smooth but it does seem to hold onto the gears longer, especially in sport mode.
It has a decent safety package including autonomous emergency braking (AEB) and lane departure. Bizarrely it doesn’t have blind-spot monitoring, which is available in the lower spec GT-line. Speaking of price, it’s not cheap at $42,490 drive-away. That doesn’t include some of the extra goodies loaded here.
He: Yeah, our test car had some optional extras, including the $1490 'Premium Pack' which brings Bose audio and LED headlights, and the Bose subwoofer replaces the spare tyre with an inflation kit, which is less than ideal. There’s also the $1990 'Sunroof Pack' which includes an electric sunroof, auto-dimming rearview mirror and illuminated sun visor mirror. Metallic paint will still cost a further $600. So in the end the price can add up to a lot for what is still ultimately a small car.
While it may be a niche market there are a couple of notable rivals for the Megane wagon GT - the Subaru Levorg, which starts at $35,990, and the Skoda Octavia RS which is priced from $37,890. So in that context the Megane is competitive, but at the higher end of the spectrum.
Did it win you over, Dani?
She: As much I enjoyed the sunroof and sound system, I could probably live without them. Style-wise, I think the Megane Wagon GT Sport has the ‘X-factor’ over the Levorg and Octavia. The five-year unlimited-kilometre warranty and roadside assistance, along with capped-price servicing, add incentive to put this one on the shortlist.
2017 Renault Megane Wagon GT price and specifications
Price: From $39,490 plus on-road costs
Engine: 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol
Power: 151KW at 6000rpm
Torque: 280Nm at 2400rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed dual-clutch automatic, front-wheel-drive
Fuel use: 6.0L/100km