2017 Renault Megane wagon new car review
Unique Service Provider (USP). Decades ago it could have referred to OneTel or OzeMail - or is that ISP? but in the small car segment the Renault Megane wagon embodies the term.
As the world herds itself towards SUVs, an 'old school' compact wagon is these days rarer than a CD-ROM; while sporty versions are scarcer than a 56K modem.
While similarly 'traditional', the Megane wagon is thankfully more useful than outmoded technology. The big-bummed version of the hatch stretches its wheelbase by 43mm and its body length by 296mm overall, resulting in an increase for rear legroom by 37mm and expanding boot space to 580 litres, up from 430L.
The entry-level Zen, unavailable to test at the launch of the Megane wagon in northern Victoria, asks $2000 more than the hatch at $29,490 plus on-road costs. But the increase is only $1000 for the GT-Line (to $33,990 plus on-road costs) and GT (to $39,990 plus on-road costs) that round out the range and are tested here.
The Zen and GT-Line share a 1.2-litre turbo four-cylinder engine, with a hatch-matching 97kW of power at 5500rpm and 205Nm of torque at 2000rpm. The GT then steps it up with a 1.6-litre turbo four-cylinder with 151kW at 6000rpm and 280Nm at 2400rpm.
Curiously, the larger engine is also thriftier, with claimed combined-cycle fuel consumption of 6.0 litres per 100 kilometres – 0.2L below the smaller unit.
All are front-driven via a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic, but only the GT gets a Renault Sport-tuned chassis with rear-wheel steering to aid agility.
Standard on both Zen and GT-Line are alloy wheels, keyless auto-entry, satellite navigation, dual-zone climate control, front and rear parking sensors with a reverse-view camera and automatic on/off headlights and wipers.
Leaping $4500 from the Zen to the GT-Line mainly buys 17-inch alloys (up from 16s), a mild bodykit with silver mirror caps and diffuser, side parking sensors with auto reverse-park assistance, a larger 8.7-inch touchscreen with 7.0-inch colour driver display, blind-spot monitor, adaptive cruise control, driver-select modes and heated sports seats.
There's also other safety equipment that forms part of a $700 package in the entry version, including autonomous emergency braking (AEB), auto high-beam and lane-departure warning.
Meanwhile, another $1490 on the GT-Line and GT buys Bose audio and LED headlights, and a further $1990 delivers a panoramic sunroof. The only other kit the GT adds is larger-again 18-inch wheels (another $990 on GT-Line).
The GT-Line delivers a sporty look without the GT's pacey performance, and for some family buyers that should sit just fine.
Compared with the average medium SUV, the boot of every Megane wagon is enormous, complete with a low loading lip to make heaving weightier items into the back a breeze.
Substantial, sedan-equalling legroom over the hatch is appreciated, and every Megane wagon also boasts more headroom than either of those bodystyles. Rear air-vents are standard, too, unlike in the cheapest Hyundai Tucson and Mazda CX-5 model grades.
Soft-touch front door trims don't extend to the rear doors, but they consistently match with the dashboard trim for a high-quality feel, while beefy sports seats and a snug leather steering wheel further endow the GT-Line and GT with a sense of purpose.
The large colour touchscreen, smaller colour driver screen and mood lighting are also all reminders that these are no entry models (where the Zen lacks all three).
The touchscreen is not a high-resolution display, however, and it almost requires a stylus pen - remember those? - to flick between menus. The menus can also be fiddly and there are ergonomic issues, such as the nav automatically zooming in on the map, and missing items such as digital radio or Apple CarPlay/Android Auto smartphone mirroring technology.
Tick every option on a GT-Line, and it also comes to $36,970 plus on-road costs. And at that point it lacks value, even if performance is ultimately impressive for $30,000 but no more.
The 1.2-litre is a fine engine, with effortless torque and a refined yet crisp sound. Surprisingly given Renault's flawed dual-clutch in the Clio RS, the seven-speed in the Megane GT-Line is brilliant and is particularly intuitive in Sport mode (which the Zen lacks).
The step to the Megane GT is a dramatic one.
The seven-speed takes its excellence from working with the smaller engine, and then adds paddleshifters to manually harness the performance of the bigger 1.6-litre turbo. Its punch is far more forceful, yet the larger engine remains decently refined.
Despite riding on lower-profile 18-inch wheels, ride comfort in the GT feels if anything more sophisticated and insulated than the non-Renault Sport suspension used with 17s on the GT-Line, which is similarly firm but noisier.
Yet the GT delivers substantially less bodyroll and enhanced agility compared with the GT-Line, aided by four-wheel steering that turns the predictable and progressive standard system into an ultra-sharp, yet still measured, set-up.
The Megane GT wagon pivots beautifully into corners, feeling brisk and keen, yet comfortable and secure.
Compared with its only decent rival, the Skoda Octavia RS wagon, the Renault is certainly quieter (with low-to-mid road roar especially impressive) and it feels more premium inside.
The Megane GT-Line wagon is competent, but probably best in more affordable Megane Zen wagon trim (if only AEB were standard). The Megane GT wagon, though, is a stand-out.
It stands out not only because it's one of the only sporty compact wagons on the market (the Subaru Levorg being the other), but also because it mixes together style and space, and comfort and dynamics, very well.
So while a Windows 95 disc or dial-up modem are old-school-dead for good reason, in this case a traditional family wagon mostly triumphs against the in-vogue medium SUV set.
2017 Renault Megane GT-Line wagon price and specifications
Price: From $29,490 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 1.2-litre 4cyl turbo petrol
Power: 97kW at 5500rpm
Torque: 205Nm at 2000rpm
Transmission: seven-speed dual-clutch automatic, FWD
Fuel use: 6.2L/100km
- For more information visit our Renault showroom
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