| First Drive | Madrid, Spain | Renault Mégane Hatch |

Renault has gone all sensible with its new Mégane hatch, ditching the notch back looks of the previous model in favour of a more conventional appearance. Don't despair, though, as the new Mégane is a far better car in every other respect from its predecessor, so if you weren't partial to the old model's style then the new car is a positive step forward in every sense. Renault hasn't completely dropped any desire for the Mégane to compete in the style stakes though, as it has replaced the three-door model with a car it calls Mégane Coupé. This is a sportier take on the new Mégane theme and offers an affordable way for buyers to bag a car that looks distinctive and stylish.

In the Metal

Renault has gone with two very distinct models of its new Mégane. The five-door is as sensible as a scarf and gloves on a chilly day, offering more passenger and boot space than the previous Mégane. It's well made and the Laguna-style dash sets the right tone for a car that costs more than in its previous incarnation. There are still some attractive styling touches and details, so the Mégane is far from left out when it comes to comparing looks with its rivals.

The Mégane Coupé, on the other hand, is a much more stand-out kind of car. Its roof line is 43mm lower than the hatch's though it shares the same overall length and wheelbase to retain good rear seat space for two adults and a generous boot. It also sits 12mm lower to the ground on firmer suspension to underline its sporty pretensions. Overall, the Mégane Coupé is a good looker and gives potential buyers of the Vauxhall Astra Sport Hatch or Kia pro_cee'd cause to pause and consider the French car instead.

What you get for your Money

Whether you choose the five-door hatch or the Mégane Coupé all models come with six airbags, ESP traction control and Isofix child seat mounts, so Renault's safety credentials are as impressive as ever. The Coupé costs £400 more than the hatch, which gets you standard alloy wheels on every model, but otherwise the entry level Expression trim is much the same. It comes with air conditioning, CD stereo, electric front windows, and Renault's keyless entry and ignition system worked from the credit card-style key. Move up to Dynamique and you'll enjoy Bluetooth and MP3 connections through the stereo, automatic headlights and wipers, cruise control and height adjustment for the front passenger seat. Mégane hatch buyers also get 16-inch alloy wheels with the Dynamique version. The top spec Privilege trim brings climate control and rear parking sensors, which are a must for the Coupé in particular.

The hatch is offered with a 1.6-litre petrol engine in 100- and 110bhp forms, plus a 2.0-litre turbo petrol with 180bhp. Diesel fans are catered for with 86- and 106bhp 1.5-litre turbodiesels and a 1.9 dCi turbodiesel producing 130bhp. A new 140bhp petrol unit will join the range early in 2009, alongside a new 2.0-litre turbodiesel in 150- and 160bhp tunes - the less powerful version coupled to a new six-speed automatic gearbox. All engines in the new Mégane range have six-speed manual 'boxes except for the entry level petrol model that makes do with a five-speeder. The Mégane Coupé is available with the same engines as the hatch other than the least powerful 1.6-litre petrol.

Driving it

Renault has come up trumps with the five-door Mégane. It's comfortable on broken roads, soaking up bumps with well-judged precision, and it steers with a fluidity we've not seen in a mainstream Renault model for many years. This is all backed up by a surprising amount of cornering grip that makes the hatch a pleasure to thread down country roads. It's also great around town, where the 1.9-litre turbodiesel version we tried had plenty of low to medium rev power, though the manual gearbox's shift is slightly too long and ponderous. Also, the gear lever feels quite far away for the driver to stretch to. The only other let down was the amount of wind noise generated at motorway pace, which is all the more obvious as the Mégane hatch does a good job of suppressing other sources of aural irritation.

The 1.9-litre turbodiesel is good for 0-62mph in 9.5 seconds in both the hatch and Coupé, so is reasonably nippy compared to rivals. It's also easy on carbon dioxide emissions at 134g/km, though if you want to keep as clean and green as possible the 1.5-litre diesels are the ones to pick. The 86bhp 1.5 dCi produces 118g/km and the 106bhp version emits 120g/km, so both qualify for cheap road tax and will be attractive to company car users worried about their tax liability.

Worth Noting

Jumping into the Coupé, we were expecting great things from the same basic chassis as the hatch's, which has been lowered and tautened. Oh dear, but what has happened? Gone is the supple ride, replaced by suspension that is unremittingly firm and jittery across even the best groomed tarmac. There's still ample cornering grip, but the Coupé needs more care and attention through pitter-patter corners than the hatch. It's still just as eager to turn into a bend, but the ride means you soon find yourself backing off to give your spine an easier time. We also found the 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine in the Coupé a disappointment, its 180bhp not stirring our driving soul. It's punchy at lower revs, but beyond 4,000rpm it's crude, coarse and lacks any aural delight. That's not to say it cannot be heard, but the raucous boom that can be heard soon had us short changing through the six-speed manual gearbox and relying on the strong mid-rev shove instead of high revs. With 0-62mph in 7.8 seconds (the same as in the 2.0-litre hatch) it's swift but not as nippy as some rivals.

Summary

Renault has managed to come up with two very different interpretations of its new Mégane with the hatch and Coupé. We're very impressed by the hatch, which rides and handles alongside the best in class, and offers plenty of space, comfort and practicality. As for the Coupé, we feel let down by its uncompromisingly hard ride and rowdy engine. We'll reserve judgement on this model until we've driven it in the UK and with some other engines under the bonnet, so our star ratings are for the Mégane hatch, which will be the big seller of the range.