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Renault revives Mégane Coupé. Image by Alisdair Suttie.

Renault revives Mégane Coupé
The Coupé name returns to the Mégane stable, though it's not quite as convincing an effort as the five-door model.

   



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

Renault has revived the Coupé tag with the arrival of its third generation of Mégane, replacing the three-door Sport Hatch of the previous model. The Mégane Coupé is more distinctive than its five-door hatch sister and aims to offer buyers an affordable way into a stylish car.

In the Metal

Coupé or three-door hatch? It's a question many may ponder with the Mégane Coupé. It has a hatchback rear tailgate that opens on to a reasonably spacious boot, yet it has a high load sill and marked 'V' shape to the hatch that says style takes precedence over function in this car. Certainly, the side profile is more coupé than hatch, though this may have something to do with the sweep of the rear window line and thick rear pillar that spoils over-the-shoulder vision for the driver. At the front, the headlights are the same as the five-door's, but the Coupé gets silver inserts beneath that give it a sportier look. All in all, the Mégane Coupé is a handsome - if not pretty - car that has just enough sporty cues to succeed. It also helps that the Coupé's roofline is 48mm lower than the hatch's, even if the wheelbase, width and overall length of the Coupé and hatch are identical. By retaining most of the dimensions of the five-door, Renault can rightly claim to fit adults in the rear seats. Access is acceptable for this style of car too, though not quite as easy as in say a Kia pro_cee'd, and there's sufficient room for two adults to sit without folding themselves into masochistic yoga contortions.

What you get for your Money

There are three trim levels for the Mégane Coupé: Expression, Dynamique and top spec Privilege. The entry-level Expression model comes with 16-inch alloy wheels, front fog lights, CD stereo, air conditioning and a height adjustable driver's seat. All Mégane Coupé's have two-way adjustment for the steering wheel, so finding a suitable driving position is easy. The Expression trim ups the ante with automatic wipers and headlights, keyless entry and ignition courtesy of Renault's credit card-style key, leather steering wheel and cruise control. This model also comes with tinted rear and side windows. Move up to the Privilege and you'll enjoy climate control to temper the air, electrically folding door mirrors and a different style of 16-inch alloy wheel. Seventeen-inch alloys are an option, as are leather seats, glass roof, metallic paint and satellite navigation.

There are six engines for the Mégane Coupé, the choice dependant on which trim you prefer. Expression buyers have the option of a 110bhp 1.6-litre petrol and 86- or 106bhp 1.5-litre turbodiesels. Move to Dynamique and the 180bhp 2.0-litre turbo joins the mix, while the Privilege is only available with the more potent 130bhp 1.9-litre turbodiesel and the 2.0-litre turbo with 140bhp coupled to a CVT (continuously variable transmission) gearbox or the six-speed manual-equipped 180bhp 2.0-litre turbo.

Driving it

Renault's engineers have tweaked the chassis of the five-door hatch by lowering the ride height 12mm and firming up the springs and shock absorbers. In theory, this should build on the very competent driving manners of the five-door hatch to create a pleasingly sporty small coupé. The reality is disappointing. In firming up the suspension, the Mégane Coupé has lost the fluid, supple ride of its five-door sister and replaces it with unrelentingly brittle body control at all speeds. During our drive across some very smooth roads, the Mégane Coupé bucked and recoiled at every slight variation in the road's surface. Even at a fast pace, the ride refused to settle and, excuse the pun, put a damper on our driving fun. This is especially annoying as Renault has come up with a chassis that has bags of grip in corners, turns in neatly and follows a line faithfully. There's also the best steering of any recent Renault to enjoy, with well gauged power assistance and good feel to help place the car precisely. If only for the jarring ride, the Mégane Coupé could be a very cost-effective way of putting a smile on keen drivers' faces.

Performance from the 180bhp 2.0-litre turbo petrol we tried was brisk without feeling vivid. Renault says it covers 0-62mph in 7.8 seconds, which is fair, but we feel it should be a bit more rapid given the car's 1,320kg kerb weight. The six-speed manual gearbox's ratios are well suited to cross-country progress though, while sixth is ideal for motorway work. Use the engine in anger and it returns your demands with an angry, coarse noise and unwelcome boom as the driver lifts off the throttle to change up a gear. The gear shift is accurate, but the lever feels a little too far away from the steering wheel to convince as a sporting proposition. Hopefully Renaultsport will work its magic to come up with something more satisfying.

Worth Noting

It may seem out of kilter that Renault charges £400 more for the three-door version of its new Mégane than it does for the five-door. Usually, the five-door version is the model that costs more in most family hatch ranges. However, we reckon the £400 premium is a small price to pay for a car that looks much better than the slightly anodyne five-door and gives its owners a slice of coupé chic. Even better, Renault is kicking off the Mégane Coupé range at £14,745 for the 1.6 110. Go for either of the 1.5-litre turbodiesel models and you'll also save on road tax as they record carbon dioxide emissions of 120g/km or less. They also turn in combined economy of 62.8mpg. There may be some three-door hatch rivals that are cheaper, but none is as stylish as the Mégane Coupé.

Summary

Renault may have given up "shakin' its ass" with the third generation of Mégane, but the Coupé model is an attractive and stand-out design that appeals. It's also well made and offers decent interior space for four adults, along with a range of engines to provide everything from frugality to decently swift. Accurate steering and grippy, agile cornering ability impress, so it's all the more of a let down that the substandard ride quality and poor engine refinement undermine what is otherwise a very tempting, wallet-friendly small coupé.

Alisdair Suttie - 12 Nov 2008



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2009 Renault Mégane Coupé. Image by Dave Jenkins.2009 Renault Mégane Coupé. Image by Dave Jenkins.2009 Renault Mégane Coupé. Image by Dave Jenkins.2009 Renault Mégane Coupé. Image by Dave Jenkins.2009 Renault Mégane Coupé. Image by Dave Jenkins.

2009 Renault Mégane Coupé. Image by Dave Jenkins.2009 Renault Mégane Coupé. Image by Dave Jenkins.2009 Renault Mégane Coupé. Image by Dave Jenkins.2009 Renault Mégane Coupé. Image by Dave Jenkins.2009 Renault Mégane Coupé. Image by Dave Jenkins.



2009 Renault Mégane Coupé. Image by Alisdair Suttie.
 

2009 Renault Mégane Coupé. Image by Alisdair Suttie.
 

2009 Renault Mégane Coupé. Image by Alisdair Suttie.
 

2009 Renault Mégane Coupé. Image by Alisdair Suttie.
 

2009 Renault Mégane Coupé. Image by Alisdair Suttie.
 

2009 Renault Mégane Coupé. Image by Alisdair Suttie.
 






 

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