A good all rounder (Renault Megane Sport Alize 1.6 16v 5dr)

Member Name: snowgoon

Product:	Renault Megane Sport Alize 1.6 16v 5dr
Date:	06/08/01 (291 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Split rear seat, Equipment level, Air Cond

Disadvantages: 'Unique' tyre size, lack of low torque

First things first. I've owned three Renaults to date (Clio, Laguna, and now the Megane) and liked all of them, but the Megane is by far my favourite.
This class of small family car is a hotly contested area, and most of the manufacturers end up producing multiple models, with a wide array of kit levels.

Visually I like the look of this car, it is aggressive without being over-the-top-boy-racer-style. Inside the style is continued with a swooping matte grey dashboard hiding the black on white dials the come with the 'Sport' kit. The alloy wheels, spoiler and electric sunroof are also part of this kit, and give the car a nice sporty edge.

The kit level is excellent, remote control stalk for the CD player, air conditioning, and sports seats make it a comfortable car to live with.

It is very easy to get into a comfortable driving position with fully adjustable driving seat, and steering wheel. The pedals are slightly offset to the left, but the now common, left foot rest sits nicely under foot.

Engine wise, the 1.6 is tidy and efficient (onboard trip computer shows a steady 41 MPG), but needs to be worked a little to around the 3000 RPM mark to really get some performance from it. On long journeys you will probably find yourself sitting at around 85 mph to get rid of the engine whine which is unpleasant at around 70 mph.

Two other minor irritations: the sunroof has trouble closing from tilt position when you are driving at motorway speeds, and the rear spoiler makes changing the rear wiper blade very tricky.

Overall this is a competent, comfortable car, which good looks, reliability, efficiency and a few neat touches that set it apart from some of the other cars in the class. Parts can be more expensive, but this is balanced by the fuel economy.

If you are looking for a small family car with good drivability, it's a reliable choice. If you can I would go for a 1.8 model to get a bit mo
re oomph, but the 1.6 is ideal for the 'around town' driver.

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