Renault Megane RenaultSport dCi 175 2008 Review

What we liked
>> Unrelenting torque
>> Excellent touring ability
>> Fun for less than 9.0L/100km

Not so much
>> Bit heavy in the nose
>> Hand throttle controls for a handbrake
>> Rear styling still appals some

Overall rating: 3.5/5.0
Engine/Drivetrain/Chassis: 4.0/5.0
Price, Packaging and Practicality: 3.5/5.0
Safety: 3.5/5.0
Behind the wheel: 3.5/5.0
X-factor: 3.0/5.0

About our ratings

OVERVIEW
While the diesel engine is not traditionally the most appealing motive power source to figure in any discussion involving enthusiasts standing around the barbie, a new diesel-powered Megane variant provides an 'exception-to-prove-rule' test of the potential market acceptance for such a car in Australia.

With a finite lifespan for the current Megane platform (more here), Renault has introduced this new high-performance sports diesel variant based on the current car, and named the Renault Sport Megane dCi 175. The Megane dCi 175 joins the other mega-Megane in the range, the RS 225, and is equipped to roughly the same trim level, but is powered by a 360Nm turbodiesel engine.

Visual cues to distinguish the Megane 175 from the Megane 225 include the Brembo front brake calipers finished in silver, not red, and no lip spoiler on the tailgate.

PRICE AND EQUIPMENT
Priced at $39,990, the Megane 175 can be specified with just the one option, metallic paint ($800) and two of the four exterior colours available for the Megane 175 (and the other Megane RS models) are metallic. The colour selection comprises: Toro Red, metallic Silver, metallic Deep Black and Alp Blue.

For the (barely) sub-$40K price, the diesel Megane is $2000 more than the three-door Megane 225, but with features larger wheels, leather trim and the 'Cup chassis', which does not underpin the cheaper car. The diesel Megane 175 is $4000 less than the five-door Megane 225.

Standard features for the Renault Sport Megane dCi 175 include: ABS/EBD, Brake Assist, ESP, adaptive dual front airbags, side-impact airbags for front and rear-seat occupants to protect the thorax, side curtain airbags to protect the head, remote central locking, cruise control/speed limiter, climate control, height and reach adjustment for the steering column, electric windows/mirrors, one-touch window control for driver, rain-sensing wipers, auto-on/off xenon headlights, fog lights front and rear, a follow-me-home facility, six-disc CD audio system, trip computer, external temperature gauge, leather-bound steering wheel, leather gear knob, leather seat trim, 60/40 split-fold rear seat and drilled aluminium pedals.

MECHANICAL
Sharing the architecture of the engine that powers the latest Laguna (more here), the Megane Renault Sport dCi 175 develops 360Nm of peak from 2000rpm and maximum power of 127kW occurs at 3750rpm.

The added output in the Megane 175 application is a result of larger capacity injectors and a re-mapped engine management ECU. Fuel consumption on a combined-cycle test is 6.3L/100km and CO2 emissions are 165g/km. Renault advises that the engine in the Megane weighs 70kg more than the turbo petrol engine in the Megane RS 225.

Fitted with a six-speed manual transmission driving through the front wheels, the Megane 175 boasts a shorter first gear ratio than the Megane 225, but all the other gears in the diesel model are higher, extracting the most from the diesel Megane's torque.

Renault Sport engineers have tuned the Megane 175's MacPherson strut front suspension and torsion beam rear end to the 'Cup chassis' specification also underpinning the five-door Megane 225. Front spring and damper rates are firmer for the diesel model, since the suspension must support the extra 70kg weight of the engine.

Brakes are front ventilated discs and four-piston Brembo calipers at the front, solid rotors at the rear. The ventilated rotors measure 312 x 28mm and -- unlike the Megane 225 with the 'full' Cup chassis -- the diesel's front discs are not cross-drilled. With the added weight of the diesel engine, brake squeal was more of a problem for the cross-drilled discs, which is why Renault Sport engineers chose against them.

For the racetrack, the Megane 175 has a specially-tuned stability control program (ESP) set-up which ensures that understeer is kept to the minimum, but allows some oversteer.

The 18-inch alloy wheels are fitted with 225/40 R18 tyres and are the same combination as on the Megane 225.

PACKAGING
As with the Clio 197 driven on the same day, the Megane's driving position proved pretty good. The various controls for adjusting the seating position were not as cohesive as in the smaller car and it took some considerable time to find how to adjust the steering column, but at least it was possible to find a position that was both ergonomically efficient and comfortable.

Otherwise, the instruments and switchgear were easy enough to use and read. If there were one quibble with the Megane's interior layout, it was the U-shaped handbrake, which takes us back to the Alfa 75 of 1985.

One of our fraternity felt the interior of the Megane was a little too sombre. Certainly it lacked the flamboyance we've come to expect from French cars aimed at motorsport enthusiasts, but the materials were durable and plush. In common with the Clio, the Megane's steering wheel boasted red cross-stitching at the 12 o'clock position.

Legroom up front was good, but Renault's designers didn't cater quite so well for the rear-seat passengers. Perhaps this is an indication of the current Megane design's age.

Essentially, the dCi offers the same solid five-door package as the petrol model RS Meganes. For more information on the wider Megane range check out our reviews here.

SAFETY
Just to recap from the Price and Equipment section above, the five-star Euro NCAP-rated Megane is fitted with: ABS/EBD, Brake Assist, ESP, adaptive dual front airbags, side-impact airbags for front and rear-seat occupants to protect the thorax, and side curtain airbags to protect the head.

In addition, the brakes are great, big capable four-wheel discs (ventilated at front), with Brembo calipers.

COMPETITORS
A competitor for a diesel sports hatch from France is about as likely to come up as frequently as a first division lotto prize. Surprisingly, right up at the top of the alphabet, there's the Alfa Romeo 147 Monza JTD for $2000 more.

There's also the BMW 120d, but that's getting up in price, at $48,000 and would cost a lot more in options to approach the Megane for the sports features. One car that really should be considered alongside the Megane, however, is the Volkswagen Golf GT TDi with DSG box. It's priced similarly, features the same lively chassis as the iconic GTI and doesn't give much away in torque.

ON THE ROAD
Renault laid on an afternoon at Wakefield Park, a twisty little racetrack in southern NSW, for us to try the Megane 175 and two other Renault Sport models, the Megane R26 and the Clio 197.

Firstly let's say this, the Megane is deceiving on the track. Granted, there's 360Nm to play with, but it doesn't feel anything like as spritely as the smaller Clio and the very focused R26, but it's still quick enough to be within four seconds a lap of the R26, in the hands of the fastest driver there on the day. Not this scribe, sadly.

Around the circuit, the diesel Megane felt quite heavy in the nose, which is no surprise at all -- and the added weight in the front end was very noticeable after driving both the R26 and the Clio. It did, however, make up for it with what proved to be fairly well chosen ratios to match the diesel engine's torque.

All the same, the engine itself, based on the standard Megane dCi's powerplant -- but with a re-mapped engine management ECU and larger capacity injectors -- just didn't seem as free-revving and willing as we expected after driving the new Laguna.

Between corners, it was apparent that the best results were gained from changing up between 4000 and 4500rpm, which is contrary to what we found with the Laguna.  Approaching those corners, the brakes proved highly resistant to fade and provided consistent stopping power.

But overall, the Megane definitely feels more at home on the road than on the track. It's more a tourer and, in that role, succeeds admirably. In that context, the merit of honour transfers from Clio to Megane. Where the Clio is a little rocket around the track, it's undergeared and a little more fussy on the road.

By comparison, the Megane's engine isn't working anything like as hard and is utterly silent at speed. Furthermore, the engine's torque and relatively high gearing make it ideal for overtaking and the added weight of the engine in the diesel Megane (70kg) is less dominating on the open road than it is on the track. Steering feel is moderately better than the Clio's in that environment and, unlike the smaller car, the Megane feels quite relaxed at speed.

That's not to take anything away from the Clio, which is not intended to be a tourer in the same mould as the Megane. It just serves to illustrate the different natures of the two beasts - and reinforces our impressions of the dCi from our overseas drive (more here) earlier this year.

Fuel consumption for the Megane, on the open road but hurried along a bit, was 8.9L/100km and still falling when we handed the car back to Renault.

So, does the Megane 175 tick all the boxes? It's a capable car in many different ways and it must be said, it was out of its depth at Wakefield Park by comparison with its out-and-out club-car petrol stablemates.

Even so, it was still a highly capable car around the track and with the added advantage of being a car you would happily drive around the suburbs during the week. For that, you'd give it a 'Credit'.

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