12 Apr 07
The engine note doesn't really do anything - it's not obtrusive or noisy but neither is it characterful. A hot hatch should stimulate the ears as well as the soul, but a dull hum in the background isn't going to get anybody's heart racing. The cabin is the same ol' Megane interior, which may have looked fresh when it was launched in 2002 but is starting to show its age now. And no amount of drilled aluminium pedals, silver seatbelts and red stitching on the steering wheel is going to change that.
Renault has decided to offer the dCi 175 - and the petrol 225 - in a Lux trim level. This means it loses out on the harder, honed Cup chassis that transforms the Megane from a middle-of-the-road hot hatch into a real contender. Lux models also get the bigger alloys, climate control and leather seats plus the infuriating key card system.
It's designed to look good and cosset the occupants; it will have a decent stab at a twisty stretch of road, but it'll be happier cruising the motorway. It'll also deliver pretty decent fuel economy for a hot hatch - it's 10mpg more fuel efficient than the 225. But hot hatches aren't about fuel economy; that's the role of the GT version of the Megane - subtle sported-up looks in a package that shouldn't break the bank.
There's not really much point to the dCi 175 - it doesn't perform as well as the petrol versions, and yet isn't as sensible as the budget-minded GT. Hot hatches are for tarmac junkies wanting a fix of adrenaline every time they get behind the wheel, something that can only come when there's a petrol engine in play. Want that fix in a Megane? Get the 225, or even better the stupendous R26, otherwise just walk away.
