09 Mar 04
That engine punches really hard, too. Strong response from low revs means you don't have to constantly stir the manual six-speed gearbox, and once the engine swings past 4000rpm, the car goes ballistic. But using all of the performance is a strangely characterless experience. The 225's engine note is more of a noisy blare than a sonorous, sporty yell. The engine in the Clio V6, for example, makes such a glorious noise that the performance feels like a fringe benefit.
Inside, there are plenty of sporty cues to remind you that this is the hottest Megane. The leather seats have orange stitching, as does the leather on the steering wheel. Even the seatbelts are orange. All of the pedals are aluminium, which look great but are a bit slippery when wet. I found the seats very well bolstered at the sides and quite supportive, but they felt a bit like overstuffed armchairs, and I couldn't get the driver's seat as low as I'd like. The steering wheel adjusts for rake and reach, though, so getting the driving position just right is straightforward enough.
Cupra R competitive at £18,015
So here is a seriously quick hatch with, we think, quite funky good looks. It isn't, though, the most engaging enthusiast's drive. The Megane 225 costs £19,500 for the three-door Sport Hatch or £20,000 for the five-door hatch. And it's generously equipped, too, with standard-fit air conditioning, cruise control, leather upholstery and a six-disc CD changer. Ford no longer produces the Focus RS, so the Megane 225 doesn't have a huge amount of direct competition. The ones that Renault point to are the 247bhp Audi S3, which costs £23,665, the 250bhp Alfa Romeo 147 GTA at £22,750 and the 197bhp Honda Civic Type-R for £16,013. For fairly obvious reasons, Renault makes no mention of the 222bhp SEAT Leon Cupra R, definitely worth a look at £18,015.
