Review of the new Renault Megane 1.4 TCE

Recently, the question of what we'll all be driving in ten or twenty years' time has been brought into sharper focus. There's a real possibility that major change might be afoot in the automotive industry that has been based around the internal combustion engine since its inception. The reality, barring some miraculous turn of events, is that cars will continue to have internal combustion engines for a while yet but they're likely to get smaller in the drive for greater efficiency. Renault's TCe petrol units work on the principal of using a turbocharger to compensate for a reduction in capacity and cars like the 1.4 TCe Megane are likely to become more commonplace over the next few years. So is that a prospect we should warm to?

1.4-litre family hatchbacks have traditionally been the entry-level options in the range, 1400cc not being a whole lot of capacity for the task of getting a vehicle of this size rolling. The Renault Megane 1.4 TCe however, is a mid-range model that sits above the 1.6-litre petrol and 1.5-litre diesels. Its secret is a turbocharger which Renault has bolted on to inject some spark into proceedings.

With 130bhp, the 1.4-litre TCe promises lively performance in the Megane. Its 190Nm maximum torque is generated at 2,000rpm, a far lower and more accessible point than you'd get from a normally-aspirated engine. The car will cover the 0-60mph sprint in 9.6s and reach a top speed of 124mph, so its performance is comparable with rival family hatchbacks packing 1.8-litre engines.

The differences between the three-door Megane Coupe and the five-door Hatch don't end with the bodywork. The coupe rides 43mm lower with 12mm of that total accounted for by its lowered suspension. The ride is noticeably firmer than the five-door car but still far from uncomfortable on a well-surfaced road. Indeed, the three-door Megane must be one of the smoothest-riding small coupes out there. Refinement is another strongpoint of the package with road and wind noise well-suppressed in both models.

".the performance of a larger engine with the economy of a smaller one"

The Megane has short front and rear overhangs, a long 2.64m wheelbase, a steeply-raked roofline and a wide track, all helping it appear planted on the road. It certainly exudes a feeling of much higher quality than its predecessor, with thin shut lines between the different body panels. Great care has also gone into the quality and finish of the materials used and there are nice touches like the soft-touch finish on the dashboard cowling that's resistant to daily knocks and the ageing effects of sunlight. The way that the windscreen wipers are concealed beneath the bonnet line is another neat feature.

Climb in and the first thing you notice at the wheel is the innovative dashboard which features an analogue rev-counter alongside a digital speedometer which also incorporates the cruise control/speed limiter display. When this function is activated, the speed selected by the driver is displayed at the top of the speedometer which is itself ringed by a sequence of lights that take the form of an arc around the central display. In speed limiter mode, the red segment lights up as the speed increases, while the selected speed begins to flash if exceeded. Space in the cabin is unexceptional but the boot volume of 372 litres in the hatch (assuming a spare wheel) figures amongst the best in the segment. The divergent exterior styling directions of the two models aren't really reflected inside with the Coupe model sharing a broadly similar interior design to the Hatch.

As a mid-range option in the Megane hierarchy, the 1.4 TCe engine is available with the plusher trim levels. Both the three-door coupe and five-door hatch bodystyles can be mated with this engine and Dynamique or Privilege trim. Dynamique delivers 16" alloy wheels, Bluetooth compatibility, a CD stereo, automatic headlamps, automatic wipers, cruise control, a leather steering wheel and tinted windows. Go for the Privilege and dual zone climate control, electric folding mirrors and a number of other features make an appearance.

Model for model, the Coupe comes in at just £400 over the more spacious and practical Hatch but it should appeal to a very different kind of buyer. With its sleek looks and polished feel, it could conceivably pinch sales from the compact coupe sector as well as from rival three-door hatchbacks. The Hatch is more your traditional family hatchback contender, going up against the likes of the Focus, Civic and Astra from Ford, Honda and Vauxhall.

So we've established that the 1.4 TCe has the performance of a 1.8-litre. Can it manage to turn in the economy of a 1.4? Not quite, but it is more fuel efficient than Renault's own 1.6-litre variable valve timing engine that serves as the entry-point to the Megane petrol range. Combined cycle economy is 43.5mpg and emissions of CO2 amount to 153g/km.

The future of cars might well be electric, hydrogen, biofuels or some other technology currently way under the radar but it's a long way off. In the short term, we'll be seeing a lot more engines like Renault's 1.4 TCe, small turbocharged units that can yield the performance of a larger engine with the economy of a smaller one. Renault is looking to get a head start with models like its Megane 1.4 TCe and why not?