Alternative review of Renault Megane

The styling of the old Renault Megane was an acquired taste. Hats off to Renault for being so adventurous but the designers really did split public opinion. You never really had to ask because from the garage to the multi-storey car park, even the car deck of a cross channel ferry, the Megane's bum looked big in everything. Yes, the latest model is more conventional but it's conventionally pretty - especially in 3-door Coupe form. There's no longer an airfix kit look to the styling or to the cabin, wafer-thin panel gaps, classy materials and solid nuggety cuteness making this a car that Volkswagen's disappointingly conservative MK6 Golf should really fear. Peugeot's 308, Ford's Focus, Fiat's Bravo, Toyota's Auris and Vauxhall's Astra are all also clearly within its sights. My first impressions of this car are definitely good.

My better half and I shared the driving on a recent round trip and got to know the five-door car pretty well. The driving position suited us both, the adjustable steering wheel a welcome feature, given our different shape and sizes! The seats are firm but supportive and over the distance pretty comfortable. Children will be happy as sandboys in the back seat - which, unlike in some cars we've driven recently, is deep enough to accommodate booster seats and the like. The boot was surprisingly spacious for a medium-sized family hatchback at 372-litres, although we weren't overloaded with bags on this occasion. I'm sure that we'd have no gripes about luggage space for our fortnight summer holiday all the same. I thought that Renault's unparalleled experience in the MPV market shone through with this car, not only in terms of passenger space - which is excellent - but also in the provision of multifarious cubbies, boxes and pockets. The innovative dashboard 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.

The engine line-up is a mixture of familiar carry-overs and new arrivals, with biofuel-compatible engines also on the agenda. Most important will be the dCi diesels, sales of which will be focused on the dCi 86 and the particulate filter-equipped dCi 106 units. Both of these engines emit 120g or less of CO2/km, while even the powerful dCi 130 (with pulling power now more readily available earlier in the rev range) manages 135g/km. If that's not enough, your dealer can tell you about a dCi 160 unit (which you'll need to order in dCi 150 form if you want automatic transmission). Petrol buyers also get the latest Laguna units, in this case the 1.6 16V 100 and 110bhp powerplants, plus you can talk to your dealer about an all-new turbocharged TCe 130 unit. This new, fuel-efficient 1,397cc engine packs the power of a 1.8-litre engine (130bhp) and the torque of a 2.0 (190Nm), yet its CO2 emissions are less than those of a 1.6, making it particularly respectful of the environment. The flagship engine, the TCe 180, uses similar technology. Despite being bigger and roomier, this Megane is an average 8kg lighter than its predecessor. The combination of lower weight and optimised aerodynamics has led to significantly lower fuel consumption and CO2 emissions across the board. Almost 70% of all Meganes sold will feature CO2 emissions of less than 140g/km or be biofuel-compatible. This car also claims to be one of the most socially responsible in its class, being 95 per cent end-of-life recoverable by weight, while almost 12 per cent of the plastics it contains are sourced from recycling, equivalent to an average of 22kg per car.

On the whole, we found little to criticise with the latest Megane - and we learned to love that pretty styling. I think that most buyers will feel the same way.