Let me get this out on the table. I love the Renaultsport Megane 225. Doesn't matter what variant, Cup, Trophy, F1, whatever, they're all fantastic fun to just absolutely brutalise down a country lane. They offer levels of involvement that you thought were probably a thing of the past and you've got that turbocharged engine that offers the same feel of guilty satisfaction as buying a power tool from Machine Mart that's three times more powerful than that which you actually need. The last time I drove one of these down a back road, I emerged with a grin that lasted all weekend. My wife, on the other hand, quietly opined that she wished she's worn her sports bra.

And therein lies the problem. As much fun as the Renaultsport models are, none are exactly cosseting. What was required was a halfway house between the standard Megane models and the tarmac-tearing sports versions. Answering this particular remit are the Megane GT models, available with either a 2.0-litre 165bhp turbocharged petrol engine or a 150bhp 2.0-litre dCi diesel.

With any sort of car like this, the first accusation levelled at them is that they're sheep in wolves clothing, not really offering any more zip than their siblings but suggesting they do by dint of their additional attitude. While the extra weight of the body kit might see the Megane GT fractionally outdragged by a 'lesser' Megane model with the same engine, I'm reasonably certain that the sportier suspension and tyres with stiffer sidewalls would see this model more than make up the deficit as soon as the road started weaving.

Let's not kid ourselves though. A few tenths of a second here and there aren't really that relevant to most buyers. They'll put more importance on a car that wears that full body kit, twin chromed exhausts, a 10mm lower ride height, chrome front grille and a honeycomb air dam. Finish the look off with 17-inch 'Jarsalle' alloy wheels and GT badging and most drivers would think twice before trying to put a move on a Megane GT.

"The Megane GT offers customers the choice of two of the best engines in Renault's extensive portfolio"

The interior doesn't differ too much from standard Megane fare, but Renault has flashed the corporate card at the equipment list, the GT fitted with front sports seats, a leather-trimmed steering wheel, silver/grey seat belts, automatic headlights and wipers, electrically heated door mirrors, powered windows all round, electronic stability control with traction control and a special SV understeer control package.

Prices start at £16,460 for perhaps the most attractive car in the whole GT line up, the three-door Sport Hatch model with the 2.0-litre turbo 165bhp petrol engine. You'll need to tack another £500 onto that figure to land the more family-friendly but frumpier five-door model. Diesels start at £17,450 for the three-door and top out at £17,950 for the five-door.

The diesel engine produces just 144g/km of CO2 and turns-in an outstanding average fuel economy of 51.4mpg. Compare that to Volkswagen's 140bhp Golf TDI (49mpg) or Ford's 135bhp 2.0 TDCI Focus (51mpg) and you'll appreciate the cleverness of Renault's engineering. The diesel GT produces its peak 150bhp power output at 4,000rpm with a full 340Nm of torque available from 2,000rpm. It all makes for some truly urgent acceleration, especially when you're in the meat of the torque curve, but the overriding impression is one that you don't expect to take away after driving a diesel. The Megane majors on smoothness and refinement: you could almost be fooled into thinking you were driving a petrol car, were it not for the punchy mid-range. The power pours on gradually as you accelerate and engine noise in the cabin is well managed. If you really go for it, 60mph is just 8.4s away from standstill.

The petrol engine feels a little less substantial than the diesel but is nevertheless a better performer on many of the yardstick measures. It reaches 60mph from standstill in just 8 seconds and will only run out of lungs at 137mph. Where it can't match the diesel is in terms of fuel economy, although the 36.7mpg figure is creditable for a vehicle with this sort of overtaking ability. The way Renault has priced this car means that for many typical 10,000 mile per year motorists, a typical three-year ownership period will see very little difference in overall ownership costs between the two cars. If you prefer more relaxed cruising, lots of torque and fewer visits to a fuel station, go for the diesel. If, on the other hand, you want to minimise upfront expense, enjoy better refinement and handling plus a more responsive feel, the petrol beckons.

The Megane's driving experience majors on comfort, with suspension that cossets you along, well-insulated from the road surface. The 'tube-in-tube' steering column also works to refine the experience at the wheel, cutting down on vibrations but maintaining the responsiveness and feel you need for an engaging drive. It seems to be almost a given these days that each new Renault model will receive five stars from the men in white coats at the Euro NCAP crash testing laboratory and the Megane didn't disappoint. The car is equipped with ESP stability control, CSV understeer control and ASR traction control. Then, should you somehow manage to confound that little lot and relinquish control of your Megane, Renault's Intelligent Protection System uses crumple zones and a plethora of airbags to keep the occupants safe. All five NCAP stars were predictably forthcoming.

When compared to key rivals like the Volkswagen Golf GT and the Peugeot 307 HDi GT, the Megane GT's value proposition emerges as a very credible indeed. The fact remains, however, that a Volkswagen Golf buyer is in all likelihood a very different animal to a Megane customer. If you can live with an interior that could only be French and the Megane's extrovert shape, you'll be rewarded with a car that, if anything, rather underplays its considerable talents.

TOP 4 MEGANE DEALS

The results below show the top MEGANE deals on buyacar

	Renault Megane 2.0 dCi 150 GT 3dr Hatchback
	ETR	Mthly £242	Saving £4,713	Price £13,197
	Renault Megane 2.0 dCi 150 GT 5dr Hatchback
	ETR	Mthly £249	Saving £4,844	Price £13,531
	Renault Megane 2.0 T 16V GT 165 3dr Hatchback
	ETR	Mthly £236	Saving £4,353	Price £12,337
	Renault Megane 2.0 T 16V GT 165 5dr Hatchback
	ETR	Mthly £243	Saving £4,541	Price £12,814

typical 10.80% APR

PCP finance quote over 48 months,  10,000 miles pa,  deposit of £1000