Renault Megane Sedan

Been driving this car (petrol version) for 10 months, i would say it is a value for money and quality car, in comparison with the japan/korea competitor in it's class, you can feel the difference. The 1.2T turbo engine is sufficient enough for you to overtake easily in SG roads. The GPS is precise with no lag as well. The original sound system was good enough. Then cabin noise was also consider pretty quiet. But what i love most about this Megane is the design of the tail light, it caught my attention when i first seen it on road. I managed to get 14km/l to 16km/l for FC, which is quite decent in my opinion for a 1.2 petrol car.

Have been driving my Megan (a.K.A. Renault Megane 1.2 TCe) for just over 2 months and have clocked about 3500 km. So far it's been an interesting experience! It's French design gives her a touch of class and distinction which makes her stand out from the Japanese makes which are either too boring (e.G. Toyota Altis) or trying-too-hard (e.G. Honda Civic/Toyota CHR). From the aggressive looking C-shaped DRLs-cum-LED headlamps, all the way to the unique red curvy always-on LED tail lights (a bit like those found on some Jaguar models) at the back, the exterior design is truly captivating!

The interior design is also pleasant with nice touches of class - combination of leather and soft-touch fabric for seats which are comfortable; 8.7-inch LCD touch screen infotainment system, customisable LED strip-ambient lighting on all 4 doors & gear-box area (like BMW), customisable fully-LCD speedometer/tachometer, etc. But I won't say it's luxurious - and I don't think Renault meant for it to be luxurious either.

How about the drive and ride? This is where the Japanese flavour seems to come in. It's hard to explain but I've owned & driven 1 Toyota, 2 Nissans, 1 Kia, 1 Honda, and 2 Fords in my lifetime - and I somehow feel that my Megan drives more like a Japanese car than a typical continental. The suspension is comfortable, the steering is light, the cabin is quiet, the 1.2 l engine is eager and revs sweetly and without fuss - somehow I feel like I'm driving my Honda Civic - which is not a bad thing actually! I think this has come about because of the long-standing partnerships between Renault, Nissan, Mitsubishi and more recently, Daimler AG (makers of Mercedes Benz). It's like a Japanese car with a touch of French flair! I think that's why some people call it the French Corolla/Altis/Sylphy - just like the Kadjar is a French Qashqai!

That said, I think there is still much room for improvements for Renault to consider:

- the 7-speed EDC is sweet and smooth when accelerating, but slowing down feels a little jerky when the gears don't change fast enough

- gear knob feels plasticky and creaky when squeezed

- some parts of the interior are also too plasticky (although good quality)

- aircon not cold enough especially on hot days

- build quality does not feel as solid as my previous 2 Ford cars

Just took delivery of this car today. Amazed by the wonderful pick up of the car even with full load of 5 passengers. Tried highway driving today - good road holding, felt very stable. Over taking is easy. Powerful when driving up the ramp even with Eco mode. Kids enjoyed the sun roof very much.

Just took delivery of my Renault Megan sedan yesterday. Very happy with the purchase. Car is quiet and comfortable. Still try to get used to the touchscreen system.

The Bluetooth system easily paired with my Samsung and my daughter's iPhone. Can do hands-free calls.

Take a quick glance at the Megane Sedan and you'll prolly do a double, even a triple take. That's how good it looks. But the cabin is where the magic happens. A cool-looking cabin with ambient lighting, plus a rather interesting infotainment system make the Megane Sedan a nice place to be in.

What impresses me the most is the size of the boot. However, this may have affected interior space, which may get pretty cramped on longer journeys, especially if there are five people on board.

I have just done a test drive of the new Megane Sedan 1.2 Turbo petrol model, and I have come away impressed! Despite the size of the car, the engine was smooth, quiet and picked up speed without hesitation. Overtaking should be no problem. The 7-speed EDC seemed to work well with smooth shifting. I have tried other Japanese and European 1.0-1.2 litre cars and I feel that this Renault can hold its own with the best of them. The car is easy to handle with the steering tuned to be very light at parking speeds and nicely weighted at highway speeds. As with any good continental car, the Megane feels safe and secure when on the move. Fuel consumption is 17 km/l on paper, but I suspect it will be closer to 13-15 km/l in actual use.

The new Megane sedan is a very handsome car, and it looks big for its class. It has a huge boot, and the cabin is indeed spacious, although I do feel that the cabin space is not as big as the car's size would lead me to believe. The 1.2 comes only in the Privilege trim, so it is feature-packed. I currently own a 2 year old Renault Fluence Privilege 1.5 turbo diesel, and I have had no reason to be unhappy with my car. It is economical (ave. 17 km/l), comfortable, reliable and nice to drive especially on the highway. If my car is anything to go by, the new Meganes should pose no reliability issues for years to come.