What We Like
Good looks with futuristic styling
Posh and premium cabin
A treat to drive, especially with four-wheel steering
Offers performance that's seldom found at this price
What We Dislike
The infotainment system takes a little getting used to
At first glance, you might mistake the new Megane GT as just a normal, run-of-the-mill hatchback made by Renault, but it really isn't. As we've found out, it is in fact a rather sporty hatchback, which goes fairly quickly, and has the looks to boot.
The Megane GT sits between the GT-Line and the top-of-the-range RS model, which is yet to be launched in Singapore.
While the Megane is already a good-looking car, the subtly sporty GT bits, such as the bumper, make this one even more special
Right, so what's different?
Think of it as a Megane with special ingredients added into the mix. On the outside, the GT's extra bits and trims, such as a racier front end, help to further accentuate the regular Megane's good looks.
But it offers more than just a visual punch
Of course, it isn't differentiated by just the exterior. What's impressive about the Megane GT is that it produces 205bhp and 280Nm of torque - numbers that are very close to popular hot hatches like the Volkswagen Golf GTI (227bhp) and the MINI John Cooper Works (228bhp).
But one of the GT's advantages compared to the aforementioned cars, which are powered by 2.0-litre engines, is its turbocharged 1.6-litre that admittedly comes with more favourable (read: affordable) road taxes.
The C-shaped daytime running lights complement the Renault Sport front bumper wellWhat it also offers is an interior that's impressively well-upholstered, with soft-touch materials, Renault Sport insignias and a nice, chunky steering wheel. On top of that, the supportive bucket seats are extremely comfortable and offer a low, sporty seating position, which doesn't sacrifice outward visibility.
Look closer and it'll reveal its relations with its hotter-blooded sibling even further. For example, there's an RS Drive button sitting quietly on the dash, which gets you straight onto the car's most aggressive drive profile when you need it, accompanied by a red glow in the instrument cluster and ambient lights.
Although navigating around it takes a little getting used to, the GT's infotainment system is sharp and easy to see with its portrait orientationElsewhere, it retains all the practical bits the Megane range is known for. Taking centre stage is an 8.7-inch infotainment system packed richly enough with features like Apple CarPlay to keep things modern, which also comes with various other connectivity options such as Bluetooth and USB as standard.
What we particularly like is the said system's portrait orientation, which is especially useful when displaying navigation.
Cool stuff, but you mentioned some performance earlier on, let's get back to that
There are no ifs, ands, or buts about it, the GT is a treat to drive.
The Megane GT sits between the GT-Line and the top-of-the-range RS model, which is yet to be launched in Singapore.
Right, so what's different?
Think of it as a Megane with special ingredients added into the mix. On the outside, the GT's extra bits and trims, such as a racier front end, help to further accentuate the regular Megane's good looks.
But it offers more than just a visual punch
Of course, it isn't differentiated by just the exterior. What's impressive about the Megane GT is that it produces 205bhp and 280Nm of torque - numbers that are very close to popular hot hatches like the Volkswagen Golf GTI (227bhp) and the MINI John Cooper Works (228bhp).
But one of the GT's advantages compared to the aforementioned cars, which are powered by 2.0-litre engines, is its turbocharged 1.6-litre that admittedly comes with more favourable (read: affordable) road taxes.
Look closer and it'll reveal its relations with its hotter-blooded sibling even further. For example, there's an RS Drive button sitting quietly on the dash, which gets you straight onto the car's most aggressive drive profile when you need it, accompanied by a red glow in the instrument cluster and ambient lights.
What we particularly like is the said system's portrait orientation, which is especially useful when displaying navigation.
Cool stuff, but you mentioned some performance earlier on, let's get back to that
There are no ifs, ands, or buts about it, the GT is a treat to drive.
Although the Megane model is bigger and wider than before, the GT's nimbleness through corners, as if it were a much smaller car, is exemplary.
The GT is almost like a precision tool meant for corners - it feels right at home doing so. Just point the car where you want it to go, and it obeys without a fuss. It doesn't need very spirited inputs from the driver to get the car going quickly around bends.
This is partly due to Renault's four-wheel steering system, termed by the company as 4Control. Also available in the RS, the rear wheels steer to varying degrees to aid in steering, reducing the turning radius, as well as giving the car the peppy feel that sporty hatchbacks are best known for.
Powered by a 1.6-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine, the Megane GT makes 205bhp and 280Nm of torqueAt the same time, when put in its sportiest driving mode, the car's steering feel as well as gearshift patterns become more focused.
Put the pedal to the metal and the century sprint is dispatched in 7.1 seconds, while its seven-speed dual-clutch transmission does a good job of keeping up, shifting both quickly and smoothly without drama.
And although the car's more performance-oriented suspension setup doesn't come with active dampers or any type of electronic wizardry, they are sprung comfortably enough, and aren't as harsh as we initially expected even over rougher patches of the road.
The digital instrument cluster is a treat to look at, with different display styles to choose from
So would you consider it a hot hatch? Or more of a 'warm' hatch?
We would call it a 'warm' hatch, and it's not a bad thing. It not only offers a good balance of practicality and useable performance, but also good looks and at a highly attractive price tag.
At $129,999 (as of 15th August 2018), the only other car that offers as much bang for buck would probably be the Skoda Octavia RS245, but that's a sedan.
The ambient lighting turns red when the RS Drive button is pressed, signifying the car's most aggressive driving profile
If you're a bigger fan of hatchbacks and don't want to shell upwards of $160,000 for a Golf GTI, then this Renault Megane GT is worthy of some serious consideration.
The GT is almost like a precision tool meant for corners - it feels right at home doing so. Just point the car where you want it to go, and it obeys without a fuss. It doesn't need very spirited inputs from the driver to get the car going quickly around bends.
This is partly due to Renault's four-wheel steering system, termed by the company as 4Control. Also available in the RS, the rear wheels steer to varying degrees to aid in steering, reducing the turning radius, as well as giving the car the peppy feel that sporty hatchbacks are best known for.
Put the pedal to the metal and the century sprint is dispatched in 7.1 seconds, while its seven-speed dual-clutch transmission does a good job of keeping up, shifting both quickly and smoothly without drama.
And although the car's more performance-oriented suspension setup doesn't come with active dampers or any type of electronic wizardry, they are sprung comfortably enough, and aren't as harsh as we initially expected even over rougher patches of the road.
So would you consider it a hot hatch? Or more of a 'warm' hatch?
We would call it a 'warm' hatch, and it's not a bad thing. It not only offers a good balance of practicality and useable performance, but also good looks and at a highly attractive price tag.
At $129,999 (as of 15th August 2018), the only other car that offers as much bang for buck would probably be the Skoda Octavia RS245, but that's a sedan.
If you're a bigger fan of hatchbacks and don't want to shell upwards of $160,000 for a Golf GTI, then this Renault Megane GT is worthy of some serious consideration.
