1996 Renault Megane 5 doors Photos, engines & full specs

After a successful career, the Renault 19 was replaced by the new Megane range, which was launched in 1995 as a five-door hatchback, and later on, was joined by other versions of bodyworks.

The French carmaker had decided to change the naming system for its vehicles and switch to actual names instead of numbers. Thus, the Megane came as a replacement for the 19. Nevertheless, the older model was still produced in Turkey for emerging markets, although just in the sedan shape. The five-door version was dismissed and replaced by this hatchback.

In 1991, Patrick le Quement approved the Megane project. He was in charge of Renault's design department, and one of his ideas was to create a corporate image. That was the "bird beak" front fascia, which showed a beak-like styling element that emerged from the hood towards the front bumper's center. Its raked windshield with curved lines followed the bio-design style that was about to become the major trend for the next decade. The arched roofline was continued by a sloped tailgate. From its profile, the five-door Megane looked sporty, although its wide C-pillars diminished the driver's rear three-quarters visibility.

Designed with a budget-friendly interior, the Megane sported cloth upholstery on all trim levels. Moreover, only top-grade ones were fitted with power windows for all doors. The rounded dashboard design sported oval vents and a wide instrument cluster extended above the center stack. Like most European cars from that era, the compact hatchback sported split-folding rear seats that extended the trunk space.

Like the rest of the Megane range, the Megane sedan shared most of its engines with the Renault 19. Later on, the carmaker added new versions that were either more fuel-efficient or more powerful.