2016 Opel Astra 1.6 CDTi vs Renault Megane 1.5 dCi Comparison Review

As this French reviewer puts it, the new Megane is stylish and modern, while the new Astra is stylish and modern. Both have also made similar engineering decisions, dropping fully independent rear suspension and big 2-liter engines to save weight and reduce fuel consumption.

Both models also feature 1.6-liter twin-turbo diesel engines making 160 horsepower or gasoline units of the same displacement delivering roughly 200 hp. However, this review is all about what us regular people buy: cheap diesels.

For the Astra, that means a de-tuned 1.6 CDTi delivering 110 PS, while the Megane has the same output from a 1.5 dCi. However, the bigger of the two engines has 40 Nm more torque to offer. Not that this has a significant impact on performance since both cars take around 11 seconds to reach 100 km/h. The Astra's top speed is 7 km/h higher.

Compared to its predecessor, the Astra is shorter, but it doesn't lose any practicality or interior space. The overall proportions of the two cars are nearly identical, and they make similar stylistic decisions as well. The trunk sizes are within 10 liters; the wheelbases are identical; the ground clearance is the same.

In our book, the Megane is the prettier car, thanks to those unique headlights. But Opel does that understated maturity even better than Volkswagen.

But there's something weird about the video, as the fuel consumption numbers and the CO2 emissions favor the Opel while our numbers are the other way around. You can find the full specs on the Astra and Megane on our website, including all the other engines. Which one would we get? The Megane GT, since it's not a lot more expensive than these wimpy diesels.