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Driven: 2016 Renault Megane GT - Roundup

The French brand has gathered enough courage to bring a daring design to market, and it matches its entire range, an idea that is applied by most automakers today. Instead of just a great shape and a dull interior, Renault managed to pull things together and provide a good looking and functional passenger cabin.
2016 Renault Megane GT 100 photos
Photo: Renault Romania
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Since Renault is an automaker that must focus on sales volumes, one would not expect many or even any innovations concerning technology, but they pulled a magic trick again and came up with the segment’s first all-wheel-steering system. It is more than a marketing tool, as it genuinely reduces steering effort, while simultaneously enhances handling.

Speaking of handling, the Megane GT is a vehicle that can be used for long trips and brisk driving without requiring a visit to the chiropractor afterward. Renault managed to achieve a suitable balance of handling and comfort, which should suit the taste of many drivers. Do not confuse the Megane GT for the performance model in the Megane range, as the French brand has another ace up its sleeve for that task.

The engine range is also modern and capable, and the Megane GT is no slouch. While a compact hatchback with 205 HP does not seem as compelling as this figure used to mean around a decade ago, it all happens because Renault ditched brutal delivery of power and torque for something you can use on the road anytime. The brand’s first seven-speed dual clutch gearbox shifts just as well as the equivalent transmission from its competitors, so Renault is on par with its rivals once again.

2016 Renault Megane GT
Photo: Renault Romania
Like most of its competitors, Renault is also focusing on technology in its cars, and the new Megane comes with plenty of gadgets to make life behind the wheel easier. Standard features are mostly focused on safety, which has been assessed as top-level by Europe’s EuroNCAP, but a few hundred euros will get customers an advanced multimedia unit with a massive screen.

Users can customize interior lighting, color schemes for the gauges and multimedia unit, and even how the car responds to inputs. This marks a significant leap from where the previous Megane left off and makes the French hatchback move upmarket without a massive price hike.

Instead, Renault has managed to keep the price of the Megane, even in its top trim level, at a reasonable level. While more expensive than its predecessor, customers get more from the new Megane than they have ever received from a compact hatchback of the volume segment, and most of the Megane GT’s key features come as standard equipment.

2016 Renault Megane GT
Photo: Renault Romania
Optional packages have been sustained rather affordable so that you can buy a proper configuration for less than a fully-loaded model from its main competitors. Unlike the Megane GT, no other model in the segment has rear-wheel steering, a feature that puts an impression on you once it is experienced.

In spite of a generous power figure from a 1.6-liter turbocharged gasoline engine, Renault’s smooth power delivery and clever fuel-saving technology (including a mild form of kinetic energy recovery during braking) allow for a decent fuel economy. Customers get the power level close to a Volkswagen Golf GTI, without the fuel consumption of a hot hatch. The automated transmission is also standard, while others would charge at least 1,000 euros for one.

While a cheaper version of this car with a manual gearbox would have been an attractive proposition, we believe Renault has succeeded in making a car that drives so nice with a dual-clutch transmission that we did not dream of a conventional gearbox. Just achieving this means a lot, if you ask us.

So, hats off to Renault for their Megane GT, a well-balanced package of many attributes. It is like a blended scotch whiskey - not the choice for full-on purists, but a damn good option for someone that wants to experience an excellent spirit. And the Megane IV GT is full of spirit.
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Editor's note: In case you haven't noticed, we have a brand-spanking new test drive format, which aims to give you a lot more information about each car that we drive. Short drives will still be delivered as a single text, but most of the cars we get our grubby hands on will get the full treatment, spanning across five different chapters.

The Interior Assessment chapter plans to tell you all about a vehicle's cockpit, whether it deserves that moniker or if it's simply a “cabin.” Design evaluation revolves around the exterior looks of the cars we drive, while Driving Take will try to put you in the driver's seat and show you what it's like behind the wheel.

Last, but definitely not least, the Everyday Living chapter is all about car ownership, including fuel economy, overall costs and driving comfort. All these details and more are then rounded up and delivered in the surprisingly named Roundup, which is the final test drive chapter and conclusion at the same time.

About the author: Sebastian Toma
Sebastian Toma profile photo

Sebastian's love for cars began at a young age. Little did he know that a career would emerge from this passion (and that it would not, sadly, involve being a professional racecar driver). In over fourteen years, he got behind the wheel of several hundred vehicles and in the offices of the most important car publications in his homeland.
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