Euro NCAP has just served us with a new batch of its crash tests and while last time quadricycles brought doom with their hopeless ratings, this time it is the French car industry’s turn to delivers the fails. Renault is in... pole position here, with its Megane Facelift receiving a mind-bending three-star rating.
We’ll start by explaining that, during the crash, the Megane actually behaved like a four star car. It was downgraded to three stars due to a Safety Assist issue - the system that lets the driver know how many of the rear passengers are wearing their seat belts doesn’t deliver its text in all languages.
While Renault vowed to address this matter soon, the resulting four-star rating is still a big issue and that’s because of its details. Renault has accustomed us with exceptional crash test performance and so it’s not acceptable for one of its bread and butter models to treat us with stuff like a Marginal side pole impact protection. The same rating was offered for the whiplash protection up front, while a geometrical estimation brough a Poor whiplash protection rating for the rear seats.
While a part of the problem comes from the French compact’s age, there are certain issues which could’ve been addressed with the recent facelift. For instance, the whiplash protection is dictated by the seat and head restraints. Fixing problems like that would’ve allowed the Megane to deal with the more severe new Euro NCAP tests in a more reasonable manner.
Enter a contemporary Renault and you’ll notice just how dedicated the French automaker appears to be when it comes to providing safety. For example, the default setting for the rear window lock button is “on”. Just listen to Renault’s ear-penetrating seatbelt beeps and you’ll see what we mean.
Renault has basically built its reputation on the five-star safety ratings of its vehicles, but it looks like the company is starting to lose its commitment. Remember Renault’s low-cost Dacia brand? You definitely won’t find any 5-star cars withing the Romanian-based automaker’s range and that’s because Renault considers the investment is not worth it.
We remember the good old days of the Megane “Shake it!” (previous generation) when the Frech hatchback thrived on its five-star Euro NCAP rating. As for the aforementioned French affair, the platform-sharing Citoren C-Elysee and the Peugeot 301 accompany the Megane in the three-star class.
For the complete description of the Renault Megane Facelift's crash test behavior, check out the attached PDF file.
In his quest to bring you the most impressive automotive creations, Andrei relies on learning as a superpower. There's quite a bit of room in the garage that is this aficionado's heart, so factory-condition classics and widebody contraptions with turbos poking through the hood can peacefully coexist. Full profile
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