A very common sight on our roads, the Renault Megane (mainly in the ST version) remains one of the best sellers of the French brand, even after the SUV boom. To ensure that it continues to sell as it has been selling, Renault has decided to strengthen it by offering it a new engine.
Developed jointly by the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance and Daimler, the new 1.3 TCe makes its debut in the Renault range under the bonnet of the Mégane, precisely at a time when Diesel sales continue to fall across Europe.
So, to find out what this engine has to offer, we tested the Renault Mégane ST GT Line TCe 140 FAP with six-speed manual transmission.
Aesthetically, the Gallic van remains unchanged. This means that it continues to present a well-achieved look and, above all, very similar to the “big sister”, the Talisman ST.
Inside the Mégane ST
While the Mégane ST on the outside is similar to the Talisman ST, the same happens on the inside, with the interior following the style lines of the most recent Renaults, ie a large touchscreen placed at the top and in the center, flanked by through the ventilation ducts.
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As for the materials used, the interior of the Mégane ST mixes soft materials at the top of the dashboard and harder materials at the bottom. As for the assembly, it presents itself in a good plan, however, it is still far from models like the Civic or the Mazda3.
Although the Mégane ST abdicates many of the physical controls to the detriment of the touchscreen, it is easy to navigate through the infotainment system menus (thanks also to the controls on the steering wheel). So, in ergonomic terms, the only criticism is the positioning of the speed limiter and cruise control (next to the gearbox).
As for space, this is something that Mégane ST has to offer. From the luggage compartment (which offers 521 l, which goes up to 1695 l with the folding of the rear seats), to the rear seats, if there's one thing this Mégane can do is carry four adults and their load in comfort.
At the wheel of Mégane ST
Once seated at the controls of the Mégane ST one thing becomes evident: the sports seats that come with the GT Line equipment level have a lot of lateral support. So much so, that it even becomes uncomfortable in some maneuvers because we end up always bumping our elbows on the bench.
Even so, it is possible to find a comfortable driving position on the Mégane ST, and visibility to the outside, despite not being a benchmark (for this Renault has the Scénic), is not in a bad way.
As with most Renaults, the Mégane ST also has the Multi-Sense system that allows you to choose five driving modes (Eco, Sport, Neutral, Comfort and Custom). These act on various parameters such as throttle response, steering and even ambient lighting and the instrument panel, but the differences between them are (generally) slight.
Dynamically speaking, the Mégane ST proves to be competent, safe and stable, and it is only regrettable that the general feel of the controls is filtered out. If the suspension and chassis do their part well (after all, this is the basis of the Mégane RS Trophy), the same cannot be said for the steering (not very communicative) and for the feel of the gearbox and brakes that clearly favor the comfort.
The 1.3 TCe, here in the 140 hp version, proves to be a great option . Linear in power delivery and without accusing the low displacement, it allows to print high rhythms to Mégane. At the same time, the six-speed manual gearbox allows you to extract all the “juice” from the engine and the best of all, without the consumption soaring, remaining for a very reasonable 6.2 l/100 km on a mixed route and without climbing beyond the 7.5 l/100 km in town.
Is the car right for me?
Spacious, convenient, comfortable and on top of that economical, when equipped with the new 1.3 TCe, the Renault Mégane ST earns more than enough arguments to continue to appear at the top of the sales charts.
In addition to the inherent qualities of any Mégane, namely comfort, ease of use and good cost/equipment, the new engine proves that it is possible for a small gasoline engine to allow, at the same time, to reconcile good performance and low consumptions.
So, if you need space but don't give up on getting to your destination quickly, the Mégane ST GT Line TCe 140 FAP may well be the right choice. On top of that, in terms of GT Line equipment, the Mégane ST comes well equipped and with a series of sportier aesthetic details.