Renault Megane 2004 Review

The Eiffel Tower instantly equates with Paris, champagne is French for bubbly, and a beret and a baguette of bread identifies its population to the world.

Then there's the quirky cars – early model Citroens especially.

But French cars have abandoned their outrageous style and impossible mechanical complexity to appeal to a broader audience.

Look no further than the Renault Megane sedan for proof.

While its hatchback sister has a rather abrupt tail, the sedan is sleeker, longer and more conservative. It loses nothing in terms of innovativeness, though restraint by the chief engineer means the oily bits are relatively simple.

Innovative stuff includes the credit-card size key. Keep it in your pocket and the car will recognise you as you open the door. It will even let you start the car – there's a push-button on the dash – without using the key.

The instrument panel is simple and effective with big, bright gauges, though the switchgear takes practice to operate.

The cabin has storage bins under the doors' armrests, cubby-holes under the floor, a decent glovebox, centre storage areas and a big, wide boot.

The Megane also boasts plenty of interior space boosted by split and folding rear seats. Access to the boot is via a lid with a yawn big enough to take a bicycle.

The model on test was called the Privilege. At $6000 more than the $29,990 base Expression version, the upmarket model comes only as an auto and has leather upholstery, alloy wheels and body-coloured features.

It shares with the base model an outstanding safety record helped along by six standard airbags, ABS and brake-assist systems.

The sedan has a different platform from its hatchback sister, being 61mm longer for a much bigger interior. There's not much difference in leg and headroom between it and a Commodore.

Yet on the road it has nimble manners and brisk acceleration and (the biggest surprise) a meagre fuel consumption even when driving in the city.

This is the French-related odd bit: The Megane is a rewarding and economical car yet its engine is hardly powerful and barely sophisticated.

At 98kW, it's well down on the power charts compared with rivals but it's quick off the mark and even the four-speed auto isn't able to reign it in.

Speaking of the auto, it's a nice box with the ability to change gears yourself. But in full-auto mode it can get its knickers in a knot with erratic gear changes.

I know it's a super-smart adaptive transmission and it was trying to be both economical and sprightly at the same time, but it still feels lumpy.

More electronics are used in the steering in the form of variable assistance for its power steering (in this case, electric not conventional hydraulic) so it's light at low speeds and firm when on the freeway.

Top car!