Renault Sport Megane 275 Cup-S | PH Fleet
Ben has sold his beloved Megane. How to adequately replace it?
Spoiler alert: the Megane has gone. The need for five doors was becoming increasingly urgent and an out-of-the-blue approach to see if I’d sell the car was too good to resist, even if I do have a stand-in family wagon for now.
But what to do? Sell the Clio and put all my money into one do-it-all car? Switch things up into a different two-car garage? Or keep the Clio and use my PhD in Man Maths to justify three cars? First-world problems, eh? Naturally my conclusion on the matter changes daily, but when considering one car to do it all, the Hyundai i30N has been high up the list.
Of course, the more natural path of progression would've been a Mk4 Renault Sport Megane - however for the last ever fast Renault to be entertaining, you have to drive it like an absolute prat. Which defeats the object for me; I want something that’s fun all of the time. Cue the Hyundai. While I’m not comparing apples for apples here, with a new facelift i30N costing nearly double what I sold the Megane for, an early pre-facelift model could be had for similar money.
But let’s start with why I loved the Megane. Lowering yourself into the heavily bolstered leather Recaros, there’s no mistaking you’re in a car designed to be driven fast. There’s a chunky strip of carbon fibre on the dash emblazoned with the Renaultsport logo, the steering wheel is wrapped in Alcantara and there are lashings of carbon leather on the door cards. Fire up the engine, flick the Sport button on, tap into RS Monitor to reveal all the telemetry and you know you’re in for a treat.
Despite having an electric steering rack, the feedback is fantastic. At low speeds, the car feels squat and hunkered down like a sumo-wrestler entering the ring, but pick up the pace and it manages to transform into a ballerina. There’s just enough body roll to feel the weight transfer, and the quick steering is perfectly weighted to keep you feeling like you’re in control. The six-speed manual gearbox can feel a bit notchy and fragile, but it’s good enough for the job, putting the power down through a proper mechanical limited-slip differential. It begs you to plant your foot on the accelerator heading through a corner, hurling you out the other side. And is easily moreish enough to goad you into doing it again.
The 275hp 2.0-litre turbocharged four-pot F4RT engine feels old school with its power delivery, with selectable throttle maps to cater for any taste in response. Laggy boost might not be the most efficient, but hell it’s the most fun. With the rear seats dropped down to make the most of the noise from the optional factory titanium Akrapovic exhaust, it’ll roar angrily right up to the hard redline, where it’ll pap-pap-pap until you shift up a gear.
I’ve written these words but they bear repeating; not least because it makes me realise how much I miss the car already. If only I’d paid more attention in my Hindsight classes instead of doing the crossword at the back, I’d still probably have the Megane now. It’s raw and extremely rewarding at any speed, taking everything you throw at it in its stride while keeping you informed of everything that’s going on in the process.
Damn, that Hyundai looks good though doesn’t it? Undeniably it has a fresher and more modern interior, although some of the plastics feel cheap (that’s saying something coming out of a Renault) and it doesn’t feel quite as driver-focused as the Megane, even with the super-fancy N Light sport seats. Which are lovely by the way.
The instant advantage here is five doors for getting the kids into the back; no more clambering around awkwardly with a three-door. Compared to the Megane’s single firm suspension setting, the i30N feels much more compliant on rougher surfaces and no less eager to turn in. The customisable driving settings are a nice touch as well, enabling you to find your perfect set-up from the comfort of the car’s cabin.
The electronic limited-slip differential is impressive, too - although no match for its mechanical counterpart in the Megane, understeering on more than one occasion where the Megane would keep tugging into the apex. Neither car is blessed with a gearshift to rival a Honda Civic Type R, but the six-speed gearbox in the i30N is a joy to use and would be my preference over the DCT.
The i30N matches the Megane for engine capacity and cylinders, only with a touch more power at 280hp. The power delivery isn’t quite as frantic, but it’ll still put a grin on your face whatever the pace. And if you’re a big kid like me, the rorty exhaust will likely never get old. I doubt my neighbours would love it though, so I’d have to keep a keen eye out for any frozen sausages in the lawn. The constant pops and crackles aren’t as rewarding as the Megane, where you really feel you’ve earned each whip and crack that fires out of the back.
Even allowing for a notorious thirst for unleaded, the Korean hot hatch is easily the more livable of the two on a daily basis with its plusher suspension and more modern tech. Importantly, it offers up buckets of fun at any speed, which is a rare thing in the few remaining hot hatches on sale today. The Megane never sold in high numbers, perhaps due to the classic tales of French reliability or its rawness, which may have been too much for some as a daily driver.
Make no mistake though, the old Megane is the more rewarding car to drive, and perhaps the car I should have kept and bought a cheaper sensible daily to run alongside. But then again, is a hot hatch really special enough to keep as (to me) an expensive weekend toy? For those that want a new rewarding well-rounded hot hatch in today’s limited market, you’ll struggle to get much more bang for your buck than an i30N. Get one while you still can.
But as great as the Hyundai is, I think I’ll be sticking to a two-car garage for a little longer. Despite its many customisable driving modes, there’s no configuration that offers that final tenth I’m pining for - and that the Megane delivers in spades. So what the other half of my garage looks like I’ve still got no idea. Fortunately, I’ve got the mighty Duster until August to buy me some time to make up my mind.
Car: 2015 Renault Sport Megane 275 Cup-S
Run by: Ben Lowden
On fleet: September 2020 – February 2023
I think a hot hatch is probably the best all round type of car and do like the look of the i30 N or the Focus ST.
Back to the i20N, it's LSD drags you around corners very impressively, and whilst I've not driven an i30, reviews seem to imply the i20 betters it in the areas you seem to value the Mégane over the i30. My son has one and it is fantastic, though without the adjustable suspension of the bigger car, a little harder edged probably.
I guy I know used to own a Renaultsport Megan’s and then upgraded to an M2 Competition
It says a lot that he’s now bought an early Integra Type R, possibly the nicest one available to some ‘fun at sensible speed’…
Me?
I’d probably buy an old Mercedes W124 E300 TE estate…and an Integra Type R
And would naturally move into something rwd after?!
I have driven the i30N extensively and found it really quite dull. What a comedown from the Mégane.
And would naturally move into something rwd after?!
The Hyundai suffers from what BMW coined "Skoda Syndrome" after the VW takeover. In that driver's expectations were so low, when Skodas were actually OK, people thought them more impressive than they were. This was both subjective and objective, eg reviewers would say a Skoda had more legroom than whatever else was tested. When measured, they did not.
Having driven the Hyundai, in my opinion, people give it more credit than it's due. It's fine. But I think Skoda Syndrome applies. Others may disagree.
Either way, in 20 years time, the general car loving populace will remember fast Renaults. They'll know they're flawed, like we do the Renault's of 20 years ago today.
They might remember the Hyundai, it having a 5 year warranty including track use, few have followed.
The looks? Hardly. The sound? No. That it's "practical, reliable and economical"? Yeah, stuff of legend.
Forums | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff