It doesn’t take long to spot the Megane hatch’s most distinctive feature, as its bold styling definitely marks this as a car that stands out from the crowd. Its dynamic, radical look has polarised punters since it first appeared in Europe

The biggest departure from the norm is the hatch, which although a great design, does compromise the boot space. In contrast the saloon, though stylish, is a conservative design, which will appeal to buyers who prefer to blend into their surroundings rather than draw attention themselves.

There is very long list of standard equipment that is unusual for a small car of this class, including cruise control, automatic headlights, rain-sensing automatic windscreen wipers plus speed-sensitive variable power assistance for the steering.

The front MacPherson strut, rear torsion beam suspension is well damped, ensuring a comfortable ride over all sorts of surfaces at a variety of speeds. The solid build of the car and the addition of lots of insulation material means the levels of noise vibration and harshness are also extremely low.

On the equipment front, the car is well specced, even in its base form, with power front and rear windows (one touch up and down for the driver), remote central locking with a credit card style key and push button starter, air-conditioning and a six-speaker radio CD player..

The Megane was the first car in its class to achieve a five-star Euro NCAP safety rating — the highest possible — and apart from its superb road manners providing a sure and predictable means of dodging a crash in the first place, is loaded with passive safety features.

Stopping power is provided by four disc brakes, fitted with an anti-lock system that incorporates electronic brake force distribution and brake assist functions. Although effective, the brakes are applied with a pedal that at first feels a bit soft.

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