Renault Megane ST

The Renault Megane Sport Tourer has always stood out in the workmanlike estate car class on account of its attractive styling. A recent facelift has added LED running lights and a revised grille, so this hugely practical Renault still looks the part.

To our eyes, the car is one of the most stylish small estates money can buy, with its rakish rear end and tapered tailgate helping to provide an attractively sleek profile. But don’t be fooled by the sloping roofline and shallow side windows, because the Renault is still a capable load carrier.

For starters, with 1,130mm between the wheelarches, it has the widest boot, while the 530mm load lip is the lowest in this test. The rear seats don’t fold flat, but the 1,600-litre maximum capacity is better than the Golf’s, and a mere 42 litres behind the Hyundai’s.

You also get a fold-flat front passenger seat so you can carry extra-long loads, as well as hidden space under the boot floor. There’s no spare wheel as standard, though, and with the rear seats in place, the 479-litre boot is the smallest here.

Elsewhere in the cabin there’s plenty of storage, including multiple cubbies and underfloor compartments. And with a longer wheelbase than either rival, the Megane offers a decent amount of knee and headroom for rear passengers.

Up front, standard TomTom sat-nav, cruise control and keyless start are real highlights, but the cabin still doesn’t feel quite as upmarket as the Golf’s or as modern as the Hyundai’s. At least the driving position is hard to fault, as there’s a wide range of seat and steering wheel adjustment.

Renault offers two versions of the 109bhp 1.5-litre dCi diesel engine, and choosing our pricier stop-start version means you get impressively low emissions of just 90g/km, which makes the Megane an attractive company car choice.

And while you could be forgiven for thinking this eco model would be sluggish, it’s actually quite fast. At the test track it was quicker than its rivals from 0-60mph, with a time of 11.1 seconds, and was reasonably responsive in-gear – although a tall sixth gear meant it was a little sluggish from 50-70mph. Also, the engine needs to be worked hard for a diesel, but we still managed to average 41mpg. Unfortunately, the engine isn’t as refined as the Hyundai’s and there’s lots of clatter at idle.

In corners, the Renault is agile and composed. There’s plenty of grip and body control is good, but the steering is short on feedback. The ride is also a fraction firm.

Plus, while the Megane is cheaper than the Golf, predicted residual values of under 40 per cent after three years will be a concern for private buyers. Still, Renault’s excellent 4+ package gives you four years of free servicing, warranty and recovery. Is that enough to keep the car in contention?

Details

Chart position: 2Why? Roomy and smart looking Sport Tourer was recently updated, and the 1.5 dCi stop-start model is the cleanest car on test.