Renault Megane C-C

With a brilliant glass roof, composed handling and a high-quality cabin, the Mégane C-C ticks all the right boxes for a relaxing drop-top. It’s much more stylish than the previous-generation model, with a fine range of engines, and is well worth a look – just as long as you’re not expecting a convertible with a sporty driving experience.

It's time for the Mégane to open up for summer! Renault’s latest Coupé-Cabriolet is here, and with competition from rivals such as the Volkswagen Eos and Peugeot 308 CC, can the drop-top bring something new to the market?

Well, unlike its ungainly predecessor, which suffered from an oversized rear deck, this car is far easier on the eye. But it’s the roof that really draws attention. While the previous model’s looks split opinion, its folding glass was so popular that Renault has carried it over and made it standard on the new car.

The top is designed to be unobtrusive – with a dark tint and gloss black pillars, it aims to give the appearance of a cabrio even when it’s up. And, covering nearly one square metre, the roof is 10 per cent bigger than its predecessor’s, too – in fact, it’s the largest in the class.

The glass top isn’t the only thing to get bigger, as the new Mégane is 130mm longer, and the wheelbase has grown by 87mm, too. The nose has the same sweeping lines, rising waistline and bumper as the Coupé and, if anything, it suits the C-C better.

Inside, the cabin is very well made with optional black and red leather seats to brighten things up. The car’s extra length means occupants up front get more legroom than before, but as you’d expect on a cabrio, leg space in the rear is poor. On the move, wind noise increases noticeably under acceleration, but it’s never so loud as to make conversation a strain, even at motorway speeds.

There’s a choice of six engines. Diesel options comprise a 110bhp 1.5-litre, a 130bhp 1.9-litre and a 160bhp 2.0-litre, while petrol fans can pick from 2.0-litre units offering 160bhp or 180bhp, as well as a 130bhp 1.4-litre. We were impressed with the 2.0 dCi: it’s quiet and powerful, and the ideal accompaniment for summer drop-top cruising.

With 380Nm of torque from just 2,200rpm, the unit is flexible and delivers lots of urge for overtaking. The steering isn’t especially sharp, though – so while the C-C is competent in corners, it’s best suited to relaxed progress soaking up the sun.

When the clouds gather, that clever roof really does let in more light, lending the cabin a pleasing ambience – a neat touch which gives the C-C year-round appeal.

Rival: VW Eos 2.0 TDI Sharply styled and relaxing to drive, the Eos is a class act. At £23,920 for the punchy 2.0 TDI, it’s not cheap, but it offers real quality and strong residuals