Renault Megane 1.2 TCE

With plenty of poke, good refinement and low running costs, this 1.2-litre turbo is the pick of the Megane’s engine range. It copes well in and out of town and will suit the majority of buyers.Only those who do lots of motorway miles will be better off with diesel. Precise handling, lots of kit and excellent quality complete a sensible package.

They say you can’t have your cake and eat it, but thanks to modern small turbo engines you can – and go back for seconds. This Renault Megane has a tiny engine, but it punches well above its weight and is capable of around 50mpg, too.

The 1.2-litre TCe turbo petrol has already appeared in the Clio, but it’s now available across the Megane range in 113bhp form. That’s enough grunt to cover the 0-62mph sprint in 10.9 seconds and with loads of go on the move, the Megane feels quick.

The engine is very smooth, too, and loves to be revved. In fact, the only time you notice it labouring is when you’re easing out of junctions in second gear at low revs.

But thanks to six well spaced gears, it’s generally flexible and also a quiet motorway cruiser. The good news continues at the pumps, where we recorded 42mpg after a mixed run through central London. That means you should get close to Renault’s claimed 53.3mpg. Road tax is only £30 a year thanks to 119g/km CO2 emissions.

This Dynamique TomTom model was well equipped, with a handy sat-nav system plus Bluetooth. We’d go for the five-door hatch – the Coupe’s rear seats are tight and the C-pillars cause big blind spots. Apart from that, this model is a great fun addition to the range.