The Renault Mégane II was launched in South Africa in 2003 and marked a completely fresh start. There was very little resemblance between it and the outgoing Mégane I (Phase 2) at the time – the design of the Mégane II having been inspired by Renault’s Avantime ‘MPV-Coupé’. The Mégane II was voted European Car of the Year for 2003, and achieved a 5-star safety rating in EuroNCAP crash tests, the first small family car to do so.

So, six years on, does Mégane III represent a similar jump as that of Mégane II from Mégane I? After spending some time with both the hatchback and coupé variants we think so, and here’s why.

The most obvious change to the Renault Mégane is that of the styling. Gone are the ‘love it, or hate it’ angular looks of the previous generation, which have now been replaced by a steeply tapering roof-line, slightly longer wheelbase, wider front and rear tracks and flowing lines from any angle you view the car. Distinguishing the 3-door coupé from the 5-door hatch are the prominent front air scoops and rear haunches, along with a different set of tail-lights and rear ‘diffuser’. The coupé also benefits from a sportier chassis setup with stiffer springs and dampers, as well as a 12 mm lower ride height and a 30 mm lower roll centre compared to the hatchback.

Inside, both Mégane models feature an instrument panel with analogue rev counter alongside a digital speedometer, housed in a soft-touch dashboard that has a quality feel to it. Standard equipment on both the coupé and hatch includes heated electric folding mirrors, one-touch electric windows with anti-pinch control, variable electric power steering, Renault card remote control with remote central locking and factory-fitted immobiliser; automatic dual-zone climate control; Bluetooth connectivity incorporated in the MP3-compatible sound system; cruise control; and rain and light sensors. An integrated Carminat TomTom satellite navigation system comes standard on all but the base models and is operated via a joystick control in the centre console. In addition, the sound system has been given special attention by Arkamys, a French-based company specialising in digital signal processing, who have developed 3D sound qualities for the Mégane’s 140-Watt 8-speaker sound system.

The interior of the Mégane III Hatch offers comfortable and supportive seats, a height and reach adjustable steering wheel, plenty of headroom in the front, although limited in the rear for taller passengers, adequate leg room in the rear and enough luggage capacity – 405-litres for the hatch and a class leading 377-litres for the coupé. The fit and finish of the interior and its components is very good and of a high quality. Differentiating the coupé from its larger 5-door sibling are sportier, more supportive front seats and Renault’s ‘Easy Entry’ access to the rear. The theory is that two passengers should be able to travel in the back, however a quick glance your shoulder may leave you thinking the 5-door hatchback would accommodate passengers far more willingly.

Under the hood, buyers have the choice of a 83 kW 1,6-litre petrol, 96 kW 1,9-litre diesel or a 96 kW 1,4-litre turbocharged petrol motor – which will arrive in January 2010. We sampled the 1,6 petrol in the Mégane Coupé and the 1,9 diesel in the Mégane Hatch.

Mated to a six-speed manual gearbox, the 1,6-litre petrol in the new Mégane Coupé was not what we expected. The 83 kW at 6 000 rpm and 151 N.m of torque at 4 250 rpm produced by the little 1,6 left us wanting more. But it’s no fault of the engine, in fact it’s performance figures are on par with others in its class. The Mégane ticks all the boxes a sporty coupé should – a slick 6-speed gearbox, precise steering, capable handling, firm ride, and even a sporty exhaust note. However, like a French super model, once you get to know her and a chance to look past the make-up and haute couture fashion, you find an ordinary girl who’s great fun to be with, make no mistake, it’s just that she’s not going to whip out the handcuffs or lingerie and give you a thrill. What are we saying? Well, the coupé is a great car but its look and feel elude to above average performance, when actually it’s a bit shy in this department. The 1,4-litre turbocharged engine should remedy this when it arrives as the Mégane Coupé TCe in January 2010. With 96 kW and 190 N.m of torque it should provide the bite to match the bark. And of course, lets not forget the ‘white hot’ Mégane RS, which should arrive in the 2nd quarter of 2010.

Powered by Renault’s updated 1.9 dCi turbodiesel engine, the Mégane Hatch we drove cruised effortlessly thanks to the 300 N.m of torque available from as low as 1 750 rpm. Changes to the diesel motor include a redesigned variable-geometry turbocharger with curved blades for swifter response, as well as new seven-hole injector nozzles for a finer, more efficient fuel spray. The result is a silky smooth turbo’d engine, with no hint of turbo-lag, that we could detect, and which Renault claims, offers fuel consumption of 5.1 l/100km. With a slightly softer ride than the coupé, a refined and torquey diesel, the Mégane makes for a supremely comfortable, not to mention stylish, family hatch.

Safety is synonymous with Renault and as with Mégane II, Renault has once again achieved the highest rating not just in the passenger car segment, but also as the safest vehicle in any category, based on the latest Euro NCAP crash tests. Setting new standards in both active and passive safety, New Mégane boasts six airbags (including two twin-chamber thorax/groin airbags), twin side-impact sensors, dual seatbelt pre-tensioners with load limiters, as well as new-generation head restraints. The coupé gains an additional Pelvis Restraint Cushion (PRC) anti-submarining airbag on both front seats. ABS anti-lock brakes with Emergency Brake Assist are standard, while Electronic Stability Control (ESC) with understeer control is available as an option.

Overall, the new Renault Mégane offers a classy alternative to the likes of Corolla, Auris, Focus, Jetta and current Astra, and all while retaining prices not far off the model it replaces.