Renault Megane X32 is a five-door hatch of Mazda3 size, and one of the best value-for-money offering from the Renault staple.
1. Engine
The X32 spots a 2.0-litre 1977 cc four-cylinder multi-point fuel injection engine, offered in two tunes. The six-speed manual gear variant offers 102kW of power at 6000rpm and 195Nm of torque at 3750rpm, and meets Euro-V emission norms. The variable transmission variant delivers 103kW of power with the same torque as the manual gear tune, and complies with Euro-IV Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) format.
The variable transmission variant adds 65 kilogrammes to the overall base weight of 1292 kilogrammes, but seems to be more economical, offering a mileage of 7.9-litres for 100km against the manual tune’s 8.2 liters for 100km.
The closest competitor to this engine is the 1997cc 2.0-litre twin-cam 16-valve four-cylinder of the Nissan Dualis.
2. Safety Features
Renault’s commitment to quality is evident from the safety features in the X32.
The X32 spots six airbags that protects both the first and second row seats. The other security features, depending on the variant, includes automatic headlight and wipers, electronic stability control (ESP), anti lock braking systems (ABS), emergency braking assist, fog lights, and rollover protection. There are also energy-absorbing bumpers to protect pedestrians.
This vehicle has been rated five-star by the European New Car Assessment Programme (ENCAP). In fact, this is one of the safest vehicles tested by ENCAP in its C-segment.
3. Social Responsibility
Another interest point regarding the Megane X32 is that it is one of the most socially responsible cars brought by Renault. The vehicle is 95 per cent end-of-life recoverable by weight, while and 12 per cent of the plastic the car spots, amounting to about 22 kilogrammes, is recycled.
The X32 car emits 117 g/km of carbon dioxide, when an average emission per vehicle in UK is 166 g/km of carbon dioxide.
4. Range and Depth of Features
The Megane X32 goes overboard in ensuring user comfort, to the extent that its interior features are now the best in-class. While the high-end Privilege version offers leather upholstery, auto-on/off headlights, dual-zone climate control, rain-sensing wipers, and navigation, all versions spot steering wheel-mounted controls, central locking, hands-free entry, Bluetooth connectivity and pollen-filter air-conditioning. The icing on the cake of such an extensive range of features is the high quality of craftsmanship.
The high quality, which incidentally, is a testimony to Renault’s commitment to quality, reflects on the exterior as well. A case in point is the close attention paid to reduce the shut lines between the body panels and the bumpers. The bumpers incorporate parking proximity sensors discretely, adding to the appearance.
5. Trivia
Megane X32 is manufactured in Turkey, using the same Renault-Nissan Alliance C-platform that has delivered Renault Koleos, Nissan Dualis, Nissan X-Trail, and even the previous X84 Megane sedan. Using Nissan components in the X32 is a strategic move to offer the vehicle at a competitive price.
