As you can see, the 2016 Renault Mégane features entirely new styling, embodying the latest design theme set down by design chief Laurens van den Acker. But that fresh sheetmetal also stretches over a larger form that offers more interior space than the model it replaces. The interior isn't just roomier, though – it also boasts a number of features you might not expect at this market level. It's got a color head-up display, a seven-inch TFT display (which can be upgraded to an 8.7-inch tablet), Bose audio system, massaging driver's seat... the works. It even offers full LED headlights and four-wheel steering, all in a mass-market model that starts to make us wish Renault would join its ally Nissan in the North American market.
Engine options include gasoline and diesel powertrains ranging in output from 90 horsepower up to 205. Although a more hardcore Renaultsport model will likely raise the bar for performance front-drivers even further, the company is launching the new Mégane with a GT model that gets it part-way there. It packs a 205-hp engine, seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, four-wheel steering, enhanced suspension, 18-inch wheels, twin exhaust tips, an upgraded aero package, and an enhanced interior to make it look and feel sportier than the base model. It ought to at least hold us over until the hotter version arrives to challenge the likes of the Honda Civic Type R and Seat Leon Cupra 290.
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