Renault Megane dCi Diesel Sedan: Value Packed Euro

Motoring Channel Staff - 9/August/2007

Melbourne, Australia — Diesel powered passenger cars are still something of a rarity in Australia, taking up a small percentage of the overall market that sees roughly 1 million new car sales per year in this country. 

The growth of diesel passenger cars, while small in overall terms of the new car marketplace, is large in year-on-year terms, more than doubling in recent years. About half of all VW Golfs sold in Australia are now diesel powered.

One of the biggest problems for buyers keen on diesel cars was the premium they commanded over their petrol-powered rivals. Why spend another $6,000 for the diesel model when it will take about three years to regain the outlay in fuel savings?

This seems to be changing somewhat, and with vehicles like the new Ford Focus diesel coming in at well under $30,000, French automaker Renault has hit the ground running with the new $27,990 Megane sedan.

"The new 1.9 dCi Megane Sedan offers all the benefits of diesel-motoring in a refined European package along with the Renault’s outstanding levels of safety," stated Renault Australia's managing director Rudi Koenig.

"Customers will also find the dCi Megane Sedan is extremely well equipped, making it one of the best-value European sedans available on the market today."

The new Renault Megane range comprises six models, and the entry level 'Expression' variant is available in both petrol and diesel guises. The $27,990 1.9 dCi Megane Expression gets the following standard features:

 Climate control air conditioning,
 Single in-dash CD player (with steering wheel controls)
 Automatic headlights
 Rain sensing wipers
 Six airbags (front, side and curtain)
 Electronic stability control (with understeer control)
 Cruise control
 Air-chilled glove box
 16-inch alloy wheels
 Side & rear sunshades
 Front fog lights

The range-topping Megane 'Privilege' gets all of the above features, plus leather seats, steering wheel and gear knob, a 6-stack CD player, 17-inch alloy wheels, rear parking proximity sensors, and improved detailing.

Renault's new cut-price entry-level Megane dCi competes with the Ford Focus diesel on price, also asking $27,990, but the Focus is a hatchback. This French-made car is a sedan with the extra boot space the longer body style affords. 

Powered by a 1.9-litre turbocharged, intercooled diesel engine, the car has more than 50% more pulling power than the 2.0-litre petrol version, with 300Nm of torque @ 2000rpm. Peak power of 96kW arrives @ 4000rpm.

Two gearboxes are offered for diesel Megane models, a 6-speed manual or a 4-speed auto. If the automatic gearbox is chosen, torque levels drop to 260Nm of torque.

With a 60 litre fuel tank, Renault says the manual Megane dCi can cover just over 1,000 kilometres and almost 900 kilometres in the automatic version. Understandably, the fuel consumption rate is lower by30% when compared to its petrol partner. Fuel consumption rates for the combined cycle is as follows:

 5.8 litres/100km (manual)
 6.8 litres/100km (automatic)

As Renault stated in the media release for this new model, "Superior fuel economy is one of the key drivers behind the current surge in demand for diesel-powered passenger cars."

Renault also insists the new dCi Megane sedan is one of the most refined and quiet diesels on the market. To reduce noise and vibration the common-rail diesel system supplies a pre-injection (or pilot injection) several thousandths of a second before the main injection. This optimises the rate of pressure rise and lowers thermal loads at the moment of combustion, which helps reduce the diesel "rattle" says the automaker.

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