The Renault Megane Coupe has great looks. It is far sleeker than the Megane hatchback and looks distinctly sporty. But this car is far better than just its good looks. Although it is a real head turner, it is also a very practical car with a lively performance.

Like all coupes the Megane Coupe is somewhat of a compromise. The compromise is the need to squeeze your rear seat passengers into the car like sardines, but there are worse offenders than the Renault and you can just about fit two adults in the back as long as they are not too tall. Even so, the rear is better for children than adults.

Although the car looks sporty, if you go for the entry level engines you will find that it really is not. The basic 1.5 dCi diesel engine delivers a parsimonious 86 bhp and it takes an embarrassingly long 13 seconds to reach 62 mph from rest. If you go for the 106 bhp version then you can shave a couple of seconds off that but if you want any real performance that is appropriate to the way the car looks then you will need the 160bhp 2.0 dCi diesel or one of the more powerful petrol engine options the best of which is the 2.0 litre turbocharged TCe with 180 bhp and a 0 to 62 mph acceleration time of around 7 seconds.

Driving the car is enjoyable and it hangs on to the road very well. Perhaps there is just a little too much assist in the power assisted steering, but this seems to be a trait of most French manufactured cars. Overall you feel very secure in it and there is the usual array of electronic aids that should keep you out of trouble if you brake too hard or get badly out of shape.
If you fold down the rear seats there is a fair amount of space in the boot. There are also a number of useful cubby holes in the cabin. In terms of running costs, if you opt for one of the less powerful engines you can achieve up to 68 mpg but if you make a more sensible engine choice then you will be looking at around 36 to 40 mpg.

If you are on the hunt for a new car and have got your eyes on a Renault Megane, consider buying a used Renault Megane from the buy and sell car website Motors.co.uk.