The Renault Sport Megane Has Been Facelifted And Given More Power

You no longer have to buy a Trophy version of the current Renault Sport Megane to get the fancier 296bhp 1.8-litre engine. As part of a mid-life facelift, Renault has carried the Trophy’s inline-four - which features a ball-bearing turbocharger - over to the standard version of the hot hatch. The 276bhp engine is no more.

The Cup chassis option - which stiffens the shocks by 25 per cent, increases the spring by 25 and the anti-roll bars by 10 - has also gone. If you want it, you now have to go for the Trophy, which has it fitted as standard. This makes sense, as with all the extra kit it comes with - including better brakes, a lightweight battery and a more boisterous exhaust - the Trophy made the old 280 with the Cup pack seem a little redundant.

Across the whole Megane family, the old instrument cluster - which included some physical elements - has been ditched for a new 10.2-inch display. The 9.3-inch infotainment touchscreen is a fresh addition too, and while we’re on the subject of tech stuff, you’ll now be able to spec a ‘Level 2’ Motorway and Traffic Assistant option for “comfort and peace of mind behind the wheel”. Lovely.

Away from the Renault Sport stuff, a plug-in hybrid Megane has been added to the roster. It combines a 1.6-litre inline-four petrol engine with a 9.8kWh battery pack and electric motor, making for a total output of 158bhp. According to the WLTP cycle, it’ll be able to go 31 miles on electricity alone, or 40 miles in urban settings.

Like the idea of an RS but would rather not be clobbered by big insurance/fuel/tax/tyre bills? The newly established RS Line trim level (above) might interest you. It replaces GT Line, giving a “sportier look” than before.

Sales for all the rejigged models kick off this summer.