Renault Mégane Tried and Tested in Europe, Soon to Arrive in the UK

We've seen a new design language in Renaults of late, including the Clio, Captur and Kadjar. Even the Espace and Talisman have been given this design, although they're not offered in the UK. It's no surprise, then, that the highly popular family car is getting the same treatment. The all-new Renault Mégane has already been on sale in France since the beginning of 2016 along with other left-hand-drive European countries, but as always, the UK's debut has been stretched out to summer 2016.

The redesigned Mégane features a lower and longer design. Significantly widened front and rear track widths and angular shoulder lines help give this some serious road presence. Not only that, but it also means it should be more practical inside thanks to its elongated wheelbase.

The most striking part of the Mégane has to be the lights. The C-shaped headlights are said to be made up of 3D-effect LEDs. Flowing straight into the grille and oversized Renault badge means it's a car not to be missed. The tail lights extend further into the centre of the tailgate giving an elegant look to the family hatchback. They're said to represent brush strokes.

Inside, the occupants will experience a similar ambiance to that of the Espace, and even the more premium Talisman. A range of high-quality soft-touch materials are used throughout, we can only hope that scratchy plastics don't make it to the UK market. Some models will be specified with heated seats and electric lumber support for the front seats.

Higher trims get Renault's latest 'R-Link 2' infotainment system with a striking 8.7-inch portrait touchscreen dominating the centre console. As well as controlling multimedia, Renault will allow the driver to control the vehicle's characteristics through Multi-Sense technology. This includes the accelerator and engine response, steering weight, shift speeds for the EDC automatic gearbox and even the engine's sound, although some may say this could sound too artificial.

Safety technologies are not forgotten either. Some of them include an Adaptive Cruise Control, Active Emergency Braking and a Lane Departure warning system. Thanks to Traffic Sign Recognition, the Mégane can even ensure that the driver doesn't creep over the speed limit. Hands-Free Parking and 360-degree parking sensors should also make manoeuvring the Mégane a breeze in tight spaces.

For those who wish to turn heads but still keep some money in their pockets, the GT-Line offers the best of both worlds. Aggressive bodystyling including a honeycomb grille and a wider air intake give it a different personality, and the 17- or 18-inch dark metal alloys certainly help it stand out. The Iron Blue body paint is complimented by blue contrast stitching inside. Renault will even include 4Control - an all-wheel steering system, which hopes to improve stability and precision.

There's no word on engines for the British market yet, however 5 petrols and 6 diesels are available in France. These include one naturally aspirated petrol (1.6-litre), three 1.2-litre turbo-petrols and a 1.6-litre turbo-petrol. Over with the diesels, Renault will sell you four 1.5-litre turbodiesels or two 1.6-litre units. The 1.5 dCi 110 ECO2 paired with a 6-speed manual transmission claims over 85 mpg and 86 g/km of CO2 emissions. The 1.6 TCe 205, however, is a turbo-petrol with attitude. Thanks to a 7-speed EDC automatic transmission it sprints to 62 mph in a fraction over 7 seconds.

Rivals for the Mégane include the similarly redesigned Vauxhall Astra (£15,295) and Peugeot 308 (£15,495) as well as the tired VW Golf (£17,595). Both the Astra and 308 have similar hot versions (Peugeot 308 GTI 1.6 e-THP 205 and Vauxhall Astra 1.6i Turbo 200) with 0-62 mph times of 7.5 and 6.6 seconds respectively. The Mégane GT also struggles to keep up with the VW Golf GTI 2.0 220 DSG which sprints to 62 mph in 6.5 seconds.