Renault Megane Sport Tourer estate (2016-2022) - Interior & comfort

Renault has been on something of a march of late, having scored a run of impressive review verdicts for the Renault Clio and Renault Captur, both of which were praised for the design and quality of their interiors. This is great news for the French brand; interior fit and finish was never previously seen as its strong suit, but recent efforts show the marque is improving in this area.

Many manufacturers can manage a stylish interior and a good few can create a beautifully built one. The Megane, though, comes close to achieving high marks in both respects and the Sport Tourer maintains the hatchback’s impressive standards here. Progress is swift in the car industry, though, and the Megane doesn’t look quite as modern inside as the Octavia iV. With just two trim levels on offer, the Sport Tourer also gets lots of standard kit.

Also impressive is the Megane’s ride quality; the Sport Tourer is every bit as smooth and comfortable on long journeys as the hatchback.

Renault Megane dashboard

There are two dashboard styles available on the Megane Sport Tourer, or so it seems. In fact, they share the same architecture, but the amount of standard kit makes a huge difference to the way each model looks on the inside.

The entry-level Iconic trim is fitted with a seven-inch touchscreen, but you really feel like you’ve arrived in an up-to-date car if you choose R.S. Line. The dashboard is then dominated by an extremely smart-looking 9.3-inch portrait-orientated screen. It really lifts the whole interior of the car and boasts a wide variety of features – although the screen itself could be a little more responsive.

The overall finish is generally to a high standard, enlivened by chrome accents and tactile soft-touch areas where fingers regularly roam. However, if they stray too far from the regular touch points, they’ll encounter instances of harder, cheaper-feeling plastic – but in not great enough quantities to tarnish the overall impression.

Renault has clearly paid attention to ergonomics, too. A natural driving position is easy for most drivers to attain and the seats are comfortable and well padded. The analogue instruments on the Play model are clear, too, while a seven-inch colour screen presents the speedometer on Iconic models and above, looking fresh without loss of legibility.

Equipment

Equipment is generous across the entire Renault Sport Tourer range. Even entry-level Iconic cars have cruise control, as well as niceties such as dual-zone climate control, alloy wheels, Bluetooth and DAB digital radio. Automatic headlamps and wipers, rear parking sensors, plus TomTom Live sat nav, heated folding mirrors and an electric handbrake also add to the convenience.

That stylish 9.3-inch portrait-oriented touchscreen is standard in R.S. Line models as well as darkened privacy glass and bigger 17-inch alloy wheels. Its interior gets a sense of occasion with sports seats highlighted with contrasting stitching and sport logos as well as blue flourishes to the digital instrument cluster, which also comes as standard. Choosing R.S. Line also adds a reversing camera, hands-free parking and autonomous emergency braking, although the latter really should be available on both models.

Technology

It’s that display that makes the headlines in the technology section. We’ve seen similar setups before in the expensive Tesla Model S and Volvo XC90, but it was among the first to arrive in a mainstream family car. The 9.3-inch screen allows access to a host of functions via Renault’s Easy Link infotainment system, including navigation and Bluetooth or Apple CarPlay/Android Auto connectivity with music streaming – although this functionality is also available through the smaller seven-inch display of lower models.

Iconic and R.S. Line versions both feature Renault’s ‘Multisense’ system, which allows you to customise a number of aspects of the car’s configuration to suit your tastes and mood, including the interior lighting colour, throttle response and steering assistance. So, if your mood changes, you can choose red interior lighting, firm steering and an immediate throttle response – and assign these settings to one of six modes to recall later.

Options

Renault doesn't offer too many optional extras for the Sport Tourer, particularly Iconic, to which you may add a spare wheel. R.S. Line cars can be fitted with heated seats or a Bose stereo system with nine speakers, which are somewhat more tempting upgrades.  

As well as individual options, there are a number of option packs. Notable examples are a Motorway Pack for the R.S. Line trim, which adds semi-autonomous parking, an adaptive cruise control system that can keep the car a set distance from the car in front in heavy traffic, and alerts for traffic when reversing.

We strongly recommend the Safety Pack, which adds adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assistance and a system to automatically call the emergency services after a collision.