Although previous generations have been well-reviewed when they were first released, for some reason, the latest Renault Megane RS does not seem to get the praise it deserves. When asked what the best hot hatch is, most will probably nominate the Honda Civic Type R or the Volkswagen Golf R, but why? There is so much to admire about the 2022 RS.
Previous iterations of the RS have received praise from What Car?, Evos, and Top Gear, so why have the reviews been so quite about the latest iteration of this great car? Although it has great customer reviews, averaging to about 4.8 out of 5 stars, the car deserves more praise from experts.
8 Old-School Manual Transmissions
One of the top competitors of the Megane RS is the Honda Civic Type R. Renault has been there for true gearheads, having the foresight to offer a manual transmission with every generation and trim of the Megane RS, including the latest one.
7 It Has Better Fuel Economy Than The Competition
The Megane RS is one of the most fuel-efficient cars in the performance hatchback segment. It competes with the fastest hot hatches such as the Ford Focus RS and the Honda Civic Type R. However, one area where the Megane clearly comes out ahead is fuel economy. While the Focus RS can hit a combined 25 MPG and the Civic Type R will do around 30 MPG, the Megane RS can get up to 33 MPG. Sure, 3 MPG is fairly negligible, but with fuel prices rapidly rising, it could soon mean a $10 difference per gallon.
6 It Has Great Safety Ratings For A Hatchback
Hatchbacks have not always had a great track record for safety. Although it was the farthest thing from a hot hatch, many associate hatchbacks with cars like the notoriously unsafe Ford Pinto. Because of this bias, hatchbacks tend to get more scrutiny when it comes to safety than other cars. Also, according to Megane's engineers, the shape of the cars can lead to more knee and head injuries in a crash than other cars. Despite all of this, the 2022 RS tests exceptionally well, ranking in the 87th to 88th percentile for driver and passenger safety.
5 It Is One Of The Fastest Hot Hatches Available
The Renault Megane RS is also one of the fastest hot hatches available and is in close competition with the Honda Civic RS when it comes to speed. It normally has 280 horsepower courtesy of a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, but the 300 Trophy version pushes out 300 ponies straight from the factory. This means it competes directly against the Honda Civic Type R and the Volkswagen Golf R when it comes to power as well.
Acceleration, on the other hand, is a bit disappointing, as it will do 0-60 in 5.7 seconds, making it about a second slower than the Type R. However, that's all offset by its incredible handling, which can be seen from its track times. The RS Trophy broke the Nurburing track record when it completed the circuit in 7 minutes and 40 seconds, (with some milliseconds in change). The RS replaced the Honda Civic Type R as the record holder.
4 It Is Praised By Critics And Owners Alike
In addition to beating the Nurringburg record, the RS received immense praise in its earliest years. Numerous publications and car experts raved about the car, and it won the praise of several critics, including Top Gear's Chris Harris, who called it the "hottest of all hot hatches."
Early renditions of the RS were awarded titles like What Car?'s Hot Hatch of the Year from 2010-2014, although the 2022 version has not earned such praises, it is still a well-reviewed car. What Car? gave the 2022 model 4 out of 5 stars.
3 All Engine Models Come With Factory Turbo
Similar to the company's foresight to offer manual transmissions with every model, something that Honda and other competitors have been unable to do, the engines offered in every RS are something to admire as well.
All RS base models come with a turbocharged I4 engine, and some iterations even offered a V6 as an upgrade. The 2022 Model offers a 1.8-Liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine block that generates over 275 horsepower at 6,000 RPMs.
2 They Are Less Expensive And Easier To Find Than The Honda Type R
The average Renault Megane RS starts at around 34,000 Pounds ($44,500) while its competitor the Honda Civic Type R starts closer to 40,000 Pounds ($52,000). Also, Honda announced that production run on the Type R will be limited, and only a select few will make it to nations like the U.K. where the Megane RS is already highly available.
1 Extremely Lightweight And Aerodynamic
Not only does the car look incredibly cool, but Renault managed to trim off every bit of unnecessary weight from the standard Megane to make the RS as light as possible. The result was a car that weighs about 300 lbs less than the base Megane, which is insane for a hot hatchback.
When it comes to the design, the squared back end in the first generation acts as a sort of built-in spoiler, and the rounded front end of the car makes it rather aerodynamic, which in turn is what helps the car break its earlier mentioned speed records.
Modern versions have further curved the backend, sacrificing the squared end for something that looks a little less blatantly like a hatchback. The curved brake and headlights built into the car's body are also a nice touch. All in all, there is more to love about this car than it gets credit for. Sure, Honda Civic Type Rs might be the one in demand, but that doesn’t change the fact the Renault Megane RS has it beat when it comes to speed and other important specs.