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Finally something I can add my 2 cents on!! I’ve had a 280 cup in liquid yellow since 2020 and it’s been awesome. Only had the fuel pump replaced under recall. 25,000kms and really enjoyed it a lot. I’m in Australia and a fairly rural area at that so these are rare as. The gearbox is a bit lurchy at low speed and it desperately needs a 7th speed for highway work. Suspension is quite uncomfy but the hydraulic bump stops are magic though. I’m comparing to a Opel Astra OPC J (my previous daily) and the Renault is just so much more advanced a car. Did you guys know that Australia was actually the 2nd largest Renaultsport market for a while? We love a hot hatch here too!
The worst, best car i have ever owned. When it was working it was astonishing (300 Trophy), but that was rare. its a car simply plagued by continuous issues. Fuel pumps, electrics, overheating gearbox. Of the 4 years i owned it it was with Renault for 14 months.
@NerdburgChannel wow. I test drove a 300 trophy before I bought a new mk4 Focus ST 2.3T in late 2019. The Trophy was far more exciting to drive, but the deal on the Trophy was costing me €15k more than the ST. I kept the ST for two and a half years. It never missed a beat. Two and a half boring years, worst car I've ever owned, criminally overrated, couldn't wait to get out of it. Maybe now I feel abit better about missing out on the Trophy though!!
I was also getting FOMO on the Megane. I had i30N, I personally found it pretty boring, but it was dependable. Now I’ve got an A110 with the same drivetrain, hopefully I don’t suffer the same issues 😭 Mine is new enough that the fuel pump issue should be resolved at least 😅
French cars are often brilliantly conceived but usually badly executed, resulting in poor reliability. I’d take the Golf R any day, if that was the choice, but would prefer the GR Yaris.
Just got very similar, black edc but the trophy version. Best handling car I’ve ever owned beats my Porsche Cayman S and original M2. Exhaust sounds great engine is good fun and the gearbox felt better than the auto so went for that. Fuel economy isn’t great abut 27-28mpg but that’s town and some fast stuff, seems to get about 32-34 on motorway which is ok. Ride is firm but I’ve put PS4S on it’s made big difference to grip, especially in the wet and improved comfort
It is shockingly underrated, considering the trophy commanded one of the best nurburgring lap times. Even in the modified scene, you don't see much of it around compared to the clios and R26 megane
If you’re on the hunt for a hot hatch, you can’t go far wrong with the facelift Peugeot 308 Gti 270 by Peugeot Sport. A simple remap takes it to 300bhp & 380nm. Only weights 1205kg, 5-door, big boot, has a manual Torsen lsd and a manual 6-speed gearbox. Huge 380mm 4 piston Alcon front brakes! I’ve got Michelin Cup 2’s on my lightweight 19” alloys and it’s a near perfect car you’ll ever find. So much fun. And with the added economy, practicality and reliability, imo, nothing beats it.
Keep well away from French cars bro nothing but problems, I’ve got stage bmw m140i roughly 500bhp for nearly 5 years not a single issue that’s with high pressure fuel pump downpipe and xhp3 gearbox tune
@@lukeskywalker1666 This is an incorrect statement. It is an impossibility that you get ‘nothing but problems with French cars’. Everyone has different experiences. Some would say exactly the same about sheep m-lite BMW’s! I’ve had my car 4 years with zero issues. I’ve had other French hot hatches with… zero issues. All modified too. Your sweeping statement is, IMO, incorrect. Generally, all cars from different brands and different countries will go wrong at some point due to the vast array of parts they use and if/how they’ve been looked after and more critically serviced. Sweeping indirect statements don’t help anyone.
@ French cars are just cheap garbage only best French car that was ever built was the Renault 5 turbo even that had ton of problems back in the day. In general keep well away from them cheap built cars mate 👍
had 280 sport for 2 years i loved it, insane grip, had some problems with DRLs and catalytic convertor was bad in a 3.5y old car... otherwise i liked it a lot, best daily i ever had :)
Good review, I had a liquid yellow trophy but sold it after 5 weeks 😂 I would of kept it but had issues with the DESS battery left stranded twice and the car just really irritated me so sold it back to the garage I bought it off. There’s a lot to love about this car though I loved the colour in liquid yellow and handling was amazing tbf but there were too many annoying things about it, the squeaky interior recaro seat which was never rectified, the battery issue, the sense of extreme darkness inside the cabin it was plain and simple an impulse buy. I see one on the road and I still love the look of them though even with the faults I had with mine 👍🏻
You're right, the 300 engine doesn't only have a different map vs. the 280, but also different hardware. To be precise: the turbo was re-engineered, the turbine now mounted on ceramic ball bearings for shorter response and better resilience to high loads.
I don't understand why the automotive magazines were a little too indifferent about the third-gen Megane RS, considering the first- and second-gen got raving reviews. I think it looks good, and both the added practicality by being a 5-door as well as the much-improved EDC 'box should appeal to wider audience. The RS300 Trophy-R is a bucket-list dream along with the R26.R for me. FWD hatchback with 5 doors but no back seat,. a shelf for its CARBON FIBRE WHEELS, and CARBON CERAMIC FRONT BRAKES?! That was absolutely bonkers, and you got to love the boys and girls at Dieppe for doing mad stuffs like that.
We had an early 2018 RS280 Cup for 18 months. It was blinding fun, really quick and bloody gorgeous but just too extreme for the time in our lives. The Cup chassis had the proper LSD and felt painted to the road - the trade-off being that the whole car never ever settled down and sitting beside a newborn in the black-hole of a back seat being shaken about and deafened grew very tiring very quickly. A Sport with auto box is probably a good trade off for a daily, but they didn't exist when we bought ours. The Cup (and Trophy) are a bit extreme a family car really. You mention reliability - ours managed to detonate its manual gearbox at
For any issues I think Renault are absolutely top drawer to deal with, I have an RS300 but everyone I know with a normal Renault has also been looked after well by Renault whether the car is under warranty or not.
10 years ago I hired an RS 265 and managed a time of 8:40 bridge to gantry on a crowded touristfarten day at the ring. I was blown away by that pearl yellow car! And it was on P Zero street tyres. Later that day I drove a 135M on nankang semi slicks and managed an 8:37. I'd have the Megane over the Beemer.
I would probably have the renault first as well, but it has to be said, depending on what BMW model you drove (no such thing as a 135M, did you mean either a 135i M sport or a M135i?), it could be faster than the renault, like for like. In general the normal BMWs are much more "family/comfort" focused compared to the RS. One might even argue the M"x" cars are...
@@jstdrv The earlier generation with the rounded hood and "droopy" looking sides/door sills is the *135i*. Only availible as a coupe. Its quite soft as stock and not very stable in some instances. Its a bit more sporty than something like an Audi A3 3.2, but not by all that much. Nevertheless, It can be made to go pretty fast if you manhandle it a bit, same as with almost every car. Its about the same speed as the Renault, if you do that. The later gen with more angular bodyshell is the M135i. Only availble as a hatchback, otherwise its an M235. its a more stable car, but still not all that stiff. But it is faster than the Renault on the Ring, no doubt, courtesy of its superior power and better ability to put it down compared to the earlier gen. I would still have the renault for driving fun, if you are looking for a well balanced and easy to drive experience. Neither of The BMWs are as good in that regard, nor were they meant to be. As an example, I did a 8,37 (8.38 if one wants to be specific) as well... in my bone stock except a remap 1 series 1st gen hatchback diesel. About 10hp less than the renault and a smidge more weight, I should think. So its possible to "drive around" the worst of their shortcomings.
@@jstdrv Must have been a very badly setup or maintained car or perhaps you didnt feel any confidence in it then (they have very poor steering feel, for example), becauase it should have been quite a lot faster, like for like. I sold mine because the lack of feel made it boring to me.
Rightly or wrongely Renault had a perception for poor interior quality. They became thought on as one trick ponies. Great for the track but on the road German was king. The latter was known for high interior quality, great sounding and tuneable engines, fun to drive and made great dailys. Unfair, yes. These French pocket rockets are definitely better then often given credit for.
Always liked the Megane RS even more than the obvious GTi. It has distinctive looks and decent performance. The interiors are definitely below the competition. This generation looked to much like the Koleos. Funnily, VW took “inspiration” from the Megane RS fog lamps for the GTI.
After wrecking my 120d early 2018 I bought one of the first 280 Sport. Still own it now and put 70.000 miles on it. Apart for some minor issues (warranty anyway) it's been faultless.
😮 Many love French designs & engineering in their French cars except their rubber-belt timing mechanism in their engines that proned to caused many problems as these rubber belts start to crack & deposit many rubber bits into the engine! Why can't these smart French engineers opted back the use of Metal-Chain Timing mechanism into their enigines?! Thank You So Much Jay for another enjoyable French car testing ride! 😊🙏 🌷🌿🌎✌💜🕊🇫🇷🇬🇧
I bought a low mileage 2021 300 trophy in liquid yellow earlier this year for all the reasons you said in your opener. And the fact it's an RS. If you can find one, the 2021 face-lift is the one to go for. If nothing else you get the 9.3 inch screen which doesn't look ancient like the phase 1 and is far more fitting for such an otherwise nicely specked model. The suspension is very stiff but the bump stops are incredible and the wife doesn't hate it which was a surprise! The Recaro seats are actually very comfy even on long distance and there is no droan from the exhaust. Took me about a month to fully commit to the corners. I think it was all in my head, over thinking the rear steer! The grip level is excellent in the bends and honesty I don't even notice the rear steer. You can get 40mpg on the motorway if you drive VERY conservatively, otherwise I average about 30. I think they ironed a few issues out by 2021. I think the previous owner had the battery replaced but that's it touch wood. If you want something a bit different, you can almost guarantee you won't come accross another in a hurry!
I’ve had mine for a year and a half, only had an issue with the fuel pump going once in that time and Renault sorted it and put a fresh service on the car for me. Aside from that it’s perfect, I’ve got a baby so it fits a large baby seat in the back and a pram in the boot and when you’re bombing it down a country lane not much can keep up with it, it can keep up with the big boys on the road for sure. It’s great compared to rivals in terms of the fun, personality and speed it has along with the practicality, there’s not really a weak point of the car for me. The interior is nice, a great step up from previous Megane’s and with that, I don’t think as an overall package there is something else I’d rather have, I’d struggle to part with it for any other car. If you get the chance, buy one.
Back in the late 80's I had an RX7 MkII.....it had rear wheel steering assist.......in the end I got rid as my mum drove down country lanes quicker than I would dare to...at least you can decide to never switch it on with the Megane!!!
I’ve owned a 300 Trophy for over two years. It’s an absolute riot on the road and track, comfortable enough to daily (although that’s subjective) and I’ve no complaints about reliability. I know they can be troublesome but mine’s been faultless. I’d advise anyone looking to get into an RS…go for a pre-facelift 280 Cup or 300 Trophy, or a post-facelift Trophy, because these have LSDs. The pre-facelift 280 Sport and post-facelift 300 Sport don’t have one, and an LSD makes the car.
As a car guy I didn’t actually know Renault even did a hot Megane until watching this. I honestly think the demise of Top Gear in the early 2010s had an impact on people’s knowledge as I’m sad to say there just hasn’t been a source that’s been as engaging since.
@@alancrisp1582 No, not at all. The original fiscal horsepower rating applied to the annual 'vignette' which was the French equivalent of the tax disc. The problem is more applicable in other European countries and in the UK than in France
@@SabotsLibresin the south of Belgium, buying and taxing a two year old one of the will cost about €6,500 in year 1 and and about €2,300 each year after 😢
@@Lukey-jy4ez Owch! Brits have it so cheap and easy here compared to many countries, we don't know how fortunate we are. Some people just love to complain I guess.
@@Lukey-jy4ez I know, Belgium has a strange relationship with the car. Pretty high road tax (not unlike its northern neighbour) but a very lax company car regulation. The Netherlands taxes cars essentially on the basis of the price of the fuel used combined with a sliding scale on engine size and vehicle weight. If you run on expensive fuel (petrol) you pay less tax; if you run on cheap fuel (LPG) you pay exorbitant amounts of tax....
I have an RS 280 cup in manual and it's been great day in day out got a little tune and it has 330hp 460nm... the 4 control in race is crazy takes some getting used to as you have to remember it's a fwd car. Been told by techs that both the new and older engines are bulletproof.
I had a volcanic orange 300 trophy for 18 months. Made every drive an event (apart from that one where the electrics failed coming home from Cornwall 😅)
5 years down the line with my Pre Facelift Manual Trophy. Had a MK3 RS265 before it. Issues with the DESS battery, lacquer peel on the Diamond cut alloys and a dodgy Aircon unit. But so far (touch wood) nothing else negative to report. The cars were fairly expensive when new, and were out around Lockdown which is why I don't think there's many. Which is a good thing, as they're much rarer than the Civics, Golfs and I30Ns. Might struggle to keep up in a straight-line, but in the Twistys the Mégane is still king. Problem being now though, the brakes and servicing costs are somewhat expensive. So be careful if buying second hand 😅
Ive got a renault clio. Sports tourer. Want to lower it but present insurers are dull. Good for future camping trips. Renault have a unique and fun style
Thanks james, I have one now, I had a cupra formentor before it but got sick of the fake noise and it wasn't as engaging, this is an amazing car and I still enjoy driving it, even after having it a year, and usually by now I look at changing my car lol, would gave preferred a slip diff, but it's an everyday car, so I didn't want to compromise ride comfort for the diff.
I just looked at the pricing of these and got reminded why I didn't go for one at least in the second-hand market. similar pricing to a m240i(nvm, more than a m240i)
The 2nd gen car looked nice. The 3rd generation in that spec does not float my boat. I'll stick with my FK8 Type R GT. Aggressive and an outstanding drive.
One car I never seem to see in the UK these days is the old Renault Megane F1 hatchback (the one with the weird back end)...are there any actually still on the road here?
I had a manual 2020 RS 280 in Liquid yellow here in Australia. Great little car. My only gripes were savage axle tramp in the wet (luckily rare in perth) Each time I got in it, it would default to Eco mode....I did not buy a car like this to drive in Eco mode. You may think that's not a big issue, but when I reverse out of my driveway early on a morning going to work and want to upset the neighbours with some pops n bangs (not available in eco) before the intersection 100m away the head unit is so laggy that I'm half way down the street before the reverse camera image leaves the screen and I can select different modes.
@5150TJT no not really just the LED strip in the back door replaced under warranty. I have heard a few complaints about panel fit around the tailgate scratching the body and a few other issues but mine was fine.
I traded my 6 year old manual 280 cup, owned from new, in the summer for a new 135i. The megane is leaps and bounds ahead of the 135, I really miss it, I'm contemplating going back to the RS.
BMWs "normal", M-sport or even M performance models were never (nor intended to be) all that sporty compared to something like this. So that might explain it.
I have the.Megane GT. Too bad they stopped making it. It would just need few extra hp and 4control dropped to reduce weight, then it would be a serious GTI competitor.
I always wanted to know if that gen of Megane would be a good Golf Gti alternative, I mean the prior gen was hard core and in the button. This gen was far more refined for daily.
Im actually looking for a replacement for my 2018 m2. I want a hot hatch. And you are 100% correct, i dont want one of these at all lol. I hear they are good, nice to drive, pretty quick. But there's something very unattractive about this car. I think in the end ill get either a civic type r (great deals on new rite now) a new golf r (again good deals, more importantly warranty, vw needs this) the a45, 1 year old or so, or the m240i again a year old. Though if i got m240, i know I'll end up buying the bew m2 instead 😂.
Chris Harris really rates these . Think it’s the MK3 Megane, the second Gen2 RenSport. A right hoot. Can see that. Even old Chamade Renault was it 11 or 19 or 21. Well I don’t remember. But the 2.0 Renault sport unit great.
Despite having owned 3 out of the 4 generations of Mégane I'm afraid I've never had one of the RS versions. I was tempted by the MK4 GT but they are not easy to find and are all auto only. I daily a MK4 Signature and I'm.ashamed to say that after over two years I've still not received it. 😅 The Signature is the luxury trim rather than performance and as you may expect it's a comfortable and well equipped car but no where near as satisfying a drive as my MK1 coupe, despite having more power but the Mk4 is a whopping 300kg heavier than the original R19 derived Mégane coupe. I must admit I also had my reservations about the complexity of the four control system leaving me fearful of a potential big repair bill. It seems that these days to make cars exciting manufacturers behave to passify us with lots of power and gadgets without which many would feel a little too average. The Skoda Octavia VRS I once had being a prime example.
Couldn't agree more, my daily driver is the GT205 version which runs the 1.6t from the Clio 220 and the 7 speed gearbox from the Alpine, first few days with it i wasn't a fan of the 4control but now every car i drive feels like it doesn't want to turn!, how something that weighs 1400kg can turn like it weighs 700kg never fails to amuse me, and my unsuspecting passengers!
@@ForgetfulFoot I had been looking at a 300 trophy as a replacement for my clio 220 trophy but couldn't justify the cost, ended up with a GT205 with 19k miles for 50% of the cost, and its definitely more than 50% of the car!, Had to get a clutch pack replacement under warranty but other than that its been spot on
@martinDynamique Yeah we have over 200,000kms on ours. And still going strong. It's a great car to put the mountain bikes on the back of too. The improvement over the previous MK4 Clio RS is massive.
@@gospodinkenobi9903 i thought that to begin with but i learned to love them! and when you turn the heated seats on its like sitting on a bed of coals!
Looked at these at the beginning of the year, nearly everything i was looking for but had a hard requirement for a manual after 6 years of driving ZF8 auto, so I went for the only newish car in my budget an i30N Facelift instead.
Hey Jay, I own a manual version of the 2019 300 Trophy.. you know if you wanted to compare 😅 it's also one of the only silver right hand drive Manual Trophy 300 😉
I had a Megan coupe.. it was nice to drive, really revvy engine. 6 speed manual. Nae rear seats handled well - good steering although a bit meh! under pressure.. however, I replaced it with a BMW 230i m-sport and to be honest I miss the steering of the Renault (only the steering tho)
Whenever you think sporty cars are insanely expensive, keep this in mind: Due to CO2 tax regulation here in The Netherlands, a standard Civic Type R will cost you at least €87.860. The more hardcore version is even €94.130. That’s resp. £73.203 and £78.443… A manual 2018 Mustang V8 coupe was almost twice as expensive as the 2.3 Ecoboost equivalent. Now THAT’S insane 😉
I wonder whether the perfect Mégane for the road might be one of these with an LSD... or a Cup/Trophy with softer aftermarket springs and shocks? (Crazy talk, I know, but the ideal would seem to have the LSD of the Cup or Trophy and the suspension o the sport.) I'm eyeing up one of these for my next car if I can afford it in the next few years.
I was really considering one as it's a great overlooked hatch which is a riot to drive, but I could not stomach the fuel economy with how much I drive.
Presume the 4 wheel steer gives a simular feel to when you wack some toe on the rear of your car to make it more lively. Although without some of the drawbacks. Think it may have been the auto box and the 4 door only bit that got these a bit over looked. I know people who have actually driven and owned them think very highly of them.
These things are getting seriously cheap too. I own the GT 205. Its a lot of car for the money. Gearbox is a massive improvement on the earlier EDC box found in the MK4 Clio RS.
I had one didnt really gel with it, i went through all the rs megane models! Biggest issuewith my trophy 300 was it just felt too heavy and 4clntrol just too unatural for my liking, i went to an i20n and dont miss the megane at all.
3 years ago, the Renault held fastest production FWD hot hatch nurbugring record while having only a 1.8 turbo engine with rear torsion beam axle. Civic Type R has 2.0 turbo with double wishbone. You're saying?
@@PlaAwa Those Civics have a lot of engine issues whereas the Renault has small faults of many kinds. Renault faults are annoying, Honda faults force you to rebuild your engine. Lesson here is that image is not reality.
@@totuudentorvi7781 I haven't owned a Honda, but I'm surprised to hear this allegation. I get the very strong impression that they're very reliable. I guess this can align with what you're saying if you mean that things rarely go wrong, but if they do, it's something big. I'd take this further and suggest that some Honda drivers abuse their cars because they are too exciting (engine-wise... VTEC etc.). I've never had one because they're actually a bit boring to me in a way (not quirky enough, I guess) but I do have a Megane and I have a slight bee in my bonnet because parts are hard to come by in Australia and there's also not much info on the web about them compared to Japanese cars and their associated communities and vast aftermarket parts suppliers. I also kinda like the idea of being forced to rebuild an engine, especially with new cars, which you sort of have to wait until the warranty runs out for before having a bit of a tinker or changing the internals.
@@PlaAwa The exploding engines in Hondas are specifically the newer gen turbo gasoline engines. Everything made prior to them was very durable. The Type-R engines of the turbocharged generations are very troublesome and it doesn't take long to learn about the issues if you simply google them.
I've found over the last few years I prefer older cars. I've been watching for a Mégane rs250 for a few months, unmodified if possible but wouldn't mind an exhaust. I love the look of a 3 door car and for me fuel economy doesn't matter. I've been driving a BMW 645ci for the last few months and it's averaging the same fuel economy as my previous facelift ford focus st250, 24mpg for both. Both oddly are worse than my old ford focus st225 which sat at 26mpg and could hit 30mpg if driven carefully. On the motorway the BMW maxed out at 31mpg, the st250 max out at 29mpg, while the st225 hit 33mpg on a couple of occasions for me.
@@JayEmmOnCars My 645ci is a beast of a car. I bought one that had a cat back system on it and it sounds phenomenal, it has a mix of an American and European V8 sound. The effortless power and torque gives a completely different feeling from my previous turbo power cars. It needs work done to the engine but so it's still not 100% but the car accelerating is an event. It's 6 1sts for me: 1st BMW, 1st auto, 1st V8, 1st rear drive, 1st car over 300hp and 1st naturally aspirated petrol. Love that car so far and it's not even in top condition yet.
Or if you want a more capacious family car, consider one of the BMW 3-series Tourings (aka estates) in 3-litre twin-turbo form - whether the diesel if you want mountains of torque (and 300+ bhp and 40mpg+ economy) , or petrol if you want top end power. And best if all - if you can afford it, an M3 Touring.
I comprehensively disagree, Jayemm! The first shape Renault Sport Megane (the butt one!) is definitely the best looker. I think that version of the Megane is a timeless, classic design. It still holds up brilliantly today. Just saying... 😉
the 3rd gen rs 260 - 275s are much more reliablle, and better cars overall built for a purpose done 245k kms on mine original gearbox engine and clutch still going strong after 50 track days only had minor issues , tuned stage 1 and pulls hard and nothing has broken
I’ve owned an m135i and a post facelift 300 Trophy and they aren’t really competitors. One is a GT shaped like a hatch and the other is a lunatic…. shaped like a hot hatch 😂
Still seems a lot of money to be wilfully different. I'd much rather have a tidy late mk7.5 Golf R, with better performance, interior and daily-driveability
I had a 300 Trophy EDC. A bit too much for the Road really. It was incredibly good but at the speeds it actually started to move around a bit were far too high to have any fun (sensibly, morally and legally at least!) on the road. Kept within the speed limits it was just annoying. Harsh ride, rattles, poor visibility (as touched on in your review), popping farty exhaust, crap stereo (even though mine had Bose) and never quite felt 300 horses strong. Saying that though, find the right road, away from prying eyes there’s few things that would entertain and exhilarate as much as one. I had many memorable drives in the small hours of the morning, aided by the best headlights in any car I’ve ever driven.
Nooo! You've over looked the best French hot hatch. Peugeot 308 GTi 2015-21. I have one and its 1200 kilos, 272bhp from a 1.6 litre engine and drives like a go cart. Only 700 left on UKs roads so rare as hens teeth. I have one that you can review if you want to make a fair comparison
All well and good, however, my nephew had one with the big arse, and that aside, it had a notable interior, which lit up like a Christmas tree at night. The other thing it had in abundance, was a never ending list of both mechanical and electrical gremlins, which left the vehicle either dead, or in limp mode. The workshop where they had purchased it from new, knew so little about it, I would have been an expert. Worse still, the importer, once they had their hands on the car, would hang onto it for 2 months, and on collection, it was clear that nothing had been done to it. Finally, after a long sabbatical of 7 months with the importers, and with no possible cure, short of an expensive exorcism, they sold the car back for a considerable loss. Had they been aware of Australian consumer law, they should have been entitled to their money back in full. Yet they did not, and this is now the state of play for Renault's in Australia. A market they had only just returned to, after an absence of many years.
The first gen you either loved or hated its looks, the second gen is to me a giant styling mistake. Totally unwatchable; yet, it was appreciated. The third is both imposing, sporty, and elegant. And, it's nowhere to be seen. Why?!? Just: why?!?
low sales as mentioned in vid, probs due to unimpressive history/genealogy. i think the 2 gen was also nice looking, like the veloster but slightly better
I think the styling lets it down. You could hardly call it pretty, the badge is too big, and it doesn't look aggressive either. Then there is the Renault reputation for unreliability (although that is a mostly untrue assumption)
@@PlaAwa I mean ... ok. an i30n would be more reliable than this I'm sure...and probably just as fun 🤷♂️ wouldn't be my first pick but I'd definitely have it above this heap of plastic
@@UmbertoDavidPanda yeah i've personally got my eye on what's known as the latest i30 sedan, which is known as the elantra elsewhere. I prefer the shark-nose looks compared to the hatch. and the fastback is nothing to complain about either. i'd even be happy with the 1.6T in the 'n line' if i couldn't afford the N, and the former even has the nicer looking wheels for the factory although the latter has a bunch of extra desirables including all the extra chassis welds.
@@UmbertoDavidPanda Having had several French cars, I've got to disagree with you. Their engineering solutios are innovative, and I was a design engineer in a previous life.. Eg, my Citroen Xantia Activa may not have been the fastest in a straight line, but around bends it left everything that was too close up my arse.. My current Renault Scenic is a great family car, and has cubby holes under each floor pan and the rear seats, and you can take the rear seats out to make it into a van... Does anything German or Japanese do that? Mind you, I'm tempted to replace it with a Golf R, but a Peugeot RCZ R is a temptation, as is a Civic Type R... Basically, don't claim a nation maes the best cars, because if you did, maybe it would be a Korean Kia with a seven year warranty...
Much prefer the previous RS2656/275. The chassis was better sorted. It didn't have the wanky RWS- you know it was wank when it was the first thing they took off for the Trophy R 😄 Previous car was a real hot hatch. The 280/300's are ersatz GTI's. 😁
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Finally something I can add my 2 cents on!! I’ve had a 280 cup in liquid yellow since 2020 and it’s been awesome. Only had the fuel pump replaced under recall. 25,000kms and really enjoyed it a lot. I’m in Australia and a fairly rural area at that so these are rare as. The gearbox is a bit lurchy at low speed and it desperately needs a 7th speed for highway work. Suspension is quite uncomfy but the hydraulic bump stops are magic though. I’m comparing to a Opel Astra OPC J (my previous daily) and the Renault is just so much more advanced a car. Did you guys know that Australia was actually the 2nd largest Renaultsport market for a while? We love a hot hatch here too!
What fuel economy did you get?
@@rxs87 look not great. On a highway trip like 7L/100km... But it's less than the opel and I have fun so it's worth it for me 🤣
@@rynomuncher 7L is pretty good for a hot hatch.
Megane RS trophy (Manual) owner here. Love this thing , nothing like it out there. Goes under the radar and deserves far more recognition.
The worst, best car i have ever owned. When it was working it was astonishing (300 Trophy), but that was rare. its a car simply plagued by continuous issues. Fuel pumps, electrics, overheating gearbox. Of the 4 years i owned it it was with Renault for 14 months.
@@NerdburgChannel I had the exact same on my RS280. I adored it, but fuel pump, endless sensors etc etc I barely had it 5 minutes :(
@NerdburgChannel wow. I test drove a 300 trophy before I bought a new mk4 Focus ST 2.3T in late 2019.
The Trophy was far more exciting to drive, but the deal on the Trophy was costing me €15k more than the ST.
I kept the ST for two and a half years. It never missed a beat. Two and a half boring years, worst car I've ever owned, criminally overrated, couldn't wait to get out of it.
Maybe now I feel abit better about missing out on the Trophy though!!
I was also getting FOMO on the Megane. I had i30N, I personally found it pretty boring, but it was dependable. Now I’ve got an A110 with the same drivetrain, hopefully I don’t suffer the same issues 😭 Mine is new enough that the fuel pump issue should be resolved at least 😅
I've got the 300 non trophy version and had non of those issues
French cars are often brilliantly conceived but usually badly executed, resulting in poor reliability. I’d take the Golf R any day, if that was the choice, but would prefer the GR Yaris.
Just got very similar, black edc but the trophy version. Best handling car I’ve ever owned beats my Porsche Cayman S and original M2. Exhaust sounds great engine is good fun and the gearbox felt better than the auto so went for that.
Fuel economy isn’t great abut 27-28mpg but that’s town and some fast stuff, seems to get about 32-34 on motorway which is ok. Ride is firm but I’ve put PS4S on it’s made big difference to grip, especially in the wet and improved comfort
It is shockingly underrated, considering the trophy commanded one of the best nurburgring lap times. Even in the modified scene, you don't see much of it around compared to the clios and R26 megane
If you’re on the hunt for a hot hatch, you can’t go far wrong with the facelift Peugeot 308 Gti 270 by Peugeot Sport. A simple remap takes it to 300bhp & 380nm. Only weights 1205kg, 5-door, big boot, has a manual Torsen lsd and a manual 6-speed gearbox. Huge 380mm 4 piston Alcon front brakes! I’ve got Michelin Cup 2’s on my lightweight 19” alloys and it’s a near perfect car you’ll ever find. So much fun. And with the added economy, practicality and reliability, imo, nothing beats it.
Keep well away from French cars bro nothing but problems, I’ve got stage bmw m140i roughly 500bhp for nearly 5 years not a single issue that’s with high pressure fuel pump downpipe and xhp3 gearbox tune
@@lukeskywalker1666 This is an incorrect statement. It is an impossibility that you get ‘nothing but problems with French cars’. Everyone has different experiences. Some would say exactly the same about sheep m-lite BMW’s! I’ve had my car 4 years with zero issues. I’ve had other French hot hatches with… zero issues. All modified too. Your sweeping statement is, IMO, incorrect. Generally, all cars from different brands and different countries will go wrong at some point due to the vast array of parts they use and if/how they’ve been looked after and more critically serviced. Sweeping indirect statements don’t help anyone.
@ French cars are just cheap garbage only best French car that was ever built was the Renault 5 turbo even that had ton of problems back in the day. In general keep well away from them cheap built cars mate 👍
It just looks so cool, especially in yellow
Well. Off to autotrader I go.
@@AWMJoeyjoejoe go for it, it's a beast.
And the cycle continues
Go sign up with your 40% intrest rate. lol
@@jasonpoole6284My what?
@@AWMJoeyjoejoe don't trust jay, he's a typical car salesman, albeit quite a skilled one
My dad had the Trophy 300. Was brilliant. This one needs a good polish on the door frame. Swirl city.
had 280 sport for 2 years i loved it, insane grip, had some problems with DRLs and catalytic convertor was bad in a 3.5y old car... otherwise i liked it a lot, best daily i ever had :)
Good review, I had a liquid yellow trophy but sold it after 5 weeks 😂 I would of kept it but had issues with the DESS battery left stranded twice and the car just really irritated me so sold it back to the garage I bought it off. There’s a lot to love about this car though I loved the colour in liquid yellow and handling was amazing tbf but there were too many annoying things about it, the squeaky interior recaro seat which was never rectified, the battery issue, the sense of extreme darkness inside the cabin it was plain and simple an impulse buy. I see one on the road and I still love the look of them though even with the faults I had with mine 👍🏻
You can replace the DESS battery with a regular one.
You're right, the 300 engine doesn't only have a different map vs. the 280, but also different hardware. To be precise: the turbo was re-engineered, the turbine now mounted on ceramic ball bearings for shorter response and better resilience to high loads.
I don't understand why the automotive magazines were a little too indifferent about the third-gen Megane RS, considering the first- and second-gen got raving reviews. I think it looks good, and both the added practicality by being a 5-door as well as the much-improved EDC 'box should appeal to wider audience. The RS300 Trophy-R is a bucket-list dream along with the R26.R for me. FWD hatchback with 5 doors but no back seat,. a shelf for its CARBON FIBRE WHEELS, and CARBON CERAMIC FRONT BRAKES?! That was absolutely bonkers, and you got to love the boys and girls at Dieppe for doing mad stuffs like that.
We had an early 2018 RS280 Cup for 18 months. It was blinding fun, really quick and bloody gorgeous but just too extreme for the time in our lives.
The Cup chassis had the proper LSD and felt painted to the road - the trade-off being that the whole car never ever settled down and sitting beside a newborn in the black-hole of a back seat being shaken about and deafened grew very tiring very quickly. A Sport with auto box is probably a good trade off for a daily, but they didn't exist when we bought ours. The Cup (and Trophy) are a bit extreme a family car really.
You mention reliability - ours managed to detonate its manual gearbox at
For any issues I think Renault are absolutely top drawer to deal with, I have an RS300 but everyone I know with a normal Renault has also been looked after well by Renault whether the car is under warranty or not.
10 years ago I hired an RS 265 and managed a time of 8:40 bridge to gantry on a crowded touristfarten day at the ring. I was blown away by that pearl yellow car! And it was on P Zero street tyres. Later that day I drove a 135M on nankang semi slicks and managed an 8:37. I'd have the Megane over the Beemer.
I would probably have the renault first as well, but it has to be said, depending on what BMW model you drove (no such thing as a 135M, did you mean either a 135i M sport or a M135i?), it could be faster than the renault, like for like. In general the normal BMWs are much more "family/comfort" focused compared to the RS. One might even argue the M"x" cars are...
@GoldenCroc I just remember it was not the 1 M, since the diff was not lsd, but the electronic kind. It had about 50 hp more than the Renault
@@jstdrv The earlier generation with the rounded hood and "droopy" looking sides/door sills is the *135i*. Only availible as a coupe. Its quite soft as stock and not very stable in some instances. Its a bit more sporty than something like an Audi A3 3.2, but not by all that much. Nevertheless, It can be made to go pretty fast if you manhandle it a bit, same as with almost every car. Its about the same speed as the Renault, if you do that.
The later gen with more angular bodyshell is the M135i. Only availble as a hatchback, otherwise its an M235. its a more stable car, but still not all that stiff. But it is faster than the Renault on the Ring, no doubt, courtesy of its superior power and better ability to put it down compared to the earlier gen.
I would still have the renault for driving fun, if you are looking for a well balanced and easy to drive experience. Neither of The BMWs are as good in that regard, nor were they meant to be.
As an example, I did a 8,37 (8.38 if one wants to be specific) as well... in my bone stock except a remap 1 series 1st gen hatchback diesel. About 10hp less than the renault and a smidge more weight, I should think. So its possible to "drive around" the worst of their shortcomings.
@GoldenCroc it was a gen 2 hatchback
@@jstdrv Must have been a very badly setup or maintained car or perhaps you didnt feel any confidence in it then (they have very poor steering feel, for example), becauase it should have been quite a lot faster, like for like. I sold mine because the lack of feel made it boring to me.
Rightly or wrongely Renault had a perception for poor interior quality. They became thought on as one trick ponies. Great for the track but on the road German was king. The latter was known for high interior quality, great sounding and tuneable engines, fun to drive and made great dailys. Unfair, yes. These French pocket rockets are definitely better then often given credit for.
Got the 300 Trophy manual - love it - great car. Deserves a bit more kudos I reckon.
Always liked the Megane RS even more than the obvious GTi. It has distinctive looks and decent performance. The interiors are definitely below the competition. This generation looked to much like the Koleos. Funnily, VW took “inspiration” from the Megane RS fog lamps for the GTI.
After wrecking my 120d early 2018 I bought one of the first 280 Sport. Still own it now and put 70.000 miles on it. Apart for some minor issues (warranty anyway) it's been faultless.
Best hatchback for me and it’s real drivers car for every day in city , gourgeous car❤greetings from France
1:01
I’m only here and already shouting M135i.
All the small car you’ll ever need.
Affordable, useful and flippin’ rapid.
And maybe not the best idea for an inexperienced driver coming out of a little Fiesta or Honda Fit.
😮 Many love French designs & engineering in their French cars except their rubber-belt timing mechanism in their engines that proned to caused many problems as these rubber belts start to crack & deposit many rubber bits into the engine! Why can't these smart French engineers opted back the use of Metal-Chain Timing mechanism into their enigines?! Thank You So Much Jay for another enjoyable French car testing ride! 😊🙏 🌷🌿🌎✌💜🕊🇫🇷🇬🇧
This held its value quite well on the continent.. interesting find and video 💪
I bought a low mileage 2021 300 trophy in liquid yellow earlier this year for all the reasons you said in your opener. And the fact it's an RS. If you can find one, the 2021 face-lift is the one to go for. If nothing else you get the 9.3 inch screen which doesn't look ancient like the phase 1 and is far more fitting for such an otherwise nicely specked model. The suspension is very stiff but the bump stops are incredible and the wife doesn't hate it which was a surprise!
The Recaro seats are actually very comfy even on long distance and there is no droan from the exhaust.
Took me about a month to fully commit to the corners. I think it was all in my head, over thinking the rear steer! The grip level is excellent in the bends and honesty I don't even notice the rear steer.
You can get 40mpg on the motorway if you drive VERY conservatively, otherwise I average about 30.
I think they ironed a few issues out by 2021. I think the previous owner had the battery replaced but that's it touch wood. If you want something a bit different, you can almost guarantee you won't come accross another in a hurry!
I have the same spec and low miles and colour and change the battery from renault all good now
I’ve had mine for a year and a half, only had an issue with the fuel pump going once in that time and Renault sorted it and put a fresh service on the car for me. Aside from that it’s perfect, I’ve got a baby so it fits a large baby seat in the back and a pram in the boot and when you’re bombing it down a country lane not much can keep up with it, it can keep up with the big boys on the road for sure. It’s great compared to rivals in terms of the fun, personality and speed it has along with the practicality, there’s not really a weak point of the car for me. The interior is nice, a great step up from previous Megane’s and with that, I don’t think as an overall package there is something else I’d rather have, I’d struggle to part with it for any other car. If you get the chance, buy one.
Great content. Love interesting cars that dare to be freshly different. Thanks.
Back in the late 80's I had an RX7 MkII.....it had rear wheel steering assist.......in the end I got rid as my mum drove down country lanes quicker than I would dare to...at least you can decide to never switch it on with the Megane!!!
I’ve owned a 300 Trophy for over two years. It’s an absolute riot on the road and track, comfortable enough to daily (although that’s subjective) and I’ve no complaints about reliability. I know they can be troublesome but mine’s been faultless.
I’d advise anyone looking to get into an RS…go for a pre-facelift 280 Cup or 300 Trophy, or a post-facelift Trophy, because these have LSDs. The pre-facelift 280 Sport and post-facelift 300 Sport don’t have one, and an LSD makes the car.
great video have a 265 cup and currently putting a gripper plated diff in my 300 trophy
As a car guy I didn’t actually know Renault even did a hot Megane until watching this.
I honestly think the demise of Top Gear in the early 2010s had an impact on people’s knowledge as I’m sad to say there just hasn’t been a source that’s been as engaging since.
France doesn't have tax restrictions as such any more. We don't pay road tax at all, we just pay fiscal horsepower tax on purchase...
Question 🙋 is this just the same thing under another name. Tax is tax what ever your government politicians what to call it !...
@@alancrisp1582 No, not at all. The original fiscal horsepower rating applied to the annual 'vignette' which was the French equivalent of the tax disc. The problem is more applicable in other European countries and in the UK than in France
@@SabotsLibresin the south of Belgium, buying and taxing a two year old one of the will cost about €6,500 in year 1 and and about €2,300 each year after 😢
@@Lukey-jy4ez Owch! Brits have it so cheap and easy here compared to many countries, we don't know how fortunate we are. Some people just love to complain I guess.
@@Lukey-jy4ez I know, Belgium has a strange relationship with the car. Pretty high road tax (not unlike its northern neighbour) but a very lax company car regulation.
The Netherlands taxes cars essentially on the basis of the price of the fuel used combined with a sliding scale on engine size and vehicle weight. If you run on expensive fuel (petrol) you pay less tax; if you run on cheap fuel (LPG) you pay exorbitant amounts of tax....
I have an RS 280 cup in manual and it's been great day in day out got a little tune and it has 330hp 460nm... the 4 control in race is crazy takes some getting used to as you have to remember it's a fwd car. Been told by techs that both the new and older engines are bulletproof.
Always thought these were lovely things, look great on the road in the metal too
I just wish we had more euro options here in the states. Im a fan of hatches and that sounds fantastic
I had a volcanic orange 300 trophy for 18 months. Made every drive an event (apart from that one where the electrics failed coming home from Cornwall 😅)
5 years down the line with my Pre Facelift Manual Trophy. Had a MK3 RS265 before it. Issues with the DESS battery, lacquer peel on the Diamond cut alloys and a dodgy Aircon unit. But so far (touch wood) nothing else negative to report.
The cars were fairly expensive when new, and were out around Lockdown which is why I don't think there's many. Which is a good thing, as they're much rarer than the Civics, Golfs and I30Ns. Might struggle to keep up in a straight-line, but in the Twistys the Mégane is still king.
Problem being now though, the brakes and servicing costs are somewhat expensive. So be careful if buying second hand 😅
Ive got a renault clio. Sports tourer. Want to lower it but present insurers are dull. Good for future camping trips. Renault have a unique and fun style
I’ve got the version before RS250 and it’s been my daily for 4 years, AMAZING car!!!
Much better than the 280/300s !
Thanks james, I have one now, I had a cupra formentor before it but got sick of the fake noise and it wasn't as engaging, this is an amazing car and I still enjoy driving it, even after having it a year, and usually by now I look at changing my car lol, would gave preferred a slip diff, but it's an everyday car, so I didn't want to compromise ride comfort for the diff.
Hope you took the extended warranty 👍
My main concern with the Yaris GR is LSPI. In fact it's a concern for all direect port injected, lower volume, high performance engines.
I just looked at the pricing of these and got reminded why I didn't go for one at least in the second-hand market. similar pricing to a m240i(nvm, more than a m240i)
The 2nd gen car looked nice. The 3rd generation in that spec does not float my boat. I'll stick with my FK8 Type R GT. Aggressive and an outstanding drive.
One car I never seem to see in the UK these days is the old Renault Megane F1 hatchback (the one with the weird back end)...are there any actually still on the road here?
Yeah there's quite a few about I actually just bought one myself definitely my favourite generation of Renault sport Méganes
@@crdc9853 I live up in Cheshire and in the 7 years i`ve been here i`ve only seen 1, and it was the Sport, not the F1 model...
I drive mine everyday. Although I don't see many around tbf
@@ca9968 I’ve had mine practically from new and kids won’t let me sell it.
I had a manual 2020 RS 280 in Liquid yellow here in Australia.
Great little car.
My only gripes were savage axle tramp in the wet (luckily rare in perth)
Each time I got in it, it would default to Eco mode....I did not buy a car like this to drive in Eco mode.
You may think that's not a big issue, but when I reverse out of my driveway early on a morning going to work and want to upset the neighbours with some pops n bangs (not available in eco) before the intersection 100m away the head unit is so laggy that I'm half way down the street before the reverse camera image leaves the screen and I can select different modes.
Any other issues??? Looking at a 2019, here in Perth too..
@5150TJT no not really just the LED strip in the back door replaced under warranty.
I have heard a few complaints about panel fit around the tailgate scratching the body and a few other issues but mine was fine.
Always loved Renaults and their ability to take the GTI fight to everyone else 😂
Hi JayEmm, how about mentioning 308 GTI 😊?
Isn't the Alpine engine from a Megane too?
well, both have the nissan mr18
I traded my 6 year old manual 280 cup, owned from new, in the summer for a new 135i.
The megane is leaps and bounds ahead of the 135, I really miss it, I'm contemplating going back to the RS.
BMWs "normal", M-sport or even M performance models were never (nor intended to be) all that sporty compared to something like this. So that might explain it.
I have the.Megane GT. Too bad they stopped making it. It would just need few extra hp and 4control dropped to reduce weight, then it would be a serious GTI competitor.
I always wanted to know if that gen of Megane would be a good Golf Gti alternative, I mean the prior gen was hard core and in the button. This gen was far more refined for daily.
In 2020 i tried really hard to testdrive and maybe even buy one, but no Renault car dealer had one in my area in germany.
Here in Ireland I've only ever seen one of these versions. A guy up the road had one, in yellow........ stanced.
Renault springs for a pricey rear steering system, but not a limited slip diff?
Im actually looking for a replacement for my 2018 m2. I want a hot hatch. And you are 100% correct, i dont want one of these at all lol. I hear they are good, nice to drive, pretty quick. But there's something very unattractive about this car. I think in the end ill get either a civic type r (great deals on new rite now) a new golf r (again good deals, more importantly warranty, vw needs this) the a45, 1 year old or so, or the m240i again a year old. Though if i got m240, i know I'll end up buying the bew m2 instead 😂.
Chris Harris really rates these . Think it’s the MK3 Megane, the second Gen2 RenSport. A right hoot. Can see that. Even old Chamade Renault was it 11 or 19 or 21. Well I don’t remember. But the 2.0 Renault sport unit great.
Was the 19 Chamade. Quite like the look of those.
Despite having owned 3 out of the 4 generations of Mégane I'm afraid I've never had one of the RS versions. I was tempted by the MK4 GT but they are not easy to find and are all auto only.
I daily a MK4 Signature and I'm.ashamed to say that after over two years I've still not received it. 😅
The Signature is the luxury trim rather than performance and as you may expect it's a comfortable and well equipped car but no where near as satisfying a drive as my MK1 coupe, despite having more power but the Mk4 is a whopping 300kg heavier than the original R19 derived Mégane coupe.
I must admit I also had my reservations about the complexity of the four control system leaving me fearful of a potential big repair bill.
It seems that these days to make cars exciting manufacturers behave to passify us with lots of power and gadgets without which many would feel a little too average. The Skoda Octavia VRS I once had being a prime example.
Couldn't agree more, my daily driver is the GT205 version which runs the 1.6t from the Clio 220 and the 7 speed gearbox from the Alpine, first few days with it i wasn't a fan of the 4control but now every car i drive feels like it doesn't want to turn!, how something that weighs 1400kg can turn like it weighs 700kg never fails to amuse me, and my unsuspecting passengers!
Yep I also daily a GT 205. Excellent daily and amazing value for money on the used market.
@@ForgetfulFoot I had been looking at a 300 trophy as a replacement for my clio 220 trophy but couldn't justify the cost, ended up with a GT205 with 19k miles for 50% of the cost, and its definitely more than 50% of the car!, Had to get a clutch pack replacement under warranty but other than that its been spot on
@martinDynamique Yeah we have over 200,000kms on ours. And still going strong. It's a great car to put the mountain bikes on the back of too. The improvement over the previous MK4 Clio RS is massive.
I've just bought a M4 205 GT. Fine car, but the seats are a bit too firm for my skinny butt 😅
@@gospodinkenobi9903 i thought that to begin with but i learned to love them! and when you turn the heated seats on its like sitting on a bed of coals!
Looked at these at the beginning of the year, nearly everything i was looking for but had a hard requirement for a manual after 6 years of driving ZF8 auto, so I went for the only newish car in my budget an i30N Facelift instead.
Hey Jay, I own a manual version of the 2019 300 Trophy.. you know if you wanted to compare 😅 it's also one of the only silver right hand drive Manual Trophy 300 😉
That’s a pretty cool family garage
I think you missed the first series megane was that one from abou 96 or 97 and that "space age" looking was actually second series.
I think he was talking about the RS specifically, the "space age" one was the first generation RS model.
I had a Megan coupe.. it was nice to drive, really revvy engine. 6 speed manual. Nae rear seats handled well - good steering although a bit meh! under pressure.. however, I replaced it with a BMW 230i m-sport and to be honest I miss the steering of the Renault (only the steering tho)
Whenever you think sporty cars are insanely expensive, keep this in mind:
Due to CO2 tax regulation here in The Netherlands, a standard Civic Type R will cost you at least €87.860. The more hardcore version is even €94.130. That’s resp. £73.203 and £78.443…
A manual 2018 Mustang V8 coupe was almost twice as expensive as the 2.3 Ecoboost equivalent.
Now THAT’S insane 😉
I wonder whether the perfect Mégane for the road might be one of these with an LSD... or a Cup/Trophy with softer aftermarket springs and shocks? (Crazy talk, I know, but the ideal would seem to have the LSD of the Cup or Trophy and the suspension o the sport.)
I'm eyeing up one of these for my next car if I can afford it in the next few years.
I was really considering one as it's a great overlooked hatch which is a riot to drive, but I could not stomach the fuel economy with how much I drive.
it's the least of their issues
Presume the 4 wheel steer gives a simular feel to when you wack some toe on the rear of your car to make it more lively. Although without some of the drawbacks.
Think it may have been the auto box and the 4 door only bit that got these a bit over looked. I know people who have actually driven and owned them think very highly of them.
These things are getting seriously cheap too. I own the GT 205. Its a lot of car for the money. Gearbox is a massive improvement on the earlier EDC box found in the MK4 Clio RS.
I had the local Lincoln garage install a Quaife LSD on my 2013 Focus ST. It made a good car better.
Makes any hot hatch better, any serious hot hatch driver should do that first, pity most hot hatch drivers aren't the wiser.
@ : I bought it new 11 years ago and it’s still my daily. Zero problems - though the Sync 2 leaves a lot to be desired.
Hey Jay! Could you test the Focus St Edition mk4,5?🙏🏻
Had a 280 EDC fantastic car my 17th RS
I had one didnt really gel with it, i went through all the rs megane models! Biggest issuewith my trophy 300 was it just felt too heavy and 4clntrol just too unatural for my liking, i went to an i20n and dont miss the megane at all.
17:34 Fiesta 1.6 or ST?
I love my 250, the only think I'd upgrade to would be the mk4 (Mk3 rs) if I needed the back doors.
3 years ago, the Renault held fastest production FWD hot hatch nurbugring record while having only a 1.8 turbo engine with rear torsion beam axle. Civic Type R has 2.0 turbo with double wishbone. You're saying?
headaches vs peace of mind
@@PlaAwa Those Civics have a lot of engine issues whereas the Renault has small faults of many kinds. Renault faults are annoying, Honda faults force you to rebuild your engine. Lesson here is that image is not reality.
@@totuudentorvi7781 I haven't owned a Honda, but I'm surprised to hear this allegation. I get the very strong impression that they're very reliable. I guess this can align with what you're saying if you mean that things rarely go wrong, but if they do, it's something big. I'd take this further and suggest that some Honda drivers abuse their cars because they are too exciting (engine-wise... VTEC etc.). I've never had one because they're actually a bit boring to me in a way (not quirky enough, I guess) but I do have a Megane and I have a slight bee in my bonnet because parts are hard to come by in Australia and there's also not much info on the web about them compared to Japanese cars and their associated communities and vast aftermarket parts suppliers. I also kinda like the idea of being forced to rebuild an engine, especially with new cars, which you sort of have to wait until the warranty runs out for before having a bit of a tinker or changing the internals.
@@PlaAwa The exploding engines in Hondas are specifically the newer gen turbo gasoline engines. Everything made prior to them was very durable. The Type-R engines of the turbocharged generations are very troublesome and it doesn't take long to learn about the issues if you simply google them.
I've found over the last few years I prefer older cars. I've been watching for a Mégane rs250 for a few months, unmodified if possible but wouldn't mind an exhaust. I love the look of a 3 door car and for me fuel economy doesn't matter.
I've been driving a BMW 645ci for the last few months and it's averaging the same fuel economy as my previous facelift ford focus st250, 24mpg for both. Both oddly are worse than my old ford focus st225 which sat at 26mpg and could hit 30mpg if driven carefully.
On the motorway the BMW maxed out at 31mpg, the st250 max out at 29mpg, while the st225 hit 33mpg on a couple of occasions for me.
I loved my 645ci!
You won't be disappointed with a mk3. Although a cheap interior, they drive absolutely amazing! Try getting a cup if you can with the lsd gearbox.
@@DirtyI30N I recently purchased a 19 plate I30N , amazing car 👌🏻
@bestcrazyboy8487 I'm on my 2nd one now! Honestly never known a car have so much character! Enjoy it bud.
@@JayEmmOnCars My 645ci is a beast of a car. I bought one that had a cat back system on it and it sounds phenomenal, it has a mix of an American and European V8 sound.
The effortless power and torque gives a completely different feeling from my previous turbo power cars. It needs work done to the engine but so it's still not 100% but the car accelerating is an event.
It's 6 1sts for me: 1st BMW, 1st auto, 1st V8, 1st rear drive, 1st car over 300hp and 1st naturally aspirated petrol. Love that car so far and it's not even in top condition yet.
Or if you want a more capacious family car, consider one of the BMW 3-series Tourings (aka estates) in 3-litre twin-turbo form - whether the diesel if you want mountains of torque (and 300+ bhp and 40mpg+ economy) , or petrol if you want top end power. And best if all - if you can afford it, an M3 Touring.
Sure, but those are very different for driving. Not very sporty feeling at all.
Easy answer, people bought a Golf R or I30 N
Yippee, my Dacia has a sporting pedigree. It shares the same door mirrors. 😆
I comprehensively disagree, Jayemm! The first shape Renault Sport Megane (the butt one!) is definitely the best looker. I think that version of the Megane is a timeless, classic design. It still holds up brilliantly today. Just saying... 😉
the 3rd gen rs 260 - 275s are much more reliablle, and better cars overall built for a purpose
done 245k kms on mine original gearbox engine and clutch still going strong after 50 track days only had minor issues , tuned stage 1 and pulls hard and nothing has broken
Just get an F20 M135i or M140i. 4 door. Look even better than the 2 door and way more practical. A 3 litre inline 6 turbo. Now that's an engine.
I’ve owned an m135i and a post facelift 300 Trophy and they aren’t really competitors. One is a GT shaped like a hatch and the other is a lunatic…. shaped like a hot hatch 😂
@@jamesstanley7263 exactly right.
And it won't fall to bits inside two weeks
How does it compare to a Civic Type R Fk8 from a driving point of view ?
Still seems a lot of money to be wilfully different. I'd much rather have a tidy late mk7.5 Golf R, with better performance, interior and daily-driveability
why would you buy french nissan over a GTI or a Type R. I mean unless you like unreliable depreciating cars.
I had a 300 Trophy EDC. A bit too much for the Road really. It was incredibly good but at the speeds it actually started to move around a bit were far too high to have any fun (sensibly, morally and legally at least!) on the road. Kept within the speed limits it was just annoying. Harsh ride, rattles, poor visibility (as touched on in your review), popping farty exhaust, crap stereo (even though mine had Bose) and never quite felt 300 horses strong. Saying that though, find the right road, away from prying eyes there’s few things that would entertain and exhilarate as much as one. I had many memorable drives in the small hours of the morning, aided by the best headlights in any car I’ve ever driven.
Yes, the headlights are incredible!
@ yes it’s almost as if the engineers working on it fitted them with a wry smile knowing that they’d created the perfect car for late night blasts.
Nooo! You've over looked the best French hot hatch. Peugeot 308 GTi 2015-21. I have one and its 1200 kilos, 272bhp from a 1.6 litre engine and drives like a go cart. Only 700 left on UKs roads so rare as hens teeth. I have one that you can review if you want to make a fair comparison
@@ianhartley6253 think there's only 200 308 GTis left, only 1 on auto trader the other day
@@LS-hl1yilooking on the How Many Left website it says 713 but yes not many are up for sale but totally underrated
Good daily?
Yeah it is, I daily the exact same spec
I was born on the wrong side of the water.
Why is the Focus ST MK4 always forgotten
All well and good, however, my nephew had one with the big arse, and that aside, it had a notable interior, which lit up like a Christmas tree at night. The other thing it had in abundance, was a never ending list of both mechanical and electrical gremlins, which left the vehicle either dead, or in limp mode. The workshop where they had purchased it from new, knew so little about it, I would have been an expert. Worse still, the importer, once they had their hands on the car, would hang onto it for 2 months, and on collection, it was clear that nothing had been done to it. Finally, after a long sabbatical of 7 months with the importers, and with no possible cure, short of an expensive exorcism, they sold the car back for a considerable loss. Had they been aware of Australian consumer law, they should have been entitled to their money back in full. Yet they did not, and this is now the state of play for Renault's in Australia. A market they had only just returned to, after an absence of many years.
The first gen you either loved or hated its looks, the second gen is to me a giant styling mistake. Totally unwatchable; yet, it was appreciated. The third is both imposing, sporty, and elegant. And, it's nowhere to be seen. Why?!? Just: why?!?
low sales as mentioned in vid, probs due to unimpressive history/genealogy. i think the 2 gen was also nice looking, like the veloster but slightly better
Looked at these but went with a Mk 7.5 Performance. Didn't like the interior.
Nearly bought one of these but chose a Focus ST 2023 in the end
I’ve seen about 3 of the focus ST since they came out. Or I think I have. You’re hard pressed to tell the difference between the ST and 1.6 diesel.
@@Phil-q7h sleepers are good
Nope a mk2 Focus RS please.😍
TY J 🙏🙏
I think the styling lets it down. You could hardly call it pretty, the badge is too big, and it doesn't look aggressive either. Then there is the Renault reputation for unreliability (although that is a mostly untrue assumption)
All the other except honda have same shells as boggo spec. Megane has wide arches, which makesnit distinctly rs.
these actually look much better in the flesh, especially the black ultime version.
Ok, you got me, I want one...
Don't. You know deep down it's made of paperclips and blue tack.
Do yourself a favour, save a bit longer and get German or Japanese
@@UmbertoDavidPanda or even better... korean
@@PlaAwa I mean ... ok. an i30n would be more reliable than this I'm sure...and probably just as fun 🤷♂️ wouldn't be my first pick but I'd definitely have it above this heap of plastic
@@UmbertoDavidPanda yeah i've personally got my eye on what's known as the latest i30 sedan, which is known as the elantra elsewhere. I prefer the shark-nose looks compared to the hatch. and the fastback is nothing to complain about either. i'd even be happy with the 1.6T in the 'n line' if i couldn't afford the N, and the former even has the nicer looking wheels for the factory although the latter has a bunch of extra desirables including all the extra chassis welds.
@@UmbertoDavidPanda Having had several French cars, I've got to disagree with you. Their engineering solutios are innovative, and I was a design engineer in a previous life.. Eg, my Citroen Xantia Activa may not have been the fastest in a straight line, but around bends it left everything that was too close up my arse.. My current Renault Scenic is a great family car, and has cubby holes under each floor pan and the rear seats, and you can take the rear seats out to make it into a van... Does anything German or Japanese do that? Mind you, I'm tempted to replace it with a Golf R, but a Peugeot RCZ R is a temptation, as is a Civic Type R...
Basically, don't claim a nation maes the best cars, because if you did, maybe it would be a Korean Kia with a seven year warranty...
These are so expensive compare to the usual other suspects!
You really have to LOVE them to own these
Much prefer the previous RS2656/275. The chassis was better sorted. It didn't have the wanky RWS- you know it was wank when it was the first thing they took off for the Trophy R 😄 Previous car was a real hot hatch. The 280/300's are ersatz GTI's. 😁
RWS isn't wank as you put it, it's actually really good.
you might have 'wank' and 'weight' confused