Renault Megane

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At a glance

Who is this car for?

A family of four with full-size cases that wouldn't fit in a 208's boot. Older generation, but the boot beats most of what the fleet offers.

• Families of four
• Airport transfers
• Long-distance tours

The Renault Megane on Montenegro roads

Behind the wheel

The Megane on rental in Montenegro is still the outgoing fourth-generation car — not the narrow E-Tech electric crossover that replaced it, but the conventional C-segment hatch. The 1.5 Blue dCi 115 diesel is the long-distance pick; the 1.3 TCe 140 petrol is the keener urban choice. Both come with a six-speed manual or Renault’s EDC dual-clutch auto, and both feel plushly damped for the segment — the ride is softer than a 308’s and the cabin is quieter at 130 km/h than the Peugeot equivalent by a useful margin. The driving position is conventional and comfortable for tall drivers, the seats are better than the photographs suggest, and the portrait touchscreen works without fuss.

On Montenegro roads

Montenegro plays well to the Megane’s strengths. The coastal road Tivat–Budva–Bar–Ulcinj flows in a way the firmer-suspended rivals do not — the damping soaks up the patched tarmac past Petrovac and the diesel torque covers overtakes past slow tour buses without drama. The Bar–Podgorica motorway is its comfort zone; set cruise at 120, let the engine loaf at 1,700 rpm, watch the economy gauge sit under 4.5 L/100 km. The Kotor–Lovćen hairpins are handled without complaint, though the 4,360 mm length shows at the tightest two corners. The Morača canyon up to Kolašin and the Tara bridge detour down to the gorge both benefit from the diesel’s mid-range pull — overtaking a camper on a short straight is a one-downshift affair.

Space and load

The 434-litre boot is among the largest in the class and the square shape is genuinely useful. Three large cases and two cabin bags fit flat with room for a day-bag on top; fold the rear bench for 1,247 litres and a full Durmitor camping kit for two — tent, mats, two 60-litre packs, stove and cool-box — travels without stacking. Beach gear for four at Velika Plaža fits seats-up. A wedding party’s garment bags laid across the rear seats arrive uncreased for a Sveti Stefan ceremony. For a hatch it is properly practical and closer to an estate than the dimensions suggest.

Best journeys for this car

The Megane is the pick for travellers whose Montenegro is about distance. Couples on a twelve- or fourteen-day tour that crosses regions — Herceg Novi, Kotor Bay, Budva, Ulcinj, Skadar Lake, Kolašin, Žabljak, back — and wants a car that is as calm on day one as day twelve. It suits business travellers on a three-day Podgorica–Bar–Tivat circuit who value a quiet cabin on the motorway. It also works as a cross-border car for a weekend run to Dubrovnik or Mostar with real luggage. It is more car than a Kotor-only coastal couple needs, and the boot goes unused on shore excursions.

Practical notes

Real-world diesel consumption is 4.3 L/100 km at a steady 120 km/h and 5.0 in mixed driving; the 50-litre tank delivers past 1,100 km in gentle use, more than any single Montenegro day asks. Petrol returns closer to 6.0 in real use. Parking is workable at 4.36 m — Kotor’s bastion-gate bays accept it with care, Budva’s pedestrian-zone perimeter treats it as standard size, and Porto Montenegro valet is uneventful. Front-wheel drive on all-season rubber handles coastal winter cleanly; chains are legally required for Žabljak and Kolašin passes between November and March and genuinely useful in heavy January snow. Summer AC is strong with rear vents that matter on four-up trips to Ulcinj in August.

The verdict

Pick the Megane when the brief is long-distance calm and a big hatch boot. Skip it if your week is entirely inside Kotor Bay or if you specifically want the tighter, tauter character of a 208 or 308.

Full specification

Inside the car

• Large Boot
• Bluetooth Audio
• Cruise Control
• Parking Sensors