Renault is a brand on the up. The recent launches of the Kadjar and Captur crossovers have proved highly successful in both retail and company car markets, helping to bring a much-needed resurgence in popularity for the French firm.

Now it's time for one of its biggest sellers, the Megane, to make its UK comeback. A grand total of 6.6 million Meganes have been sold in Europe since it was first launched in 1996, 560,000 of which have found homes here in the UK.

When your biggest rivals are the Ford Focus and Vauxhall Astra, stealing a share of the company car limelight can be quite a challenge. However, generous equipment levels and a decent-size boot enable the fourth generation of the Megane hatchback to stand out, and it's also arguably better looking than its mainstream rivals too, featuring a wide front end and striking new lighting signature.

There's a choice of six trims. We've picked the Megane in mid-range Dynamique S, and there's a whole host of equipment available for the £20,345 P11D price. Among the highlights are satnav, 17-inch alloys, a reversing camera, dual-zone climate control, upgraded sound system, stylish ambient lighting, automatic lights, and a portrait-style 8.7-inch touchscreen infotainment system.

Interior quality, however, despite a substantial uplift in this latest model, still lags behind the Focus and Peugeot 308 hatchbacks somewhat with a few cheap plastics lurking. Longer and lower than the car it replaces, space up front is plentiful, although legroom is still restricted in the rear.

Engine-wise, there's a choice of two petrol and two diesels. For the best in terms of running costs, the 1.5-litre diesel is the one to pick with an official combined fuel economy of 74.3mpg and the lowest CO2 emissions of the range at 96g/km, slotting the hatchback into a 19% BIK tax band for the current 2016/17 tax year.

To drive, the Megane is composed and comfortable over long distances, and the smooth diesel offers 110hp plus 260Nm of torque, which proves excellent at cruising speeds, albeit feeling a little underpowered when you want to overtake or gain speeds quickly on the motorway; the 0-62mph sprint officially takes 11.3 seconds, the slowest of the five cars selected here.

Although it's the newest in our list, disappointingly, SMR and fuel costs are not as competitive as we'd expect, and despite an uplift in residual values over the outgoing model, the Megane still lags a little behind the competition with its 29.6% figure. Whole-life costs of 46.8p better the Focus at 47.6p, though, and are only slightly higher than the Honda Civic's 45.7p.

Although not class-leading in any of the key cost metrics, the Megane has some key strengths, making it a worthwhile consideration in this overcrowded segment. Its stylish looks and generous equipment levels are among its biggest selling points.

RVs: 29.6%/£6025

8.8% uplift over previous generation, but still lags behind most of its main rivals

Fuel costs: £4010

Not the worst of the five but fuel consumption is still quite high

SMR: £1976

SMR is costly, despite the car offering one of the longest service intervals

To read the latest road test of the Renault Megane click here

Ford Focus - CPM 47.6p

Ford's Focus has been the biggest-selling company car for many years now and it's not difficult to see why. It's the Ronseal of the automotive world, and there are few cars that will tick as many boxes.

That said, the new Vauxhall Astra and Renault Megane significantly close the gap on running costs, with both cars achieving better whole-life costs.They're cheaper than the Focus's P11D value too.

Hugely practical and accomplished to drive, the Focus's well-weighted steering and excellent ride quality make it an ideal motorway commuter, plus the 1.5-litre diesel here is smooth and refined. It's arguably the blandest in terms of the design of the five cars, though, and doesn't come as well equipped either, missing out on parking sensors and automatic lights and wipers as standard.

RVs: 31.0%/£6674

Decent RVs only bettered by the Vauxhall Astra and Honda Civic

Fuel costs: £4123

According to official figures, the Focus is the thirstiest on fuel

SMR: £2072

Disappointing SMR costs make the Focus most expensive here

To read the latest review of the Ford Focus click here