Our Fleet Test Drive: Renault Megane Sport Tourer - 9th Report
Date:
14 May 2010
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Author: Guy Bird
satnav screen
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Category: | Estate | P11D price: | £19,350 (est.) | Key rival: | Ford Focus Estate | |
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As a long-standing advocate of 'voice choice' on satnav - beyond the limited 'newsreader-posh English' male or female options - it's been heartening to see how far the TomTom system on the Megane Sport Tourer has taken things.
Click the voice preferences button and literally a world of options unfolds from Katrina (New Zealand) to Astrid from Sweden. I've gone for Kathy from Ireland as her soft brogue makes even distressing phrases such as "please make a U-turn where possible" somehow more palatable.
Another example is the start-up screen for the satnav that in standard form is just an advert for Renault and TomTom but which can also be customised to a picture of your choice - just like on a laptop screen. Currently I've got the soothing vista of a tropical bright blue sea.
Beyond the undoubted novelty I'm convinced both have genuine safety knock-on benefits through less stressed drivers. In fact all-round, the Megane Sport Tourer is continuing to impress with its extra 'second glance' flexible function. Just the other day I found a hidden storage area under the driver's footwell - a neat detail and a good surprise - only because the car valet had left the car mat loose.
Renault Megane Sport Tourer 1.5dCi TomTom 5dr 6spd manual | Mileage | 3087 | Claimed combined consumption | 62.8mpg | Our average consumption | 41.7mpg | P11D price | £20,060 | Model price range | £14,935-£22,285 | CO2 (tax) | 120g/km/13% | BIK 20/40% per month | £43/£87 | Service interval | up to 18,000mls/2yrs | Insurance | group 6 | Warranty | 3yrs/60,000mls | Boot space (min/max) | 486/1567 litres | Engine size/power | 1461cc/106PS | Top speed/0-62mph | 118mph/11.2secs | Why we’re running it | To see if downsizing estates can really work | Positive | Satnav, interior detail, economy, ride | Negative | Odd locking, left-hand drive bias, engine |
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