This is going to be a test between two station wagons, which are incredibly popular in the Netherlands.
The Renault Megane Estate and the Skoda Octavia Combi. Both are in the top 20 on the sales list...
and both cars have similar sales numbers. Also, the Renault Megane has some new engines available.
We've got the new 1.3-litre, producing 160 horsepower,
to see how they hold up against each other.
The Megane Estate just might be the best looking estate...
in the C-segment. Usually, the rear lights on estate cars tend to look a bit weird,
but they look just as good as on the Megane hatchback.
Also, the side profile looks pretty good. But what's the most important part on an estate car?
How much can fit in the back. In the Megane, there's room for 521 litres of luggage,
which is very average for this segment. I'm alright in here and I'm 1,81.
There's enough headroom and enough legroom, but that's it.
The Skoda Octavia is a very straightforward car, something we Dutchies like very much,
because the Skoda Octavia sells just as well as the Megane Estate. As long as the Skoda Octavia has been around,
more than 20 years now to be exact, the Octavia always was about spaciousness.
That's quite the achievement, because it's still based on the Golf-platform.
So, is it spacious? Yep. More leg- and headroom than in the Megane...
and behind me is room for 610 litres of luggage.
The turbocharged 1.3-litre is a 4-cylinder engine and it's been developed with the help of Mercedes-Benz.
That means this Megane is powered by the same petrol engine...
that powers the new Mercedes A-Class. The A200 actually has this engine.
So, it's a turbocharged 1.3-litre producing 160 horsepower. We already knew the Scenic-version,
which was a 1.3-litre producing 140 horsepower. We thought that was powerful enough,
but this 160 horsepower is a very nice addition.
Especially if you consider the fact that if you wanted a petrol Megane...
you could only get a 130 horsepower version, or a GT with 205 horsepower.
A GT Estate really. Now the spread between engines feels more logical.
They've filled the gap nicely. The old 1.2-litre TCe producing 130 horsepower is gone.
You can now choose between a 1.3-litre with 130 or 160 horsepower.
It's a very pleasant and bitey engine, with lots of power in lower revs.
I already mentioned the GT, and there's such a big difference between...
the chassis of a GT and the normal Megane, which we're driving right now.
The normal Megane has quite a lot of travel, pretty soft dampers, distant steering...
It's all clearly aimed at comfort, but you don't get a lot of feedback.
The handling is pretty good, and when it's in position in a corner,
it can corner easily. If you encounter imperfections or something however,
because it can become a little twitchy.
Anyway, when it comes to nice and flat motorways, this car is incredibly comfortable.
The engine is very quiet, not a lot of wheel noises in the interior...
Renault has really done a good job.
The multimedia controls take a little getting used to. I know my way around it,
because I have driven a lot of kilometres in our Scenic longterm, but everytime I get in,
I still have to search for some features. It's just not very quick either.
Sure, you can swipe, but I wouldn't call it perfect.
A very nice feature in the Renault multimedia systems, is the display.
Especially the available layouts in there. You can choose between different personalities...
with a button in the middle console. If you put it in Sport, the throttle response becomes sharper...
and it sounds a bit different. Other than that, not a lot of differences,
but the graphics are really good. You can see the exact car you're driving.
A white Renault Megane Estate. It even has the same wheels as this car...
and I like that very much. Hats off, Renault.
You can't really call the Skoda Octavia Combi a dynamic car either. It feels very distant, not a lot of feedback...
It offers more feedback in the steering than the Megane though. Also, the springs and dampers are sturdier.
The travel is less as well, so the cars feels more solid.
This particular car is on 18-inch wheels, with flatter tires, and that's something you feel.
As standard, this Style Business-trim comes with 17-inch wheels, which is more comparable with the comfort in the Megane.
As I already said, it feels more solid to drive.
Then, the 1.5-litre TSI 4-cylinder, with cylinder deactivation.
It produces 150 horsepower and it's connected to a DSG.
If you ask me, the DSG-transmission has become lazier over the years.
That's mostly because of the fuel consumption, because it doesn't like changing down.
It tends to let the engine do what it wants, even in lower revs.
If you want it to liven up, and I can imagine that's something you want,
you should put it in S, which makes it more alert.
The gear shifts are very smooth however. Also, the 1.5-litre TSI has proven itself to be very economical,
but I have to say, the Renault-Mercedes 1.3-litre can be very economical as well.
So yeah, it's very straightforward and sober,
and you'll see that in the Skoda-dashboard. It's very straight and amazing when it comes to controls.
You can easily find the thing you're looking for, it's easy to use, so it does that very well.
When it comes to graphics, the Renault has better looking screens.
The layout is better as well. In here, you've got analogue dials in front of you,
instead of a digital instrument cluster. The Skoda has more clever practicalities and such.
Think of an umbrella in the rear, a lot of storage hooks in the boot,
compartments everywhere, a little trash bin in the door...
Those are Skoda's strong points.
The Renault Megane Estate with 160 horsepower and a Bose-trim,
which comes with a lot of stuff as standard, will set you back €29.990.
Ready to drive. If we were to fit it with a double clutch automatic gearbox,
just like the Skoda has, it will cost €32.190.
That's a difference of two grand compared to the Octavia, like it's over there.
A Style Business with a 1.5-litre TSI with DSG.
That will set you back €34.290, so it's a two grand price difference.
It's still a very decent price for which you get a lot of car. But, is the Skoda worth the extra €2.000?
If you're looking for space and practicality, I'd absolutely consider the Skoda.
The biggest advantage from the Octavia over the Megane...
always was the pleasant drivetrain. However, the Megane has made big steps in the right direction.
It's closer than it ever was, and the sales numbers are almost identical as well.
So yeah, the Megane Estate has come very close to the Octavia, with the latter still having a big advantage.
The space.