W2B-033 Car matters-4.txt
He likes it
YOU 'VE seen the annual Ulster motor show, now see the one that runs all year round - that's the message from Peter Gordon of Charles Hurst Group.
New cars at Hurst's include the Renault Megane - read the great review here from Stephen Sutcliffe of Autocar magazine - the Nissan Almera and the Citroen Saxo.

Not to mention the rover 200 series, which according to Hurst's Gavin Martin is the most successful Rover ever.

And the Almera isn't far behind - according to Richard Sholdis of Hurst's Nassa division, it's fitting nicely into the gap left by its predecessor, the Sunny.

"The Sunny represented over 40 per cent of our sales every year, and it won't be long before the Almera reaches the same level," he said.
"Everything about it is state of the art, and there's a superb mix of options available from the Equation at £ 12,600 SLX.
"In the middle of the range, for example, you can either choose between the SI with sports seats and CD player for the younger driver, or the GX with standard seats and radio cassette."

YOU'RE going to like the Renault Megane. As a car to drive and own, not as a concept to grasp and croon about.

The Megane, pronounced Meg-aaan, is unarguably the best car in its class alongside the Peugeot 306.

The five-door hatchback, which will account for 70-80 per cant of sales before the other mainstream models appear, is a masterpiece of packaging.

At the very least the Megane competes head on with the best in class in these areas; the old 19 categorically did not.

And from a pure design andergonomic angle, I'd say it sets new standards inside with a brilliant basic driving position, excellent seats, handsome instruments, fresh and exciting shapes around most of the console, and deeply considered ergonomics.

It's the sort of interior you climb into and find the controls naturally, immediately, without searching for them.

It's as least as user friendly as a Fiat Coupe and only a little way short of the Calibra, still the most practical Coupe there is.

If Renault UK's estimates that the hatch will cost little more than its 19 equivalent and that the coupe 'will be very competitive' become reality, we could be looking at a new champ.
