Renault Megane Ultime review

This car has developed a cult following with car enthusiasts but unfortunately its time is coming to an end. Thankfully its maker is sending it out with a bang.

2023 Renault Megane RS Ultime.

Renault has called time on turbocharged hatchbacks, and the new Renault Megane RS Ultime will be the last car offered by the brand’s performance car arm.

Ultime means au revoir

There will never be another high-performance Renault. Not as we know them, anyway.

Renault’s Megane RS Ultime represents the end of an era.

Renault Sport has stopped building turbocharged hatchbacks, electing to sign off decades of fun-loving compact cars with a final spin in the Megane RS.

Limited to 1976 examples around the world – a nod to the year of its origin – the last Megane represents one of the most potent front-wheel-drive cars on the road.

Just 40 are coming to Australia, many of which will be snapped up by collectors.

The Megane RS Ultime is the final hot hatch from Renault.

It rights some of Renault’s wrongs

The fourth-generation Megane RS was a case study in how not to launch a car.

Renault slashed warranties from five to three years and deleted desirable features such as Recaro Seats, Michelin tyres and the titanium Akrapovič exhaust of previous models.

Third-generation Renault Megane RS models won critical acclaim.

Once-standard elements such as lightweight alloys, a limited-slip differential and track-honed “Cup” suspension became optional extras, and divisive four-wheel-steering technology drew plenty of criticism back in 2018.

The fourth-generation Megane RS received a lukewarm reception in 2018.

Rival brands including Honda, Toyota, VW and even Hyundai snatched market share.

Later examples of the Megane fixed many of those flaws with a sharper focus and more equipment, including the Recaro sports seats, lightweight alloys and high-performance tyres of this Ultime.

The Megane RS Ultime is available with a manual or automatic transmission.

The Megane is great to drive

Renault Sport’s last cars represent a return to form.

Unashamedly focused, this Megane has an engaging combination of grip and agility that encourages you to approach corners in a way that isn’t advisable in most sportscars.

Huge brakes and fat tyres help you attack the entry of a corner before the rear-steer kicks in to help the car find an apex.

Renault’s hot hatchbacks shine on a circuit.

It then rewards early commitment to the throttle with turbocharged torque and outstanding traction thanks to a limited-slip diff.

Factor in the rally car theatrics of the snappiest paddle-shift transmission in a sub-$100,000 car and you have a hot hatch that delivers rare thrills.

The Ultime delivers a drive to remember.

But is far from perfect

There is still room for improvement. The suspension is punishingly firm the gear shift paddles are awkwardly fixed to the steering column, rather than the back of the steering wheel.

We experienced electrical gremlins in our time with the car, and a quick search suggests that many owners have had issues with an undersized battery in late-model Meganes.

There’s also the small – or large – matter of its asking price, which is about $73,000 drive-away in manual trim or $76,000 for the auto tested here. That’s big money.

Renault Sport’s first Australian offering was a 2.0-litre Clio.

There will be another chapter

Renault has not turned its back on performance cars altogether. Having re-branded its Formula 1 team from the yellow of Renault to Alpine blue, the company says “Alpine, Renault Group’s sports car brand, will write the next chapters in this story”.

The Renault 5 electric car could have a hot hatch spin-off.

Expect to see Alpine-fettled fast cars in the future, including hot hatchbacks for the electric age.

Engineers trying to invoke the spirit of Renault Sport have a tough task on the road ahead.

Originally published as Renault Megane Ultime review