Opel Astra sedan vs Renault Megane. Intellectuals

 

Both the Opel Astra and the Renault Megane have been in demand on our market for a long time. But while the Megane sedan is no longer a rarity, the Astra has only recently acquired such a body. Let's compare these two cars.

Opel Astra Price: $20,300 On sale: 2007
Renault Megane Price: $19,380 On sale: 2005

 

Today, the Renault Megane is one of the best-selling cars in Europe. It also enjoys well-deserved popularity here. And why be surprised! Unconventional looks, a spacious interior, and an adequate price — all this made the "Frenchman" at home on Russian soil. And when the sedan appeared, there were even more people wanting to own such a practical and, to some extent, prestigious car. But then the Astra sedan appeared on the market. The Astra, the one that for a long time was associated exclusively with the weaker half of humanity, now also claims the role of a solid sedan for an intelligent person.

No one needs to be convinced that the Astra and Megane are stylish cars. Of course, one could debate which is more attractive and pleasing to the eye, but in this case, we are more interested in the inner world, not the shell. Looks are looks, but we spend most of our time in the car, not next to it. In general, let's tear open the packaging and move on to the contents.

Let's start, perhaps, with the Astra. It's clear that nothing new has appeared here compared to the Astra hatchback. The Germans can be accused for a long time of conservatism, of not wanting to follow the latest trends in global automotive fashion, but you won't be able to accuse them of a lack of quality. Natural pedantry forces them to fuss over even the smallest detail until it becomes a masterpiece of production culture. In this regard, even an ordinary bicycle from World War II will be better than one made today, but not in Germany. Not to mention cars! That is why the Astra's interior looks much richer than the Megane's. The latter also doesn't suffer from a lack of production culture, but the materials in the Opel are selected with greater care.

But the Megane is more understandable from an ergonomics standpoint. There's no need to think about what to press to switch the tuner from one radio station to another or to properly organize air flows in the cabin. Everything is extremely simple and clear. The Astra is much more sophisticated and complex in this regard. Plus, the interior of the "German" is not as spacious as it could be. This is understandable because the Opel is narrower than the Renault, so in the Megane, the feeling of elbow room is not as acute as in the Astra. But that's in the front, what about the back? The second row in both cars is quite spacious. The large wheelbase, in both cases, allowed rear passengers to be seated comfortably without difficulty. But in terms of trunk volume, the Megane is preferable to the Astra. It has not only a larger opening but also a larger volume. Not by much, of course, but still 520 liters is more than 490. And the lid is easier to handle on the Megane, as it has an opening handle. The Astra doesn't have one, so you have to open the lid either with the corresponding button from the cabin or with the key. But a drawback of both cars is that neither has a handle on the inside for closing the lid.

The Astra and Megane were equipped with automatic transmissions. Both had four speeds, but the Renault's gearbox allowed you to intervene in its operation and shift gears in sequential mode, while the Opel's did not. However, the Astra had a certain magic button on the center console with the encouraging inscription "sport." Once activated, the gearbox instantly shifted to a gear where the engine speed at that speed was close to maximum torque. The roar of the engine in the cabin at such moments is serious, but the car is ready to "shoot" at any moment.

Still, it's more pleasant to drive on our roads in the Megane. Suspension, suspension, and again suspension. For the Megane, potholes and bumps seem not to exist. The car literally floats over all this mess. The Astra is also comfortable in this regard, but it's better to brake before obstacles. Of course, it will also swallow a pothole or easily fly over tram tracks, but you'll know about it. However, the stiffer suspension gives the Astra slightly better handling and stability. This is especially felt in long corners. In such modes, the Megane is prone to rear axle drift, and you need to be ready for that.

Opel Astra

It seems that with the advent of the Opel Astra sedan, the ranks of fans of this model will become even denser, because a car with such a body almost immediately moved from the category of women's cars to the camp of family sedans. The Astra will please its owner with a high level of execution, rich equipment, and an interesting design.

Driving
With the appropriate engine, the car can satisfy even a seasoned driver with its driving characteristics.

Interior
Well-tailored, masterfully stitched, quite spacious, but for four. The spacious trunk is quite comparable
with other cars in this class.

Comfort
Good sound insulation, decent acoustics, comfortable seats, everything is at the level.

Safety
The base configuration consists of two airbags.

Price
Acceptable.


Renault Megane

The avant-garde design of the Megane hatchback was received with enthusiasm in Europe. In our latitudes, the sedan has taken root more. The car won over Russians with good driving characteristics, a spacious and interesting interior in terms of design, and, of course, an exceptional suspension. Among the model's advantages, it's worth noting the high level of safety.

Driving
During sharp lane changes, a slight rear axle drift occurs. Dynamics and the braking system deserve a good rating.

Interior
Spacious and cozy. The owner will also be pleased with the spacious trunk.

Comfort
At a decent level and corresponds to the class of the car. The suspension deserves special praise.

Safety
At the level. The base configuration includes six airbags. Highest rating in the Euro NCAP test.

Price
Corresponds.


Data bank

Dimensions, weight

 

	OPEL ASTRA	RENAULT MEGANE
Curb weight, kg	1306	1250
Gross weight, kg	1830	1800
Length, mm	4587	4498
Width, mm	1753	1777
Height, mm	1458	1460
Wheelbase, mm	2703	2686
Trunk volume, l	490	520

Dynamics

	OPEL ASTRA	RENAULT MEGANE
Maximum speed, km/h	188	184
Acceleration time to 100 km/h, s	11.7	13.1
Control fuel consumption city cycle, l/100 km	10.7	10.7
Control fuel consumption highway, l/100 km	6.4	6.0

Technical

	OPEL ASTRA	RENAULT MEGANE
Engine type	petrol, inline, 4-cylinder	petrol, inline, 4-cylinder
Valves per cylinder	4	4
Engine displacement, cc	1796	1598
Power, hp at rpm	140/6300	115/6000
Torque, Nm at rpm	175/3800	151/4250
Transmission	4-speed automatic	4-speed automatic
Drive	front	front
Front suspension	independent	independent
Rear suspension	independent	independent
Front brakes	disc, ventilated	disc, ventilated
Rear brakes	disc	disc
Steering	rack and pinion	rack and pinion
Front tire size	205/55R16	205/55R16
Rear tire size	205/55R16	205/55R16
Fuel tank capacity, l	52	60

Our verdict

In terms of exterior design, the Opel Astra sedan seemed less interesting to us than the Renault Megane, but the interior of the Astra, especially the design of the front panel, is more stylish. The trim materials are also more carefully selected. However, the Megane, with similar dimensions, is more spacious. As for driving characteristics, these cars can be placed on the same level, with the only caveat that the Renault Megane's suspension is more comfortable, while the Opel Astra, thanks to a more powerful engine, is more dynamic.