2003 Renault Megane Estate 2.0L 16V Turbo 6MT FWD (163 HP)

Vehicle Overview

One year after the introduction of the Megane’s second generation, Renault also brought the long-roof version for it, which was known as the Megane Estate.

With an increased demand for station wagons in the compact segment, Renault felt obliged to provide one since the Megane lineup was such a successful vehicle. But it didn’t rush and took one step at a time and brought the hatchback first. The Estate came in 2003.

With its angular lines, the second generation of the Megane marked a clear departure from its predecessor. The front fascia resembled a pair of wings, with the grille and the headlights following the same lines. In the middle, the bird-beak styling element supported the chromed badge. The lower bumper received an additional grille flanked by the optional foglamps to soften the angular shapes. For the station wagon version, Renault created a sportier look than just a regular family hauler. Its roof line was slightly sloped-down. Furthermore, the third row of windows was narrowed at the back before the D-pillars.

Inside, the carmaker introduced better materials than its predecessor, while the instrument cluster received a clean design with two large dials for the speedometer and tachometer. Moreover, an LCD took center stage between them. On the center stack, the carmaker added a silver plastic trim that surrounded the stereo and the climate control unit, while the slot for the keycard was placed lower, just above the center console. Thanks to the almost flat floor, the car provided enough room for five passengers. The split-folding bench allowed the customers to increase the trunk space from 521 liters (18.4 cu-ft) to 1600 liters (56.5 cu-ft).

Under the hood, Renault installed a wide choice of engines ranging between 1.4- and 2.0-liter, either with gasoline or direct-fuel injected turbo-diesels. For specific versions, the French carmaker installed a four-speed automatic transmission.