Renault Modus (04-12) - Review

The Modus can seat four people in adequate comfort and has a sliding rear bench to prioritise luggage space or passenger space. Those in the back get good headroom, but legroom is tight for adults. The rear seats and can switch between offering seating for two or three - two is more comfortable when carrying adults. The Modus has an airy interior but the smaller petrol engines become intrusive when pushed. It rides well for a small car though, coping with most moderate bumps and poor road surfaces without punishing the occupants of the car.

While the Modus is roomy enough for four adults and some luggage, it also offers some ingenious convenience features to ensure it can carry more than you would expect. It can be chosen with a split opening rear hatch for those times when you arrive back at your car to find someone has parked so close that you can't open the boot. The lower section of the tailgate has a panel that is hinged at its base and can be opened downwards. The Modus can also be specified with an integrated bicycle rack which can carry two adult bikes. The front passenger seat on some models also has a stowage facility: part of the cushion folds to form a hollow to hold objects safely while driving and the backrest can also be folded forwards to allow long items to be carried.

Sitting relatively high in the Modus, the driver has an excellent view of the road ahead, while the central instrument binnacle has all the main readouts and dials high on the dashboard. All-round visibility is excellent and the near vertical rear of the car means reversing into supermarket parking spaces is easy. The quality of materials is as good as in the Megane and Clio.