The diesel engine offers some respite over the thirstier petrol model, costing just a few hundred pounds more when new, but bringing a near 20% improvement in fuel consumption. However, Renaultsport Meganes will depreciate at a faster rate than most rivals, so you have to be sure to get a good discount if buying new.

The Megane hot hatch performs reasonably on the eco front. With an average of 191g/km CO2 across the range, its emissions are fairly standard for a performance hatchback – helped by the presence of a diesel engine.

Renault has a patchy record for reliability, typically because of electrical faults and some bad customer experiences for unhelpful dealers when problems have been encountered. The company has resolved to improve reliability going forward, so we hope customers are faring better than those in the recent past.