Renault Megane

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At a glance

Who is the Renault Megane for?

Families whose cases wouldn't fit a 208 but who don't need the newer 308's auto gearbox — older generation, bigger boot than most rivals, easier on the wallet.

• Families of four
• TIV-to-Budva-and-back weeks
• Drivers happy with a manual

The Renault Megane out of Tivat Airport

Behind the wheel

The Megane on rental at Tivat Airport is still the outgoing fourth-generation car — not the narrow E-Tech electric crossover that replaced it, but the conventional C-segment hatch. The 1.5 Blue dCi 115 diesel is the long-distance pick; the 1.3 TCe 140 petrol is the keener urban choice. Both come with a six-speed manual or Renault's EDC dual-clutch auto, and both feel plushly damped for the segment — the ride is softer than a 308's and the cabin is quieter at 130 km/h by a useful margin. The driving position is conventional and comfortable for tall drivers, the seats are better than the photographs suggest, and the portrait touchscreen works without fuss.

On Tivat Airport routes

The routes out of Tivat Airport suit the Megane's strengths. The coastal road Tivat–Budva–Bar–Ulcinj flows in a way the firmer-suspended rivals do not — the damping soaks up the patched tarmac past Petrovac and the diesel torque covers overtakes past slow tour buses without drama. The Budva–Bar expressway is its comfort zone; set cruise at 120, let the engine loaf at 1,700 rpm, watch the gauge sit under 4.5 L/100 km. The Vrmac tunnel descent is handled without complaint, though the 4,360 mm length shows at the tightest two corners. The Morača canyon up to Kolašin benefits from the diesel's mid-range pull.

Space and load

The 434-litre boot is among the largest in the class and the square shape is genuinely useful for a Tivat Airport collection. Three large cases and two cabin bags fit flat with room for a day-bag on top; fold the rear bench for 1,247 litres and a full Durmitor camping kit for two — tent, mats, 60-litre packs, stove, cool-box — travels without stacking. Beach gear for four at Plavi Horizonti fits seats-up. A wedding party's garment bags laid across the rear seats arrive uncreased for a Sveti Stefan ceremony. For a hatch collected at TIV it is properly practical and closer to an estate than the dimensions suggest.

Best journeys from TIV

The Megane is the pick for TIV travellers whose Montenegro is about distance. Couples on a twelve- or fourteen-day tour that crosses regions — Tivat, Kotor Bay, Budva, Ulcinj, Skadar Lake, Kolašin, Žabljak, back — and wants a car that is as calm on day one as day twelve. It suits business travellers on a three-day Podgorica–Bar–Tivat circuit who value a quiet cabin on the motorway. It also works as a cross-border car for a weekend run to Dubrovnik or Mostar with real luggage. It is more car than a Kotor-only coastal couple collecting at TIV needs.

Practical notes

Real-world diesel consumption is 4.3 L/100 km at a steady 120 km/h and 5.0 in mixed driving; the 50-litre tank delivers past 1,100 km in gentle use, more than any single Montenegro day asks. Petrol returns closer to 6.0. Parking is workable at 4.36 m — Kotor bastion-gate bays accept it with care, the Budva pedestrian-zone perimeter treats it as standard, and Porto Montenegro valet is uneventful. Front-wheel drive on all-season rubber handles coastal winter cleanly; chains are legally required for Žabljak and Kolašin November–March and genuinely useful in a heavy January. Summer AC is strong with rear vents that matter on four-up Ulcinj trips in August.

The verdict

Pick the Megane from the TIV rank when the brief is long-distance calm and a big hatch boot. Skip it if your week is entirely inside Kotor Bay or if you specifically want the tighter character of a 208 or 308.

Inside the car

• Large Boot
• Bluetooth Audio
• Cruise Control
• Parking Sensors