Renault Kangoo III

The Renault Kangoo is known to be the ideal lifestyle minivan for the typical European outdoorsman for almost two decades since the first one was launched in 1997. With the arrival of the third-generation model, the all-new Kangoo is ready to cater to families and small businesses alike with its sharp styling, new interior, new sliding doors, bigger storage space, honest powertrains, and tech. Let's have a quick look at the all-new model.

With prices starting at 25,150 Euros plus additional costs, the third-generation Renault Kangoo delivers the same recipe as its predecessors but with new and interesting ways and means to keep European families and small businesses accommodated for more, unless some wire-wearing Japanese Kangoo fanatics are eavesdropping on almost 10,000km away from Tokyo to Paris, wishing they want to get their hands on this new model.

Starting with the design, the new Kangoo ditches its cutesy round styling from its predecessors in favor of a more conservative approach, which means serious business for one of Europe's most practical high-roof minivans. Serious the design is, the new model is surprisingly bigger than the previous model. It's now 206mm longer, 89mm wider, and 28mm taller than before. Although bigger in size, it's hard to complain about the added practicality the new model delivers and this is where its interior comes into play.

Speaking of the roof, the new Kangoo features innovative roof racks that can turn transversal without effort. Handy if you got something to put some stuff up.

Thanks to its added dimensions, the all-new Kangoo is roomier than the previous model, making this five-seater high-roof minivan more accommodating than ever. Not only the new model works as a family mover, but it can also be an effective workhorse because of its increased boot space, making it capable of doing logistics on a daily basis. In daily life, the new interior is all about working and playing without leaving them dull, but when a day off comes, the new Kangoo shows its practical side, making weekend trips more exciting for typical Europeans spending their weekends elsewhere on the open.

Of course, being set in the new normal, if you're a speedo boy, the touch screen is the one thing you'll be worrying about because there are no buttons on it.

The third-generation Kangoo is offered a choice of TCe and BLUE dCi engines with manual and automatic gearboxes at launch with an electrified version to follow. The most powerful version of the Kangoo is powered by a 1.3L TCe engine producing 130PS of power and 240Nm of torque. With a six-speed manual gearbox, which sounds cheesy for a minivan like this, it does 0-100kph in 12.9 seconds and has a top speed of 183kph. Your Honda Freed and Toyota Sienta can't do that!

In terms of dynamics, the added sizing feels a bit of a letdown for the new Kangoo but in terms of comfort, Renault spent a lot of manpower to deliver its sensible experience families can expect. It's quiet, it's smooth, and overall, not a bad minivan to drive. The only thing you'll be worrying about is your curiosity...and up to 14 driver assistance systems offered on the new Kangoo.

The new Kangoo has reshaped Renault's most practical high roof minivan to the era of the new normal with its bigger sizing, more spacious interior, and added tech. For family trips or for work, this new Kangoo is begging to be driven on European roads, just to show them it's as appropriate as an appropriate associate.

If you have one and enjoyed its practicality, you'd better doublethink before slapping the rear sides with stickers as most Japanese Kangoo owners do. Enjoy!

Photo: Renault

Renault Arkana

First introduced in Russia, the Renault Arkana is a coupe crossover that prefers to speak Russian rather than French because this quirk is made for but after several thoughts and reconsiderations, Renault finally brought the Arkana where it is supposed to belong but with a major twist.

2022 Renault Arkana

The Renault Arkana, priced at 29,700 Euros plus additional costs, finally comes home but with a major twist that differentiates itself from the time we first saw it in Russia. That's right because while it looks almost identical, the mechanicals and the interior have been altered to suit Western Europe, and instead of being imported from Moscow for obvious and subtle reasons, the new Arkana is imported from South Korea.

2022 Renault Arkana

2022 Renault Arkana interior

Yes, the new Arkana is an import from South Korea, where it was known and sold as the Renault Samsung XM3, and judging from the styling, the Arkana is similarly styled just like its Korean relative except for the front face that made the first impression. While the XM3's front face is striking to look at, the Arkana's front face is somewhat milder and more serious to look at.

Come to the interior and you are greeted by the  9.3-inch touch screen that is not friendly for speedo boys if you know what I mean as well as the longer 10.25 TFT display that takes place from the typical speedos. Don't worry, there are knobs for the air-con and that's it. On the passenger side, this five-seater is not bad to make a living out of it and the boot space of up to 513 liters with the secret compartment opened means it can carry anything when taken for a family outing or for business in the case of TNVS or deliveries.

2022 Renault Arkana

Unlike the Arkanas of the East, this Arkana made with the French drivers in mind is powered by two kinds of powertrains such as the 1.3L TCe 140 mated to a 6-speed EDC and the 1,6L E-TECH 145 hybrid mated to a 6-speed automatic gearbox. The former is the quicker one because it can go from 0-100kph in 9.8 seconds and has a top speed of 200kph but the latter is something to talk about. While the top speed is slower than a Japanese car, its fuel efficiency of 4.2L/100km based on NEDC standards is proof that this is the go-getter for those who are going the extra mile.

Of course, the Arkana is a front-wheel-drive-only crossover and cheap but it behaves almost like the Megane in a good way and it's basically not old-fashioned by the way it moves. That's because it runs on the bits and bobs from the Megane rather than the Dacia bits that its Russian equivalent uses.

On the issue of safety, the Arkana is packed with a wide array of safety features such as Highway & Traffic Jam Companion, Adaptive cruise control (with Stop & Go), Active emergency braking system, Blind spot warning, Lane departure warning, and lane guard system, and many others.

Love it or hate it, this is the Arkana that you should be focusing on, not the other way around because now that the Arkana finally hits the European Union as an import from South Korea instead of Russia, there's so much to catch up with Renault's first coupe crossover that got them noticed.

Photo: Renault

Project CARS 3: Etincelle de Renault

If there's one French carmaker that knows about motorsport more than anyone, it's going to be Renault. From the Formula 1 track to the Rallycross, this French carmaker's known to have some serious motorsport resume, and in Project CARS 3, the two stars of Groupe Renault, the Renaultsport Megane, and the Alpine A110 are here to shine on the track.

We begin with the Renaultsport Megane IV, the latest itineration of Renaultsport's flagship hot hatch designed to take on the likes of the Honda Civic Type R. Powered by a 1.8L turbo engine producing 280PS of power and 390Nm of torque, it's the most powerful Renaultsport vehicle ever made, and it can be mated to either a manual or an EDC gearbox. It features a reworked chassis that takes advantage of its efficiency, agility, stability, and comfort as well as its 4CONTROL four-wheel steering system and four bump-stop shock absorbers. Legend has it that its stripped-off version claimed the Nurburgring front-wheel drive crown at the time of 7:40.1, faster than the Honda Civic Type R FK8.

And finally, the Alpine A110, the rebirth of the best of the French sports cars that time forgot. With looks inspired by the original rally-winning classic, the modern-day A110 delivers serious sportscar performance enthusiasts are clamoring for thanks to its lightweight materials, rigid aluminum chassis, and unique suspension setup. However, the A110 you saw in Project CARS 3 wasn't just an ordinary A110 because this is the A110S, a more powerful version with the tuned 1.8L turbocharged engine producing 292ps of power and mated to a 7-speed Getrag DCT. Apart from the engine upgrade, it features improved dynamics to make it more potent on the road and track.

These two stars of Groupe Renault really do shine on the track because of their unique dynamics that proved their worth. The Renaultsport Megane, in its Trophy chassis, did upset even the most beefed up hot hatches in town because of its nimble dynamics fit for a front-wheel drive hot hatch while the A110S values its improved dynamics more than its improved power output from its turbocharged 1.8L engine because the way it handles is just how the A110 rolls.

Having been satisfied with both of these French stars, I took them both to the streets of Monaco for a little stretching and then a quick lap around the venue of the Monaco Grand Prix to see who shines brighter.

Two French stars, one battleground. Which of these two is the quickest round the Monaco track? Let's roll the tape.

After a quick power play around the streets of Monaco, here are the results;

Megane -  2:01.031

A110S - 1:54.550

It's quite surprising because the gap between these two French stars at the rate of around six and a half seconds shows that the A110S, thanks to its lightweight bodywork, better dynamics, and the improved 1.8L turbocharged engine, managed to get away from the Megane by a long shot. Impressive.

In the end, the Renaultsport Megane and the Alpine A110 fully demonstrated their French brilliance in a middle of a track day around the south of France and regardless of that matter, they've done their purpose very well.

Looks like French cars of today need to be more fun and engaging like these two and they can learn a lot from them if they had the chance.

Renault Samsung XM3

With the Renault Samsung lineup consisting of just the SM6 sedan and the QM6 crossover, the unsung Korean carmaker run under Groupe Renault's arms has added a new kind of car that will keep motorists confused because what that is is their first-ever coupe crossover called the XM3.

Priced at 17.63 million won plus additional costs, this is the first time Renault Samsung has gone the X factor for all unknown reasons no one knows after Renault Samsung has done almost a lot with their sedan offerings and their SUVs, not to mention selling Renault cars for the first time in South Korea a few years ago. With questions lurking about the future of the Renault Samsung with the abundance of Renault in the South Korean car market, looks like the XM3 shows that they're still pretty much in business for the Korean carmaker no one knows.

Similarly, the XM3 is basically known by the Russians as the Renault Arkana because by the looks of it, it's broadly similar to the coupe crossover sold by the Russians but unlike its Russian equivalent which runs on Dacia mechanicals, the XM3 runs on the same platform as the current Renault Megane and with the potential to sell it on the European market very soon, this Korean equivalent of the Arkana is worth the shock for anyone getting behind the wheel.

While the coupe crossover styling is unmistakenly German, just like today's luxury German coupe crossovers the world knows, the interior is unmistakenly Renault by the sound of it. Yes, drivers are greeted with the 9.3-inch touch screen which is not friendly for speedo boys if you know what I mean as well as the longer 10.25 TFT display which takes place from the typical speedos. Don't worry, there are knobs for the air-con and that's it. On the passenger side, this five-seater is not bad to make a living out of it and the boot space of up to 513 liters with the secret compartment opened means it can carry anything when taken for a family outing or for business in the case of TNVS or deliveries. A decent workhorse if you may.

The XM3 is powered by two engine choices such as the 123PS 1.6 GTe engine mated to a CVT and the 152PS TCe 260 1,332cc engine mated to a 7-speed EDC. The latter is the nearly enjoyable variant of the range because it's got some gusto to get going but being a front-wheel-drive only crossover, what the XM3's good at is being a showoff on the streets although some are bothered to look at a cheap coupe crossover that tries to behave like the Germans. Although cheap, the XM3 behaves almost like the Megane in a good way and it's basically not old-fashioned by the way it moves. That's pretty good but with numerous ADAS stuff in store, it's worth noticing.

The XM3 may be a Korean version of the Renault Arkana sold by the Russians but it differentiates from it because it's a sensible coupe crossover with sophisticated behavior too hard for words to describe. If this crossover has the potential to go Europe-wide as a Renault, there's a lot to be taken care of.

Photo: Renault Samsung Motors

Renault Captur II

The Renault Captur is basically a Renault Clio with heightened ground clearance but like most wannabe SUVs, this crossover prefers to enjoy on the streets rather than on the great outdoors. For the second-generation model, the new Captur is basically a slightly rugged alternative to the fifth-generation Renault Clio. Question is, should they buy it rather than the Clio? Of course they do. It's a crossover! Everybody loves crossovers.

2020 Renault Captur

With the starting price of just 18,600 Euros plus on road costs, it's slightly more expensive than today's Renault Clio but it's still the cheapest crossover you can buy. Needless to say, because being the cheapest crossover in the Renault lineup, there are several reasons why first-timers got tempted to drive the new Captur but let's narrow it down to the basics.

2020 Renault Captur

Starting with the design, the new Captur is surprisingly better-looking than the previous Captur, judging by its radicalized front face, streamlined side view, and the rear design which the rear lamps look suspiciously similar to any Subaru concept car in the past. Anyway, while this is basically a jacked-up Renault Clio that behaves like a Clio, the new Captur is worth looking at the eyes of commoners.

2020 Renault Captur interior

Just like the new Clio, the new Captur's interior now boasts a tablet-sized touchscreen like every other Renault of the present era possesses and although not fit for speedo boys many, it's a yuppie treat and it works like an office desk on wheels, meaning it packs a lot of infotainment to toy around while getting accommodated by its more comfortable interior that is about as spacious as the previous model as well as its decent boot space big enough for just about everything. Now, where did I said that before but still, you get the point.

2020 Renault Captur

Like the Clio, the new Captur offers a choice of petrol and diesel engines but let's ignore the diesels because of you know why. The most powerful version is the one with the 155PS power output from its 1.3L TCi engine which is capable of hitting 0-100kph in 8.6 seconds and onwards to about 202kph thanks to its EDC gearbox. That's faster than any Japanese compact crossovers on its class. For those looking for efficiency but don't like diesels like every European do, you can expect a hybrid variant joining the range soon and it promises to be as efficient as any hybrids get but without the stereotypical scenario most hybrids face.

Using the same new platform as the new Clio, the new Captur is more livelier to drive in the bends and more comfortable to drive on the city. The only downside is that while this is basically offered as a front-wheel drive, there's no gadget similar to everyone's favorite front-wheel drive crossover, the Citroen C3 Aircross, meaning this is not made to be an elephant in the room. No Hannibal, no way. Sorry.

The new Captur still carries the same verdict as the new Clio even though it's not fit for the role of an elephant in  Hannibal's hands but it still works as any practical crossover should. Needless to say, there's one very good reason why most first-timers will get their hands on the Captur more than the Clio; it's a crossover! Period!

Photo: Renault

Forza Horizon 4: Top cats

A long time ago, I conducted an experiment with my "base" Renaultsport Megane IV against the Honda Civic Type R FK8 and failed miserably. I know that the Renaultsport Megane IV is the best hot hatch Renault was ever made but since it's just a base model, it wasn't enough to outrun the mighty Civic Type R.



Learning from its loss as a basic cooking model, the Renaultsport Megane faces an even harder challenge...



What could this be? I know it's a BMW but what is it?



The BMW M5 F90? Something tells me this car is onto something...



The Renaultsport Megane IV wants to do some sort of tune-up match against the BMW M5 F90 at Fortune Island's Needle Mountain and between you and me, these two are in for a serious rock-climbing activity to do, which reminds me of something...



Our top cats are ready to climb The Needle like every aspiring celebrity would do occasionally and with numerous twists and turns, this is the chance for the Renaultsport Megane IV to flex its French muscles and see if it can keep up against the ultimate sports saloon. Ready, go!

After a little rock climbing at The Needle, here are the results;

F90 M5 - 2:45.966
Megane IV - 2:54.675



A near-9-second difference between the Megane and the M5. That's something this ultimate French hot hatch might learn from messing with the F90 M5 and such motivation sparked an idea. An idea that will exploit the Renaultsport Megane to the fullest.



Imagine someone owned the ultimate Renaultsport Megane IV, the Trophy-R, and then turned it into something special with a bit of "colorful shake" to the mix. That's our top cat in the top Megane, ready to show how it's done.



Staying at Fortune Island, the very special Megane is ready to settle the score against the best Super Hot Hatches on the road, especially a hardened Civic Type R FK8. Without further ado, let's see if our top cat really ascended to the top of the food chain. Ready, go!

Those hot hatches are behaving like members of the Lacrosse club and the Megane is like their leader now. Speaking of which, how's its favorite soulmate, the F90 M5, doing? Better give this saloon a big thanks.



Like ever-changing fashion trends, our favorite M5 has breathed a fresh new wind and a new look to match its personality. This "dancing mirage" got refined for more.



While the Megane enjoys its success above, guess it's the M5's fate to watch from down below, especially when it gets down and dirty against the super saloons.

Our top cats really showed how it's done and I'm starting to fall in love with these two. The F90 M5 and the Renaultsport Megane IV, they're like, you guessed it, Honey Cat. They bond when they compete and this is how they roll.

Now I've seen everything from these two and I can't wait to spend more time with these two because they really are bonding through competition and now, they're the odd couple with the force to be reckoned with.

Brace yourselves.

Forza Horizon 4: The Meg vs. The Civic

Few moments ago, I tried out the latest Renaultsport Megane in Forza Horizon 4, a hatchback that I won at the Winter Festival Playlist, and I am amazed that for a basic cooking version of Renault's ultimate hot hatch, it managed to take down even the ultimate Megane in the past, which is the R26.R.



Rejoined by the Megane IV R.S., it's time to take Renault's king of hot hatches a step further because I'll be summoning its biggest enemy this French hot hatch ever faced; the FK8 Honda Civic Type R.



Yes, the FK8 Honda Civic Type R, the ultimate hot hatch ever assembled a sea away because even though it's Japanese, it's made by the Brits and sadly, it's the last Type R ever made in Britain judging by the news that Honda's Swindon plant is closing soon. Anyway, brushing off from current events, the FK8 Honda Civic Type R is the ultimate enemy of the Renaultsport Megane IV of course and having learned that its ultimate version defeated the Civic at the Nurburgring, I reckon that it might do the same here except for one major problem...



As you can see here, the Renaultsport Megane IV featured in the game is just the basic cooking model with the 1.8L turbo engine that produces 280PS of power and 390Nm of torque. That's less than what the 2.0L VTEC TURO the Type R possess and slightly heavier as well. Despite the handicap, it's challenge accepted for the Renaultsport Megane IV as it takes on a time attack against the king of hot hatches, the Civic Type R. Good luck, French fry.

After a quick lap round castle grounds, here are the results;

FK8 - 1:06.867
Megane IV - 1:09.203



Guess the basic Renaultsport Megane IV wasn't quick enough to outrun the Civic Type R unlike its ultimate version that won the time attack battle at the Ring against this Honda. Oh well, despite the result, I'm very happy that I got my hands of the latest Renaultsport Megane while it lasted.

Wait...



What now? A new challenger? Could this day get any worse?!

Forza Horizon 4: Dreamer's Clio

The Renaultsport Clio IV would have been the fantastic little hatchback enthusiasts wanted but with the double clutch only offering, this hot hatch really feels like a letdown to many, and even with the 220 Trophy EDC with improved dynamics and shifting response, it still won't make the cut to everyone.



So, what would Renault do to convince skeptics that their hot Clio is the best affordable hot hatch ever made?



Simple, really. Make a one-off, show it at the Monaco GP, and leave it until the looks became the basis of the minor change Renaultsport Clio. This is the Renault Clio R.S. 16 Concept, a one-off celebrating the return of Renault to Formula 1 as a constructor team.



Built to celebrate four decades of RenaultSport, this commemorative one-off based on the Clio IV RS is powered by the same 275hp 2.0L turbo engine from the Renaultsport Megane 275 Trophy-R as well as reworked chassis and suspension systems made with racing purposes in mind. The livery and the name were inspired by one of Renault's Formula 1 racers, marking Renault's return as a Formula 1 constructor, and to celebrate its comeback, they've enlisted Kevin Magnussen to drive it around the streets of Monaco.

This one-off project was made by a team of ten or so people and it took less than five months to get it done so everything is working by the moment it lets its turbocharged engine loose and what a machine it is.



For a one-off that took five months to assemble, the Clio RS16 Concept feels like a Megane on so many levels and it's basically one of the best handling hot hatches never made, sadly. Yes, it is a concept car but the way it behaves really made us happy, sad, silly, and mad, just like any other production hot hatches on the road today. For Renault, they've truly flipped the trump card with the ultimate Clio that never was.

To find out if Renault flipped the card with the Clio RS16 Concept, I'm taking a flight towards LEGO Valley to stretch its imaginary muscles and see if this concept car is worthy of inspiration for Renault's future hot hatches.







With its imaginary playground set, the Clio RS16 Concept is prepared to flex its muscles while getting its face dirty in the name of science. Roll the tape.

More dirt than I expected but well done, Clio.



The Renault Clio R.S. 16 Concept may be a distant dream but all that know-how learned from this one-off served as an inspiration for future Renault hot hatches and we can expect great things to come from Renaultsport.

Dismissed.

Forza Horizon 4: The Meg

The Renaultsport Megane has evolved into one of the most capable super hot hatchbacks ever made, with dynamics lively enough to topple even the ones more powerful than it. It bears a wide reputation for shattering Nurburgring lap times for front-wheel drive cars and such feats grabbed wide attention from those who are feared and respected by its French kiss of death on the track.



Having demonstrated its track-honed success with the previous Renaultsport Megane generations, the time's just right for the French carmaker to deploy everything they've learned from them in their newest model based on the fourth-generation Megane.



Quite a teaser, right? Well, I just won this hot hatch straight from the Horizon Winter Playlist of the December-January series update and this is one of the hot hatches I want to see in the game, albeit not perfect but hopeful to me.



So, what's the X-file and the why card on Renault's latest hot hatch? Based on the fourth-generation Megane, the all-new Renaultsport Megane is boasted to be the most powerful Renaultsport ever made courtesy of its 1.8L turbo engine that produces 280PS of power and 390Nm of torque, which is 5PS more than the previous Megane R.S. 275. Mated to a rather controversial 6-speed EDC similar to the one used on the Renaultsport Clio IV, it propels the Megane R.S. to a 0-100kph time of 5.8 seconds and a top speed limited to 255kph. Although quick, enthusiasts will go for the manual variant of the Renaultsport Megane, where its fun-to-drive charm matters to its track-honed hot hatch.

Learning their lessons from the previous models, the Renaultsport Megane features a reworked chassis that takes advantage of its efficiency, agility, stability, and comfort as well as its 4CONTROL four-wheel steering system and four bump stop shock absorbers.

The Renaultsport Megane offers different variants to choose from such as the Sport, the more traditionalist Cup which is stiffer than the first one and comes with an LSD, the sharper and more powerful Trophy, and the record-breaking Trophy R, which blitzed the Nurburgring front-wheel drive record at 7:40.1, faster than the Honda Civic Type R FK8.



Although not the Renaultsport Megane I was hoped for, this new model has some hopeful potential hot hatch enthusiasts clamoring for thanks to its newly improved dynamics made suitable for road and track in mind, although track-honed is what this Megane summed up best since this no-limits Horizon, anything is possible for Renault's ultimate hot hatch masterpiece. Not perfect by hot hatch standards but its hopeful in the beginning so drivers love to do more with Renault's ultimate hot hatch.



To see if the Renaultsport Megane IV truly evolved, let's call in its predecessors and then conduct a serious experiment on the Broadway suburbs to prove if the latest Renaultsport Megane evolved to the fullest. Begin the experiment.

After a lap around the Broadway suburbs, here are the results;

Megane R26.R - 1:06.5
Megane III RS - 1:07.234
Megane IV RS - 1:05.933



So, there it is, the ultimate Renaultsport Megane ever made and the French carmaker finally improved its record-breaking formula with everything they've got using the latest racing know-how and lessons from past generations to create a hot hatch that gave the Civic Type R a slap in the face. Tres Bien, Renault.

However, I'm still not done with the new Renaultsport Megane as later on, the Meg and I will be doing some intense workouts to see if the ultimate hot hatch lives up to its reputation. Until then, enjoy your new Megane.