Renault Megane Coupe TCe 180 Review 3

By George Chapman

I even turned up early

We test our long termer's factory fitted satellite navigation system. Relatively new to driving in central London, I took the Megane Coupe on a Sunday outing.

Where did we go?
Singed-up for a round of vintage motorcycle sprinting, I set off bright and early one Sunday morning heading for a well-hidden driver training ground near Farnborough airbase, un-marked on the Megane’s sat nav.

Venturing through the deserted streets of the capital on a Sunday morning is actually quite a treat. Not only am I usually asleep at this most stereophonically still time, but usually hungover too.

The Megane swallowed up my crash helmet, leathers, boots and picnic easily, which also remained cool and fresh hidden in the dark depths of the boot.

How did the sat nav system perform?
Cunningly, I entered the unmarked destination of the day’s event on the ‘Select on map’ function the night before, which simply allowed me to sit back and follow the vocally soothing instructions of the lovely lady from Renault.

There is a voice activation system as well as a telephone connectivity option that has become rather annoying, bonging and beeping as you start the car.

Nevertheless, exactly one and half-hours later I was successfully through central London and less than 5 miles from the location. I even turned up early.

Having spent the day with my old man who owns the bike, won my class and enjoyed some magical September weather, it was time to face the Sunday night slog, back across central London. I was pleased to have the Renault’s cosseting interior to carry me home.

What was the return journey like?
After entering my home address I set off up the M3 and immediately sighed as I hit bumper-to-bumper weekend traffic. Never mind I thought, at least I now have time to examine the route the sat nav has calculated. Figuring out the zoom function and being careful not to re-configure the company hack’s computer too far, all seemed good. The computer had chosen the exact same route.

Listening to an enjoyable Paul O'Grady phone-in on BBC Radio 2, I was now at least queuing on the final stretch of M4 motorway into central London.

What did strike me though, as I obediently followed Miss Renault, was how unfamiliar the return journey was becoming. On checking the digital map, I was quite clearly off the original route. Somewhere and somehow the Megane had decided to alter the route. I was lost, I was disorientated and after nearly 3hrs sat queuing, I was tired.

What went wrong?
Maybe it was the queuing that provoked the computer to re-calculate the quickest way home or maybe it was just my punishment for even questioning the computers calculations.

I did eventually get home after crossing the Thames twice, (there was no need to) queuing for another few hours and swearing at Miss Renault more times than I can remember.

So is the Renault sat nav any good?
People say sat navs are never wrong, which is partly true, they will get you to your destination. They do NOT possess reasoning skills though and if poorly configured will simply get you lost. My advice, always read the manual and switch off the radio!

The Renault on the other hand was my saviour. I arrived home tired but with no aches, pains or headaches and I had spent less than £20 in petrol.