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A HIGHER MODE OF TRANSPORTATION?
If style, safety and space are at all important to you, Renault’s Modus has to go on your Supermini MPV short list. Andy Enright takes a look at the 1.4-litre 16v version

Right about now, Renault are the hot ticket as far as innovation, safety and pinpoint accurate market targeting are concerned. All right, so cutting edge designs like the Vel Satis and the Avantime didn’t sell, but knowing that these cars existed and what they represented is a victory of sorts for Renault’s marketing men. Such designs spread the image of the French company as a bold and progressive organisation that refused to follow trends. That’s still true up to a point. However, in creating their Modus supermini-MPV, Renault have had the opportunity to sit back and learn a few lessons from some of their cleverer rivals.

Like Vauxhall for example. Yes, Vauxhall. Their Meriva was the market’s first really sensible supermini with MPV-style versatility. It set a template that Renault were keen to follow and, in the case of the Modus, improve upon. The French company have done this before of course. The original Espace was an improvement on ideas first floated by Chrysler’s Voyager. The Scenic, an improvement on the concept begun by Toyota’s Picnic. The Modus did the same thing – and did it very well. Not well enough however, to rest on its laurels as the market has moved on. Hence a package of changes in recent times. The improvements are quickly covered, stretching to more stylish clear ‘crystal’ indicator lenses for the front and rear lights and the wing mirror indicators. At the rear, the car’s circular lights are also clear lens affairs and there’s the familiar Renault rear bustle tagging along behind, first seen on the latest Megane. There’s a wider selection of colours too – and body-coloured bumpers for entry-level models like the Expression 1.4-litre petrol variant that many customers choose. On the inside, there’s smarter seat upholstery and higher quality interior materials for the dash and centre console. Prices start at £9,075, with the 1.4-litre petrol variant we’re looking at here costed from £10,325.

"The opposition are going to have to keep on top of their game to stay in touch with this tot"

The 1.4-litre 16v model we examine here is the mid-range model in a trio of petrol engines that opens with a conventional 1.2 16v unit and is topped off by a turbocharged 100bhp 1.2-litre powerplant. Developing 98bhp, the 1.4 is peppy rather than what you’d call quick, but it will notch off the sprint to 60mph in a respectable 11.4 seconds and top out at 110mph. Clever use of gearing means that the Modus is sprightly off the line without being too noisy on longer journeys. A carbon dioxide emissions figure of 161g/km isn’t bad for this sort of car and neither is the combined fuel consumption figure of over 42mpg. One £10,325 Expression model is now on offer with this engine, a price which makes the Modus look good value against the duller Vauxhall Meriva and many will prefer its styling to the somewhat eccentric Peugeot 1007. The car’s ‘face’ looks friendly and the big circular rear lights and sharp creases on the flanks give it a very appealing air. The best part is that it looks cohesively Renault without the gawkiness that afflicts many short, tall cars. The interior is exceptionally airy, the huge amount of glass up top and the low waistline brightening the cabin. The driving position feels more like a mini-MPV than a conventional hatch and the centrally mounted instrument panel allows the designers to make a feature of the smooth sweep of the fascia, again giving a clean, minimalist look. The sunroof system is unusual. The rear panel is fixed while the forward one can be operated by a one-touch switch. In addition to the usual tilt position, there are also three possible slide positions. The manual roof offers two side-by-side panels which can be tilted or removed completely and stowed in a bag behind the rear bench seat. Renault dubs this sliding rear bench the ‘Triptic’ and it features a folding centre section. With a sliding range of 170mm, the rear of the car can be optimised for passengers, luggage or a compromise between the two. In two seat configuration, it can be set to any one of four positions whilst in three-seat mode, two positions are available. It can also be folded down to form a completely flat floor area. The novelties don’t stop there either. The Modus’ rear hatch can open much like a conventional hatchback (that is, hinged at the top) or the lower section can open using hinges at the bottom, thus making it easy to access the luggage bay in cramped conditions. Should you ever get a puncture in the Modus, you’ll appreciate the sheer amount of design ingenuity in the way Renault have engineered the spare wheel system. No car in this class can cut it these days without generous safety provision and the Modus adopts a belt and braces philosophy. It benefits from Bosch 8.0 anti-lock brakes with brakeforce distribution and emergency brake assist as standard. Buyers can also opt for a new-generation ESP electronic stability control with ASR traction control and an automatic tyre pressure monitor is also available. Passive safety is impressive, reflecting Renault’s strategy and expertise in this area. The Modus structure includes numerous strengthened crumple zones, designed to work in harmony with the restraint mechanisms of Renault's third-generation System for Restraint and Protection (SRP3). Other safety features of the Modus are its six airbags – including two adaptive front airbags – and front safety belts with load limiters and double pretensioners. The Renault Modus 1.4-litre 16-valve will almost certainly remain the biggest seller of all the petrol-engined Modus derivatives. One thing’s for sure. The opposition are going to have to keep on top of their game to stay in touch with this tot.

FACTS AT A GLANCE CAR: Renault Modus 1.4 16V PRICES: £10,325 - on the road INSURANCE GROUP: 3E CO2 EMISSIONS: 161/km PERFORMANCE: Max Speed 110mph / 0-62mph 11.4s FUEL CONSUMPTION: (Combined) 42.2mpg STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front/side airbags, ABS, brakeforce distribution WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE ?: Length/Width/Height: 3792/1960/1589mm

SUPERMINI A LA MODE
Customers, it seems, want their small cars smart, roomy and versatile. The Modus is Renault’s attempt to fulfil these requirements. Andy Enright checks out the latest version

You’ve got to love manufacturer PR guff. Here’s Renault’s claim for their Modus, a more versatile MPV-style spin on the traditional supermini formula: ‘its style expresses all the warmth and friendliness of our small cars to the point where even the front face of the car seems to smile at you.’ Yes…right. The Modus, Renault tell us, also comes in a version "which offers an original, fun manual control" for opening and closing the twin sunroofs. So just how much fun can be obtained by operating a sunroof?

You have to wonder. What you can’t argue with are the impressive sales figures this car has racked up since its launch in 2004 against similarly-pitched rivals like Vauxhall’s Meriva, Fiat’s Idea and Nissan’s Note. To keep these ticking over, Renault have updated the Modus in recent times, with more stylish clear ‘crystal’ indicator lenses for the front and rear lights and the wing mirror indicators. There’s a wider selection of colours too – and body-coloured bumpers for entry-level models. On the inside, there’s smarter seat upholstery and higher quality interior materials for the dash and centre console. Trim levels consist of Authentique, and Expression and prices start at £9,075. The Modus is built in the Spanish town of Valladolid, just up the A6 from Madrid where it was originally launched. Renault used the rather grandly titled Alliance Platform B (which to you and I is the Nissan Micra/Renault Clio chassis) as the basis for this car and its importance to the French maker cannot be understated. Fully one-third of all cars sold in Europe hail from the small car segment and with sales of traditional shape superminis on the wane, Renault needed an alternative for buyers in this sector who didn’t want a Clio. Only available in five-door guise, the Modus makes a convincing fist of things, especially when it comes to the vital ‘first five seconds’ the period of time in which the majority of new car sales are either won or lost.

"Renault’s bullishness about the Modus’ prospects seems justified"

That’s not to say there’s anything superficial about the Modus: we’re just paying tribute to its cleanly integrated styling and sheer versatility. The interior is exceptionally airy, the huge amount of glass up top and the low waistline brightening the cabin. The driving position feels more like a mini-MPV than a conventional hatch and the centrally mounted instrument panel allows the designers to make a feature of the smooth sweep of the fascia, again giving a clean, minimalist look. The suspension of the Modus draws its inspiration from that of the Mégane II, itself one of the better riding cars in its class. Both its ride and road-handling aim to match best-in-class levels, and there’s a wide engine choice available to UK customers. The petrol engines comprise two 1.2-litre units: a 75bhp 1.2-litre and a 100bhp 1.2-litre turbo. Plus there’s a 98bhp 1.4. The Modus diesel engine range includes the 68bhp and 86bhp 1.5-litre dCi units. The 5-speed manual gearbox is taken from the Mégane II, with gear ratios adapted to the Modus, but there’s an optional Quickshift5 clutchless set-up for the dCi86. Renault have worked hard to ensure low noise levels and the Modus features a significant amount of noise insulation material. The sunroof system is unusual. The rear panel is fixed while the forward one can be operated by a one-touch switch. In addition to the usual tilt position, there are also three possible slide positions. The manual roof offers two side-by-side panels which can be tilted or removed completely and stowed in a bag behind the rear bench seat. Renault dubs this sliding rear bench the ‘Triptic’ and it features a folding centre section. With a sliding range of 170mm, the rear of the car can be optimised for passengers, luggage or a compromise between the two. In two seat configuration, it can be set to any one of four positions whilst in three-seat mode, two positions are available. It can also be folded down to form a completely flat floor area. The novelties don’t stop there either. The Modus’ rear hatch can open much like a conventional hatchback (that is, hinged at the top) or the lower section can open using hinges at the bottom, thus making it easy to access the luggage bay in cramped conditions. Should you ever get a puncture in the Modus, you’ll appreciate the sheer amount of design ingenuity in the way Renault have engineered the spare wheel system. No car in this class can cut it these days without generous safety provision and the Modus adopts a belt and braces philosophy. It benefits from a Bosch 8.0 anti-lock brakes with brakeforce distribution, new-generation ESP electronic stability control with understeer control and a tyre pressure monitoring system. The Modus is also available with additional cornering lights – a world first in the small car segment – double-distance xenon headlamps, together with an automatic range adjustment system. Passive safety is impressive, reflecting Renault’s strategy and expertise in this area. The Modus structure includes numerous strengthened crumple zones, designed to work in harmony with the restraint mechanisms of Renault's third-generation System for Restraint and Protection (SRP3). Other safety features of the Modus are its six airbags – including two adaptive front airbags – and front safety belts with load limiters and double pretensioners. Renault’s bullishness about the Modus’ prospects has proved to be justified. With clever packaging, cheeky styling, a range of decent powerplants and a focus on safety, it seems to fulfil all the requirements for a contemporary supermini-style MPV. If the Valladolid factory can continue to screw them together with competence and Renault resist the temptation to hike the prices, a successful future seems assured.

FACTS AT A GLANCE CAR: Renault Modus range PRICES: £9,075-£11,295 - on the road INSURANCE GROUPS: 2E-4E CO2 EMISSIONS: 125-140g/km PERFORMANCE: [1.5 dCi 86] Max Speed 106mph / 0-60mph 13.0s FUEL CONSUMPTION: [1.2 16V] (Combined) 48mpg STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front/side airbags, ABS, brakeforce distribution, ESP WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE ?: Length/Width/Height: 3792/1960/1589mm