Renault Megane

Buy a sporting estate, and you immediately catapult yourself into a higher echelon where the marriage of practicality, driving pleasure and big wheels leads you to the holy grail of cool.

So this Megane GT promises much coolness; a sprinkling of the magic used to conjure up RenaultSport models in dog-lugging format.

To this end, the GT gets a 12mm lower ride height, stiffer springs and dampers based on those in the Megane 250 and a host of RS trinketry including an aggressive bodykit, sports seats and those lovely 18-inchers.

Together with the punchy 160bhp 2.0-litre diesel - a second faster to 62mph than its Focus and Golf estate rivals - the GT certainly makes a sprightly, good-looking case for itself.

However, this quest for RS-derived wizardry has conjured up a jittery, anxious ride quality.

Renault has also machined out the vibration and inertia from the steering for comfort, taking out any meaningful chatter you might have wanted in the process.

Then there's the price. Without our test car's £2,390 worth of options, it weighs in at just under £24k. Perhaps in this case, keeping it standard is cooler.

Vijay Pattni

On your drive for: £650pcm
Performance: 0-62mph in 8.8secs, max speed 133mph, 47.9mpg
Tech: 1995cc, 4cyl, FWD, 160bhp, 280lb ft, 1424kg, 155g/km CO2