Megane FTW!! its been out for years and still wiping the floor with newer competitors, the handling and dynamics of this machine are unreal, most fun ive had in any car
Gavin Gregory Well, the EP3 was a very good car, but it wasn't Great, the Megane RS 225 and especialy the Focus RS were right up with it, althought Civic's engine was more exciting... But the EP3 didn't realy stand out much like the EG6 VTI, EK9, DC2 and others standed out from the competition, they were SO much better than the others, the EP3 didn't, was a "soft" type-R The FN2 is just great, fantastic car, shame that it is a JDM only car and didn't sold anywere else. That's how all Type-R's should be, love it. FN2 is probably the only car that could win against the Megane RS. And the K20 is so much coller than the booring turbo trend...
Gavin Gregory I doubt the EP3 was aimed at the Clio, but if it was, it was a total failiure because Civic is from Megane segment, the Jazz is the Clio's competition. I'm a sucker for high reving NA engines, and honda doesn't make them no more, they are just more exciting to drive. And the fact that you don't have to go as fast to have fun with a NA engine, it makes for a much better car for street use when it comes to Fun. I liked Turbo engines when the turbo was there to increse power, now they put turbos to reduce fuel consumption, it's a slight different aproach and a booring one. I Love in the Skyline and Supra days, where Turbos were there to add excitment, now they are there to remove excitment, that's de difference. The Focus RS was a beast with that Torsen diff :)
Jonny Oliveira Honda was on top of it's game back then. Am driving a Megane 265 Red Bull now, ironically it has some luxuries in it, but that's just a consequence, it's a fkn masterpiece, LOVE fast hatches. My mates have remapped S3's, Golf R's and one has an M135i, when we get to twisty roads, they don't see which way I went ! I've had many and driven many more hatches, a few of those were Honda's, my Integra dc2 ... oh man I was in love with that car ! Never driven an FN2 though ? My Peugeot 205 gti was right up there too, lift off oversteer in a car that size is madness ... pure, bare bones, planted cars , the way i like it. Would love to try a Porsche GT3 RS, the ones before the electric steering and pdk boxes ! Also drove a 430 Scuderia for a bit in Italy, my word !!! By Focus RS I assume you refer to the 2002-3 model, the new one is fast, lovely 5 cylinder, but a bit too soft for me. Anyway ...
I drove a 2011 Renault I was Amazed with the Handling It seems Renault ESC is extremely efficient and extremely keen assisting the driver in changing direction
+Ivo Emilov Yeah, it is, when you get rid of everything inside the car, sell it for two times more than a normal, name it a trophy and then go to nurburgring and set a time which is 4 seconds better than the Cupra's. Luckily, Cupras have better time than normal production RS265's.
+Bartłomiej Sotniczuk Hardly relevant to everyday driving. They are both brilliant, but by all accounts the RS Cup chassis is the more engaging, and the killer punch is the manual gearbox compared to the DSG, the latter robbing so much from driver involvement. The Seat's plain Jane styling is boring compared to the love it (I do) or hate it Megane styling, but at least the Megane has character. #meganebenchmark
+Audidude Haha, i cant agree that Cupra is plain, a plain car is a Golf R. I cant also agree that manual in RS is better than DSG in Cupra. You should check out how it works on the Cupra mode, it cant be really compared with any manuals, it even switches two gears fastest than manual in RS. The only thing i can agree that the Megane has more firm chassis but in everyday use it pretty sucks (i know it from a 265 RS owner). So it is not a benchmark, you can only call a Race Car a benchmark car, for me a benchmark car is a S1 quattro Pikes Peak, it is a fucking benchmark not a usual Cupra nor Megane.
+Bartłomiej Sotniczuk styling is in the eye of the beholder so always people disagree. You miss my point about DSG, I wonder if you have ever driven a manual gearbox in a serious driver's car? For sure the DSG is better if you are only comparing speed of changes. DSG is brilliant technology. But it removes a key element of the interaction between driver and car, thus reducing driver involvement. Anyone can do perfect changes with DSG but they are not doing it, the car is. Not so with a manual box. The thrill of perfect heel-toe changes and rev-matching with throttle is lost on the DSG generation. There are many benchmarks not just the "ultimate", as you seem to think. The Megane has been the hot hatch benchmark for many years displaced, possibly, only now by the Focus RS. Maybe.... No car can stay at the top forever but that doesn't negate what they have achieved. Or end what they can still do.
I've read/heard the car that made the record lap was the more hardcore version with Brembo brakes, Michelin Cup tyres and some other stuff. But more important than that, the lap wasn't recorded in one full lap. They took advantage of the Ring's blurry lines regarding where a lap starts and ends. I think timing a full lap would be much better.
Great Clean Battle Vid, Thank you ;). I would though wish for a third camera somewhere from behind in the cabin, combi of driver and windscreen in the framing. Really like both these cars and they are within range for many people - lovely.
I would imagine the 3 door version of the seat to claw a few tenths back. However you have to remember the ring has quite a few long straights where the SEAT will be quicker especially over 120mph. The Megane has always been remarkable in the corners and this test proves it,
Seat just understears, u say that "he mised few curbs" it's because he couldn't hit them. Every single time (when he mised) u can hear tyres sliding. Seat just doesn't have enough frontend grip. Maybe it's safety, maybe it's tyres, diff... or whatever, point is that the Megane is a better track tool
This proves that Leon nurburgring laptime was BS Marketing. The megane not only was faster in this test, but it was faster without double clutch gearbox, and megane's lap had a bit of rain (check windscreen wipers in onboard camera, and water in lens). And previous Leon looked better IMO
amapolishplummer At least this one was made by an independent source, not like Seat nurburgring time on slick tires, and who knows what else kind of tuning it had... I don't trust nurburgring laptimes made by manufacturers
Jonny Oliveira Mathmatically the Kia can be faster than the La Ferrari on a custom circuit. I'm guessing something ridiculous tight with 0 straights, like a super tight go kart track.
Jonny Oliveira Your are completly right about nurburgring times but here is something interesting to look at fastestlaps.com/comparisons/renault_megane_rs_265_trophy-vs-seat_leon_cupra_280_dsg.html
Great comparison guys, thank you for this! If everything goes well the Cupra will be my next car and all the positive reviews make me really look forward to that moment!
that if the seat you saw here made it to the production line...! and maybe you should hold on until the megane rs 275 hit the ring, And see if the seat would stand a chance!
Rada Masri What do you mean? The car is already at the production line. And the ultimate lap time isn't the winning factor for me. For sure the updated Megane will be quicker and even better to drive but as I'm saying in another comment, it's still old with worse equipment and worse efficiency. In fact, my other option would be the VXR mainly because it's a stunner but it's a little worse to drive compared to the Leon and a lot more expensive here.
dear..the seat as far as I know was not at production at the time it did got that record,, and its only few months until the new generation Megane sport will come to life..and that is by 2015. any way..am still looking forward for Jun 16 as the megane sport 275 might hit the ring..want to see the out come of that!
Rada Masri It was a production version though. A special production version but still a production version. The new Megane RS won't be exactly new. It will be the same car with some improvements so basically a facelift. As I said before it will most likely lap faster but that doesn't matter for me.
I mean , it's all clear to anyone who's ever been to a track day. Semi-slick tires (which Leon used for the lap record) give you a huge advantage in all out speed over regular sports tires, like the one Megane used when doing a 8:07 lap time. Besides, it has less power, and it's a 6 years old car basically, while Leon came to the market a few months ago. Even though this current Megane is still the fastest around the Nurburgring when compared to any other hatchback in a fair way (i.e. fully stock, with same tires, fuel, track conditions), the current Megane 2014 facelift has been reported to do a 7:45 lap time (with semi-slick tires and Akrapovic exhaust), and then new Megane next year will have over 300hp and 4 wheel steering like the Renault Laguna GT (which has insane amounts of grip for a big family car, easily outcorners a BMW 3 series with an M-sport package, I know that from personal experience), then the Megane might be the first FWD car to go under 7:40 on Nurburgring.
All these coments about the Seat his Lap... The Seat is the quicker car on the straight. But the brakes are not as good as the from the Renault. That is why the Seat weet wide. And when I drove the Seat, it felt a little to the end of what it can handle power wise. The Megane chassis can handle 300hp+ easy. Even 352hp like the one i drove from a friend of my.
The Megane defends itself quite well despite of its age... But without a 5-door offer, I will definately choose the Leon ! Too bad because the previous Megane had two variant
The 3-door Cupra could've been slightly faster. But really, 0.7s does not mean jack shit. I would choose Seat, (not just because i own Ibiza FR), but i like the looks of it more and gotta love that sound and double clutch gearbox (which will obviously break at some point :p)
I notice many point out that the Leon is slower than the Megane. The reporter seems to be less familar with the Leon, he overshot both Chicanes and all his racing lines were wrong in the Leon. When he did it in the Megane, he was able to adjust and correct the car and get the racing line correctly. So one point, Leon can be faster if he drove it properly. But more importantly, I feel that the Megane gives more room to adjust the car, which is more fun and gives better lap times for amateurs. Evolution has similar principle, give lots of control to the user. While the WRX can be faster; the Evo can do it with more forgiveness, especially when you're chasing a laptime or someone.
I have noticed ( in the magazine ) that the megane is quite overused so the testers will probably be more familiar with that car than the seat, plus the megane is older
I test drove a Leon recently and it was a really good car, the driving modes were great, but I didn't buy , my civic fn2 has way more character. I've also got mint 52 k mile integra dc5 and that has loads more life. But the Leon is much better daily driver. It's a good car.
I'm kind of tired to read "Nürburgring lap was BS" etc... I love both cars especially since the Megane RS shows how us Frenchies are able to build efficient cars. Now as long as a car has all the options available for sale when you buy it, it is stock or even "factory custom"... Which equals to stock in our world. If the Seat Leon from back then had a pack available then it is genuine. Others manufacturers just need to follow the hype. Nice video btw, it was cool.
Cupra is quite a bit more hardcore than GTI. To me GTI doesn't even feel like a hot hatch, it just feels like a luxury hatchback with a bit more power and a slightly sportier suspension. Cupra (old one, haven't driven the new one) was much more uncomfortable, hard, sharp, etc. than the GTI 6 of that time.
derbigpr500 Thanks, guys! And not that I've driven a Cupra before, but it seems as though the new one is more tamed and precise, rather than the all-out hot hatch that it was before. That's just my perception though. And I checked for fun, and I'm quite surprised to see that both the Cupra and GTI start at the same price - roughly at £26,000! Don't know if that's a lot for a SEAT or reasonable for a VW.
seems like the megane rs is faster in tight turns, where it can be thrown and rotated with more ease. seems like the cupra would be faster on a bigger and less sharpy track. wich one is more stable at high speeds?
In Britain both cost pretty much the same (30.000pounds-37.000euros) but in other countries Seat Leon Cupra has a significant lower price.For the Seat Leon Cupra 280 the price is 28500e-23.000p while Megane costs the same as in Britain. Really hard to beat that
4 doors, easily tunable to 360 hp (with a simple ECU tune), comfier dayly (it has electronically adjustable suspension), Seat sound system sounds really good, these came to my mind. Cupra owner, of course ;)
Did you realize that the 2 laps are completely different? Look at the way of taking corners of the Seat and the Renault. While the Seat takes all the chicanes and corners quite far of the apex, the Renault is always very close to the cone that sets the limit of the track. Not fair driver this time in my oppinion. And for those who say that the Seat didn'd do the Nordschleife time in stock conditions I have to say that it did it with optional tires, so still stock. Anyway, great channel and excellent content.
Are people really so naive to think that EVO (or anyone else for that matter) does ONE SINGLE LAP with each car and then posts that time? They probably did 30 laps in each and then picked the best lap. Optional tires or not....they ARE different. Tires aren't something that comes with a car or that a car manufacturer makes, but performance depends on tires more than on almost anything else. People who don't have experience with this simply don't realize how important tires are. Literally, having extra 50hp (or even more) or semi-slick tires on a track...you want those tires instead. The fact is, one car uses road tires, other car uses track focused semi-slick tires. Semi-slick tires alone are much grippier and give a huge advantage in braking, cornering, and putting the power down. Actual difference between the best road tires and average semi-slicks is almost 1 second per kilometer on a track. You can be damn sure that if Seat and Megane both used EXACT same tires, Seat would not go around Nurburgring in less than 7:15.
That's the point, the Leon was worse handling so therefore couldn't get in as fast of a time... And the Leon was very much not stock around the Nurburgring with quite a few standard features such as A/C deleted, interesting.
Deano C From the footage of the Leon, it doesn't look like he was balancing the car a lot with the left foot right foot combo. Makes a huge difference in helping the car change direction which is quite clear when he's going through the slower S corners. Got out of shape, lost speed with a bit of understeer, turned into the next corner and the tires wouldn't bite. All classic signs of someone who's doing on/off breaking and then on/off with the accelerator.
Jam Jia I'm not sure if it's true on this Leon but most VW cars that I've driven lately the throttle is cut as soon as you press the brake, so you can't do any trail braking in corners.
The Renault was still probably faster...but.....you did go wide under brakes into some of the chicanes and direction changes in the Seat. Maybe try to get a cleaner lap in, in the Seat and see what it can do! (It does show Renault know how to make a good drivers car if the first hot-lap you do in it is pretty much perfect though!)
It just looked like the Seat was pretty terrible at cornering compared to the Megane, looked very front driven, whereas the Megane just looked planted.
Deano C Yeah, I could see that, but still he did take worse lines in the Seats lap compared to the Renaults (if they take the fastest it doesn't matter anyway) but in the video lap he went wide/deep into a couple of corners which would've cost time!
BarbecuedPossum True, I do agree, but Dickie is a pretty handy driver, so it must be a bit hard to be precise if he couldn't do it. Still makes me very suspicious of the Leon's nurburgring time now.
I do own a slightly modified M3RS (Before the ugly facelift^^) with Clubsport, exhaust and remap. Its a splendid car to have fun. But the involvement and feedback can be quite "scary" in winter on snowy mountain-roads. As the Steering and throttle give that much feedback it's constantly telling you that the road is slippery, can be mentally exhausting till you are accustomed to it. While on the Scirocco of my pal you don't get those information and feel mory "comfy". But still I wouldn't switch because of that^^. I will stay at least 1 more year with the RS and take a look at the new Focus RS (AWD + 3xx HP sounds interesting) and the new Civic-R. The Leon is a pretty nice car even if I'm more of a fan of "rowdy" looks like the Megane, the GT86 or the STi. The engine is superior to the Megane as is the gearbox, but the chassis and breaks as well as the diff can't compare. Even though, the performance pack is a must have in my eyes for the leon if you wan't to visit a track even for a few rounds. Still the direction Renault took with the latest facelift doesn't sit right with me. As looks are subjective and for discussion I can't believe they removed Xenon from the options list. That's a no-go for me and I hope they come Back with a better solution when Megane 4 releases. But I don't think we'll see a Megane 4 RS until late 2016/2017. There are rumors of the normal MK4 to be presented in autumn 2015, means release early 2016 and normally the R.S. will take 1-1,5 years on top of that.
I have the old Megane (not RS), but actualy i liked both cars here. Fast&beautiful, maybe Megane RS before the face-lift was more beautiful but this is my opinion. p.s. The Megane MUST be yellow! This is the best color for it.... or light green.
Seat in nurberg.was striped with no AC,music,back panels etc and they hide that fact for months.Every car magazines know that seat cheated.Megane is a real fwd masterpice and darling of every car journalist in europe.Check the other videos and you will see that Megane always wins.Chapeau Renaultsport.
The lap could be cleaner for this half second for theleon, still I would choose leon because it can be an everyday car and a race car with a single button and its way more hi tech.-
Love the SEAT. I think it's more practical and useful in the real world, since you don't buy a hot hatch for track days alone; you usually use it as a daily driver.
Finaly a fast hatchback with DSG gearbox with the power of the other competitors. In fact I don´t understand why the new VW Golf GTI has less 50hp... The Megane is always a great car but if you get used to drive with a dual-clutch you will prefer the Seat. But for me is the new VW Polo R, with 4WD and DSG. Then is just a matter of tune the same 2.0L engine a bit and you get the same 280HP in a small car with 4WD to help you put all the power on the track even on wet.
I wonder if the Renault is easy to live with as a daily driver. All test drivers always say the ride is very hard. Would the Seat be faster on track if it had harder shocks like the Renault?
I used to drive megane rs 225 and let me tell you this thing would turn any normal road to a track. You just feel the car wana go off...and traffic its not her natural place..!
Well, a kid whose driving experience involves his tricycle and making "wrooom" noises inside his dads car while he's home alone won't say that. Anyone who ever drove a RS or Cupra car will.
It´s was a good battle and two great cars that actually are reachable for many people - Theres is absolutely nothing wrong bringing those two cars together - both with records on the ring for front wheel drive cars it make absolutely sense.
Look at how the Leon bounces in the corners and then compare ut to the Megane. The Megane is much more tight in corners. P.S. if i would want to buy a hothatch the last brand what would come to my mind is a Seat.
If this was choosing any of these for a second car I'd choose the Megane, if it's for every day uses I'd take the Seat, plus the Seat wouldn't fall apart
both cars are great, but megane is at the end of its career, the next model is coming next year, and i am very afraid of what it wil be like, havin in mind what clio rs has become....Seat is better all rounder, fast enough, more practical, better to live with, while the renault is much better track car. i think that these two have a different types of buyers.... i would have the seat...
Forget the hot hatch class for the Megane sport and the Clio sport before it too, not the new one with the "lazy mans" gearbox in it, because they are in a class of their own, brilliant brilliant pure "driving" cars for those of us who give fuck all shits about led lights, seats that warm your arse and all the bells and whistle comforts for nanna and pop. If their not your cup of tea fine, each to their own, go buy a Golf and good luck to you. If you enjoy piloting a finely honed driving tool and don't have money for cars like Porsche GT3s then look no further than Megane RS ! I have driven more hot hatches than some people have had hot dinners and the Megane thus far is no 1 by a street !
It's a pity that they took the 5 doors version of the Leon, the SC is a little lighter, shorter, a bit more agile and funny, I think it would have been closer to the Megane. Speaking of the Nürburgring, it's a much longer, faster track with long straight lines where the power is important so it's possible that the SEAT beat the Renault, even if its time adorned me optimist... No single boring car in this review IMO :)
Sigh. The laps in the Leon weren't as tidy because the megane is just better setup. You are allowed to take more control. Seat need to stop raiding VW's parts bin. The fact that this a new car VS a long in the tooth Renault model just goes to show how awful the base mechanicals are for a dual purpose car. Seat and VW should just stick to making idiot proof hot hatches for people that need low end torque to fart the kids to school and pretend they can drive on the straight of B roads. VW group just suck at fun track day cars.
Well if the Leon was the SC version with manual gearbox we could get a more valid comparison. This video shows to me that the Leon is speedier in reality when being compared apples to apples as already shown in the Nurburgring, circuit for which the Megane was also tuned up and worse: a limited edition car while the performance pack on the Leon will be available for everyone. 0.7 second difference with a suboptimal setup and dubious handling like the megane on 07:15. Also, you can get more times here: fastestlaps.com/cars/seat_leon_cupra_280_dsg.html fastestlaps.com/cars/renault_megane_rs_mk_iii.html fastestlaps.com/cars/renault_megane_rs_265_trophy.html fastestlaps.com/cars/renault_megane_rs_clubsport.html (400 Nm) The Leon is generally faster compared to the equivalent Megane RS except for the clubsport which has 50 Nm more of torque available. The rest of Meganes have 10 Nm more. Anyways, for the Megane to get near the Leon it had to be very track oriented while the Leon can be used everyday. The Megane entered the market on 2009, yes. But the Leon is from 2012 while the Leon II is from 2006, so chasis, engine, tech wise the Leon is comparable to Megane. People with a 5 door Leon will be happy to know that although having a car more family oriented it still owns the "Megane Benchmark".
I don't know why everybody is so keen on laptimes. If you put this journalist (not a pro racedriver) for 15 laps in the same car he isn't going to be able to drive laptimes within 0,5 sec. So why use his laps as a benchmark for these 2 cars?
Recently facelifted Mégane is now pig ugly. It now looks more dated than it used to. Good job. Do like the looks of the Leon, still would prefer to drive the ugly one. I'd just have it in black I guess.
Megane does look a lot better IMO. The MK1 Leon Cupra R is the best one they made, the squashed, ugly, standard Megane looking Leons they did between like 07-11 are shite and the new ones just look like Ibiza's in a pretty dress. I'll take a stage 2 remap on my MK1 over spending about 20k on this thing.
Megane FTW!! its been out for years and still wiping the floor with newer competitors, the handling and dynamics of this machine are unreal, most fun ive had in any car
Just a shame it’s built by Renault 😜
@@ghostinthemachine76why?
Wow, a lot of seat lovers got hurt watching this. You don't unseat the hot-hatch king that easily! Megane is the master..
More important! The Mégane's much funnier to drive!
Gavin Gregory Latest TypeR's were rubish, Honda has lost it's "mojo" that had on the 90's... I wouldn't be surprised if it sucked again
Gavin Gregory Well, the EP3 was a very good car, but it wasn't Great, the Megane RS 225 and especialy the Focus RS were right up with it, althought Civic's engine was more exciting... But the EP3 didn't realy stand out much like the EG6 VTI, EK9, DC2 and others standed out from the competition, they were SO much better than the others, the EP3 didn't, was a "soft" type-R
The FN2 is just great, fantastic car, shame that it is a JDM only car and didn't sold anywere else. That's how all Type-R's should be, love it. FN2 is probably the only car that could win against the Megane RS. And the K20 is so much coller than the booring turbo trend...
Gavin Gregory I doubt the EP3 was aimed at the Clio, but if it was, it was a total failiure because Civic is from Megane segment, the Jazz is the Clio's competition.
I'm a sucker for high reving NA engines, and honda doesn't make them no more, they are just more exciting to drive. And the fact that you don't have to go as fast to have fun with a NA engine, it makes for a much better car for street use when it comes to Fun.
I liked Turbo engines when the turbo was there to increse power, now they put turbos to reduce fuel consumption, it's a slight different aproach and a booring one. I Love in the Skyline and Supra days, where Turbos were there to add excitment, now they are there to remove excitment, that's de difference. The Focus RS was a beast with that Torsen diff :)
Jonny Oliveira Honda was on top of it's game back then. Am driving a Megane 265 Red Bull now, ironically it has some luxuries in it, but that's just a consequence, it's a fkn masterpiece, LOVE fast hatches. My mates have remapped S3's, Golf R's and one has an M135i, when we get to twisty roads, they don't see which way I went ! I've had many and driven many more hatches, a few of those were Honda's, my Integra dc2 ... oh man I was in love with that car ! Never driven an FN2 though ? My Peugeot 205 gti was right up there too, lift off oversteer in a car that size is madness ... pure, bare bones, planted cars , the way i like it. Would love to try a Porsche GT3 RS, the ones before the electric steering and pdk boxes ! Also drove a 430 Scuderia for a bit in Italy, my word !!! By Focus RS I assume you refer to the 2002-3 model, the new one is fast, lovely 5 cylinder, but a bit too soft for me. Anyway ...
The Megane shows again who really is the king of hot hatches !
the king of hot hatches is GTI who was the first in history. and now best fwd on Nurb!
Renault Megane RS remain one of the best Hot Hatch: pure and fun drive!
The Megane got probably the best chassis ever made !
I drove a 2011 Renault
I was Amazed with the Handling
It seems Renault ESC is extremely efficient and extremely keen assisting the driver in changing direction
VAG can never beat this car. The Megane RS it's the benchmark, we all know that.
+Ivo Emilov Yeah, it is, when you get rid of everything inside the car, sell it for two times more than a normal, name it a trophy and then go to nurburgring and set a time which is 4 seconds better than the Cupra's. Luckily, Cupras have better time than normal production RS265's.
+Bartłomiej Sotniczuk Hardly relevant to everyday driving. They are both brilliant, but by all accounts the RS Cup chassis is the more engaging, and the killer punch is the manual gearbox compared to the DSG, the latter robbing so much from driver involvement. The Seat's plain Jane styling is boring compared to the love it (I do) or hate it Megane styling, but at least the Megane has character. #meganebenchmark
+Audidude Haha, i cant agree that Cupra is plain, a plain car is a Golf R. I cant also agree that manual in RS is better than DSG in Cupra. You should check out how it works on the Cupra mode, it cant be really compared with any manuals, it even switches two gears fastest than manual in RS. The only thing i can agree that the Megane has more firm chassis but in everyday use it pretty sucks (i know it from a 265 RS owner). So it is not a benchmark, you can only call a Race Car a benchmark car, for me a benchmark car is a S1 quattro Pikes Peak, it is a fucking benchmark not a usual Cupra nor Megane.
+Bartłomiej Sotniczuk styling is in the eye of the beholder so always people disagree. You miss my point about DSG, I wonder if you have ever driven a manual gearbox in a serious driver's car? For sure the DSG is better if you are only comparing speed of changes. DSG is brilliant technology. But it removes a key element of the interaction between driver and car, thus reducing driver involvement. Anyone can do perfect changes with DSG but they are not doing it, the car is. Not so with a manual box. The thrill of perfect heel-toe changes and rev-matching with throttle is lost on the DSG generation.
There are many benchmarks not just the "ultimate", as you seem to think. The Megane has been the hot hatch benchmark for many years displaced, possibly, only now by the Focus RS. Maybe.... No car can stay at the top forever but that doesn't negate what they have achieved. Or end what they can still do.
then you saw the cupra 290 and the megane left crying
seat didn't made the nürburgring on stock tires....
didn't make*
I've read/heard the car that made the record lap was the more hardcore version with Brembo brakes, Michelin Cup tyres and some other stuff. But more important than that, the lap wasn't recorded in one full lap. They took advantage of the Ring's blurry lines regarding where a lap starts and ends. I think timing a full lap would be much better.
ianiva Info about that?
DILINGER0 Oh I'm not sure. I think I heard it in a different Cupra review. Google it maybe you'll find something.
urikobb3 I don't know about the AC thing. It's the first time I'm hearing it to be honest.
I've only driven the 140 hp FR version of the Leon but was heavily impressed as well. So much fun to drive!
now imagine having twice the power and even better chassis!
Great Clean Battle Vid, Thank you ;). I would though wish for a third camera somewhere from behind in the cabin, combi of driver and windscreen in the framing. Really like both these cars and they are within range for many people - lovely.
I would imagine the 3 door version of the seat to claw a few tenths back. However you have to remember the ring has quite a few long straights where the SEAT will be quicker especially over 120mph. The Megane has always been remarkable in the corners and this test proves it,
Also, the Sub8 version has the ring record, this seemed the standard Cupra
Seat just understears, u say that "he mised few curbs" it's because he couldn't hit them. Every single time (when he mised) u can hear tyres sliding. Seat just doesn't have enough frontend grip. Maybe it's safety, maybe it's tyres, diff... or whatever, point is that the Megane is a better track tool
Obviously : Renault Mégane rs 275 world record of the Nurburgring (7'54" in may 2014) ...
This proves that Leon nurburgring laptime was BS Marketing. The megane not only was faster in this test, but it was faster without double clutch gearbox, and megane's lap had a bit of rain (check windscreen wipers in onboard camera, and water in lens). And previous Leon looked better IMO
All because one car is faster on one track doesn't mean it will be faster on another one.
amapolishplummer At least this one was made by an independent source, not like Seat nurburgring time on slick tires, and who knows what else kind of tuning it had... I don't trust nurburgring laptimes made by manufacturers
***** By your theory, the LaFerrari isn't faster than a Kia Picanto around every track, until someone run those cars in every single track.
Jonny Oliveira Mathmatically the Kia can be faster than the La Ferrari on a custom circuit. I'm guessing something ridiculous tight with 0 straights, like a super tight go kart track.
Jonny Oliveira Your are completly right about nurburgring times but here is something interesting to look at fastestlaps.com/comparisons/renault_megane_rs_265_trophy-vs-seat_leon_cupra_280_dsg.html
Every hothatch should be equipped with manual gearbox in my opinion, everything about them should be fun
Need to see the speed at which they start the laps. Do you always go past the start line at exactly the same speed.?
Megane rs265 all the way!!!
cupra 290 faster on the track better for a daily
Great comparison guys, thank you for this! If everything goes well the Cupra will be my next car and all the positive reviews make me really look forward to that moment!
that if the seat you saw here made it to the production line...!
and maybe you should hold on until the megane rs 275 hit the ring, And see if the seat would stand a chance!
Rada Masri What do you mean? The car is already at the production line. And the ultimate lap time isn't the winning factor for me. For sure the updated Megane will be quicker and even better to drive but as I'm saying in another comment, it's still old with worse equipment and worse efficiency. In fact, my other option would be the VXR mainly because it's a stunner but it's a little worse to drive compared to the Leon and a lot more expensive here.
dear..the seat as far as I know was not at production at the time it did got that record,,
and its only few months until the new generation Megane sport will come to life..and that is by 2015.
any way..am still looking forward for Jun 16 as the megane sport 275 might hit the ring..want to see the out come of that!
Rada Masri It was a production version though. A special production version but still a production version.
The new Megane RS won't be exactly new. It will be the same car with some improvements so basically a facelift. As I said before it will most likely lap faster but that doesn't matter for me.
don't get carried away here. You're getting the wrong car
I mean , it's all clear to anyone who's ever been to a track day. Semi-slick tires (which Leon used for the lap record) give you a huge advantage in all out speed over regular sports tires, like the one Megane used when doing a 8:07 lap time. Besides, it has less power, and it's a 6 years old car basically, while Leon came to the market a few months ago. Even though this current Megane is still the fastest around the Nurburgring when compared to any other hatchback in a fair way (i.e. fully stock, with same tires, fuel, track conditions), the current Megane 2014 facelift has been reported to do a 7:45 lap time (with semi-slick tires and Akrapovic exhaust), and then new Megane next year will have over 300hp and 4 wheel steering like the Renault Laguna GT (which has insane amounts of grip for a big family car, easily outcorners a BMW 3 series with an M-sport package, I know that from personal experience), then the Megane might be the first FWD car to go under 7:40 on Nurburgring.
Great vid. I'm just not interested in the SEAT its the most boring looking of hot hatches. Where's the flare?!
All these coments about the Seat his Lap... The Seat is the quicker car on the straight. But the brakes are not as good as the from the Renault. That is why the Seat weet wide. And when I drove the Seat, it felt a little to the end of what it can handle power wise. The Megane chassis can handle 300hp+ easy. Even 352hp like the one i drove from a friend of my.
+Marijn Kramer Wait for the next one. With the 4Control, it will kill every thing in its sight.
That would be awsome :D
Marijn Kramer The Mégane GT 205 4Control already makes the Golf GTi look like it has no grip :)
yes indd
The Megane defends itself quite well despite of its age... But without a 5-door offer, I will definately choose the Leon ! Too bad because the previous Megane had two variant
The 3-door Cupra could've been slightly faster. But really, 0.7s does not mean jack shit. I would choose Seat, (not just because i own Ibiza FR), but i like the looks of it more and gotta love that sound and double clutch gearbox (which will obviously break at some point :p)
I notice many point out that the Leon is slower than the Megane. The reporter seems to be less familar with the Leon, he overshot both Chicanes and all his racing lines were wrong in the Leon. When he did it in the Megane, he was able to adjust and correct the car and get the racing line correctly.
So one point, Leon can be faster if he drove it properly.
But more importantly, I feel that the Megane gives more room to adjust the car, which is more fun and gives better lap times for amateurs.
Evolution has similar principle, give lots of control to the user. While the WRX can be faster; the Evo can do it with more forgiveness, especially when you're chasing a laptime or someone.
I have noticed ( in the magazine ) that the megane is quite overused so the testers will probably be more familiar with that car than the seat, plus the megane is older
Megane is fatser period. Leon is a good hothatch, Megane is the current best. That's all there is to it really.
I test drove a Leon recently and it was a really good car, the driving modes were great, but I didn't buy , my civic fn2 has way more character. I've also got mint 52 k mile integra dc5 and that has loads more life. But the Leon is much better daily driver. It's a good car.
The Cupra is so dope. Great move for the brand. All Seat needs now is a new Ibiza, it's been the same since '08.
Give me the R.S anyday
I'm kind of tired to read "Nürburgring lap was BS" etc... I love both cars especially since the Megane RS shows how us Frenchies are able to build efficient cars.
Now as long as a car has all the options available for sale when you buy it, it is stock or even "factory custom"... Which equals to stock in our world. If the Seat Leon from back then had a pack available then it is genuine. Others manufacturers just need to follow the hype.
Nice video btw, it was cool.
Correct me if I'm wrong (we don't have these cars Stateside), but is the Cupra basically the same as a VW GTI? Same engine, FWD, similar output?
Yes basically the same, but with more power. It is available in 265 and 280 hp versions
Golf is down by 50 hp
Cupra is quite a bit more hardcore than GTI. To me GTI doesn't even feel like a hot hatch, it just feels like a luxury hatchback with a bit more power and a slightly sportier suspension. Cupra (old one, haven't driven the new one) was much more uncomfortable, hard, sharp, etc. than the GTI 6 of that time.
Short said: Golf GTI have 210 or 220 BHP. The Golf R have 300 Bhp were the Leon Cupra only get 280 Bhp! All in all it´s the samme enigen.
derbigpr500
Thanks, guys! And not that I've driven a Cupra before, but it seems as though the new one is more tamed and precise, rather than the all-out hot hatch that it was before. That's just my perception though.
And I checked for fun, and I'm quite surprised to see that both the Cupra and GTI start at the same price - roughly at £26,000!
Don't know if that's a lot for a SEAT or reasonable for a VW.
There's no beating the 265! Its only .4 seconds slower than a 610 HP Vauxhall vxr8!!!
265 is the best "hyper" hatch in the world right world right now
what are they like on the road? ride quality, comfort etc etc
the Leon has adaptive dampers, in Comfort mode is really good
seems like the megane rs is faster in tight turns, where it can be thrown and rotated with more ease. seems like the cupra would be faster on a bigger and less sharpy track. wich one is more stable at high speeds?
In Britain both cost pretty much the same (30.000pounds-37.000euros) but in other countries Seat Leon Cupra has a significant lower price.For the Seat Leon Cupra 280 the price is 28500e-23.000p while Megane costs the same as in Britain.
Really hard to beat that
I can't think of a single reason why i would take the Leon! Mégane looks faster and much much much fun to drive!
4 doors, easily tunable to 360 hp (with a simple ECU tune), comfier dayly (it has electronically adjustable suspension), Seat sound system sounds really good, these came to my mind.
Cupra owner, of course ;)
Would be great to put the laptimes finally into context with other cars..
Both great cars but wouldn't it be closer if he was in the Leon 3dr SC and not the 5dr?
love these track battles but evo can you please stop switching between Bedford autodrome and blyton park thanx
Megane is still the king of hothatch world!
why 5door leon? why no 3door like megane?
Ah the good old megane vs cupra debate 😊
We ll see what the 275 Trophy version can do on Nurnburgring
what watch are you wearing I like it
Did you realize that the 2 laps are completely different?
Look at the way of taking corners of the Seat and the Renault. While the Seat takes all the chicanes and corners quite far of the apex, the Renault is always very close to the cone that sets the limit of the track. Not fair driver this time in my oppinion.
And for those who say that the Seat didn'd do the Nordschleife time in stock conditions I have to say that it did it with optional tires, so still stock.
Anyway, great channel and excellent content.
Are people really so naive to think that EVO (or anyone else for that matter) does ONE SINGLE LAP with each car and then posts that time? They probably did 30 laps in each and then picked the best lap.
Optional tires or not....they ARE different. Tires aren't something that comes with a car or that a car manufacturer makes, but performance depends on tires more than on almost anything else. People who don't have experience with this simply don't realize how important tires are. Literally, having extra 50hp (or even more) or semi-slick tires on a track...you want those tires instead. The fact is, one car uses road tires, other car uses track focused semi-slick tires. Semi-slick tires alone are much grippier and give a huge advantage in braking, cornering, and putting the power down. Actual difference between the best road tires and average semi-slicks is almost 1 second per kilometer on a track. You can be damn sure that if Seat and Megane both used EXACT same tires, Seat would not go around Nurburgring in less than 7:15.
That's the point, the Leon was worse handling so therefore couldn't get in as fast of a time... And the Leon was very much not stock around the Nurburgring with quite a few standard features such as A/C deleted, interesting.
Deano C From the footage of the Leon, it doesn't look like he was balancing the car a lot with the left foot right foot combo. Makes a huge difference in helping the car change direction which is quite clear when he's going through the slower S corners. Got out of shape, lost speed with a bit of understeer, turned into the next corner and the tires wouldn't bite. All classic signs of someone who's doing on/off breaking and then on/off with the accelerator.
derbigpr500 LOL 7:15? What planet are you on?
Jam Jia I'm not sure if it's true on this Leon but most VW cars that I've driven lately the throttle is cut as soon as you press the brake, so you can't do any trail braking in corners.
What's the music playing at the end of the video chaps?
Whats the music, guys, at the end?
Isn't the Leon Cupra same platform as Audi S3?
coming from the new EVO video with the new megane trophy, and the times are the same with the old megane ... something is not ok with the new one...
The Renault was still probably faster...but.....you did go wide under brakes into some of the chicanes and direction changes in the Seat. Maybe try to get a cleaner lap in, in the Seat and see what it can do! (It does show Renault know how to make a good drivers car if the first hot-lap you do in it is pretty much perfect though!)
The don't do one lap, they do a lot of laps and give you a time of the fastest.
It just looked like the Seat was pretty terrible at cornering compared to the Megane, looked very front driven, whereas the Megane just looked planted.
derbigpr500 Ah ok, I thought it was just the first lap they did, fair enough! XD
Deano C Yeah, I could see that, but still he did take worse lines in the Seats lap compared to the Renaults (if they take the fastest it doesn't matter anyway) but in the video lap he went wide/deep into a couple of corners which would've cost time!
BarbecuedPossum True, I do agree, but Dickie is a pretty handy driver, so it must be a bit hard to be precise if he couldn't do it. Still makes me very suspicious of the Leon's nurburgring time now.
Has anyone had experience driving a sunroof equipped RS Megane? Is there any perceptible difference in the way it drives with a sunroof?
I do own a slightly modified M3RS (Before the ugly facelift^^) with Clubsport, exhaust and remap. Its a splendid car to have fun. But the involvement and feedback can be quite "scary" in winter on snowy mountain-roads. As the Steering and throttle give that much feedback it's constantly telling you that the road is slippery, can be mentally exhausting till you are accustomed to it. While on the Scirocco of my pal you don't get those information and feel mory "comfy".
But still I wouldn't switch because of that^^. I will stay at least 1 more year with the RS and take a look at the new Focus RS (AWD + 3xx HP sounds interesting) and the new Civic-R.
The Leon is a pretty nice car even if I'm more of a fan of "rowdy" looks like the Megane, the GT86 or the STi. The engine is superior to the Megane as is the gearbox, but the chassis and breaks as well as the diff can't compare. Even though, the performance pack is a must have in my eyes for the leon if you wan't to visit a track even for a few rounds.
Still the direction Renault took with the latest facelift doesn't sit right with me. As looks are subjective and for discussion I can't believe they removed Xenon from the options list. That's a no-go for me and I hope they come Back with a better solution when Megane 4 releases. But I don't think we'll see a Megane 4 RS until late 2016/2017. There are rumors of the normal MK4 to be presented in autumn 2015, means release early 2016 and normally the R.S. will take 1-1,5 years on top of that.
Which car did you go for After the Mégane ?
I have the old Megane (not RS), but actualy i liked both cars here. Fast&beautiful, maybe Megane RS before the face-lift was more beautiful but this is my opinion.
p.s. The Megane MUST be yellow! This is the best color for it.... or light green.
Megane all day ;)
He left loads of time on the table in the first left-right complex no where near the double apex in the Cupra.
how about 2014 subaru wrx sti vs bmw m235i
Love renault for handling... Really don't know how is leon but sequential gear in a front weel car i really can't understand
Wheres Tiff?
Seat in nurberg.was striped with no AC,music,back panels etc and they hide that fact for months.Every car magazines know that seat cheated.Megane is a real fwd masterpice and darling of every car journalist in europe.Check the other videos and you will see that Megane always wins.Chapeau Renaultsport.
Nice cars but i hate that 4cyl T are boring as fuck. That because i love the Focus II RS, in my opinion the best FWD hatch ever made.
The léon in 3 doors and manual would maybe be quicker on this track with this man behind the wheel
The lap could be cleaner for this half second for theleon, still I would choose leon because it can be an everyday car and a race car with a single button and its way more hi tech.-
Since then the renault has taken back the record for the nurburgring track. Plus i dont think the seat looks better at all. Megane for me, please
Love the SEAT. I think it's more practical and useful in the real world, since you don't buy a hot hatch for track days alone; you usually use it as a daily driver.
Meganes are too good
Gt3 vs turbo s please
Does this guy fancy hitting any apex’s??
Finaly a fast hatchback with DSG gearbox with the power of the other competitors.
In fact I don´t understand why the new VW Golf GTI has less 50hp...
The Megane is always a great car but if you get used to drive with a dual-clutch you will prefer the Seat.
But for me is the new VW Polo R, with 4WD and DSG. Then is just a matter of tune the same 2.0L engine a bit and you get the same 280HP in a small car with 4WD to help you put all the power on the track even on wet.
***** If you drive on dry tarmac!
With all die respect. Who is this guy?
I wonder if the Renault is easy to live with as a daily driver. All test drivers always say the ride is very hard. Would the Seat be faster on track if it had harder shocks like the Renault?
I used to drive megane rs 225 and let me tell you this thing would turn any normal road to a track. You just feel the car wana go off...and traffic its not her natural place..!
Megane
Wow a Renault and a Seat, now THIS is going to be an exciting video..... - Said no one ever.
Well, a kid whose driving experience involves his tricycle and making "wrooom" noises inside his dads car while he's home alone won't say that. Anyone who ever drove a RS or Cupra car will.
You clearly have never driven anything by RenaultSport or anything with a Cupra badge.
It´s was a good battle and two great cars that actually are reachable for many people - Theres is absolutely nothing wrong bringing those two cars together - both with records on the ring for front wheel drive cars it make absolutely sense.
No just no
Much better cornering in the Megane.
Renault have long been the king of hot hatches & still are.
Rematch!!
This guy didnt work his dsg gearbox right, you could hear he sometimes was at to low rpm, he's probably used to driving the manual allot more..
Look at how the Leon bounces in the corners and then compare ut to the Megane. The Megane is much more tight in corners.
P.S. if i would want to buy a hothatch the last brand what would come to my mind is a Seat.
I'd take the Cupra. Had a Renault great to drive just fell too bits & gave me so many headaches
You'd take the VW group car instead of the Megane RS because you want reliability?!
If this was choosing any of these for a second car I'd choose the Megane, if it's for every day uses I'd take the Seat, plus the Seat wouldn't fall apart
Yeah cause the Renault will fall apart! Seat will probably be worst built then the Renault!
I love u seat leon and corvette
Mégane in everyway.
Seat went off the boil....the last R was epic
French performance is not a straight line...
both cars are great, but megane is at the end of its career, the next model is coming next year, and i am very afraid of what it wil be like, havin in mind what clio rs has become....Seat is better all rounder, fast enough, more practical, better to live with, while the renault is much better track car. i think that these two have a different types of buyers.... i would have the seat...
But the cost between these two, it makes it a no brainer don't you think?
But which one did he drive home in? Thats the real question!
but the Leon have a better built and feel performance
Forget the hot hatch class for the Megane sport and the Clio sport before it too, not the new one with the "lazy mans" gearbox in it, because they are in a class of their own, brilliant brilliant pure "driving" cars for those of us who give fuck all shits about led lights, seats that warm your arse and all the bells and whistle comforts for nanna and pop. If their not your cup of tea fine, each to their own, go buy a Golf and good luck to you. If you enjoy piloting a finely honed driving tool and don't have money for cars like Porsche GT3s then look no further than Megane RS ! I have driven more hot hatches than some people have had hot dinners and the Megane thus far is no 1 by a street !
It's a pity that they took the 5 doors version of the Leon, the SC is a little lighter, shorter, a bit more agile and funny, I think it would have been closer to the Megane. Speaking of the Nürburgring, it's a much longer, faster track with long straight lines where the power is important so it's possible that the SEAT beat the Renault, even if its time adorned me optimist... No single boring car in this review IMO :)
Sigh. The laps in the Leon weren't as tidy because the megane is just better setup. You are allowed to take more control. Seat need to stop raiding VW's parts bin. The fact that this a new car VS a long in the tooth Renault model just goes to show how awful the base mechanicals are for a dual purpose car. Seat and VW should just stick to making idiot proof hot hatches for people that need low end torque to fart the kids to school and pretend they can drive on the straight of B roads. VW group just suck at fun track day cars.
Megane is power
megane is the best
Just for your records. Not this particular Megane that was the fastest. It was the trophy R which has 10 extra hp and 35kg lighter
Leon is the best ......
obviously it is not... Megane thrashed it alright. Put these 2 on the Nub and see what happens. Megane will take a big shit on that leon....
Well if the Leon was the SC version with manual gearbox we could get a more valid comparison.
This video shows to me that the Leon is speedier in reality when being compared apples to apples as already shown in the Nurburgring, circuit for which the Megane was also tuned up and worse: a limited edition car while the performance pack on the Leon will be available for everyone. 0.7 second difference with a suboptimal setup and dubious handling like the megane on 07:15.
Also, you can get more times here:
fastestlaps.com/cars/seat_leon_cupra_280_dsg.html
fastestlaps.com/cars/renault_megane_rs_mk_iii.html
fastestlaps.com/cars/renault_megane_rs_265_trophy.html
fastestlaps.com/cars/renault_megane_rs_clubsport.html (400 Nm)
The Leon is generally faster compared to the equivalent Megane RS except for the clubsport which has 50 Nm more of torque available. The rest of Meganes have 10 Nm more.
Anyways, for the Megane to get near the Leon it had to be very track oriented while the Leon can be used everyday.
The Megane entered the market on 2009, yes. But the Leon is from 2012 while the Leon II is from 2006, so chasis, engine, tech wise the Leon is comparable to Megane.
People with a 5 door Leon will be happy to know that although having a car more family oriented it still owns the "Megane Benchmark".
guys...maybe we should wait for the megane rs 275 which should show seat the real deal..!
Leon is pretty, Megane is ugly.
Leon is boring, Megane is funny.
Hard to choice, like women. :D
Mégane's much prettier then the leon mate!
Rubén Valente
Haha you must be kidding
The leon is far from boring believe me.
Rubén Valente I have the same opinion. The leon just looks german (boring)
Megane is pretty!! Leon is only german box ;) Its my opinion :)
I don't know why everybody is so keen on laptimes. If you put this journalist (not a pro racedriver) for 15 laps in the same car he isn't going to be able to drive laptimes within 0,5 sec. So why use his laps as a benchmark for these 2 cars?
Recently facelifted Mégane is now pig ugly. It now looks more dated than it used to. Good job.
Do like the looks of the Leon, still would prefer to drive the ugly one. I'd just have it in black I guess.
Manual gearbox won right away and that's it lol!
Megane does look a lot better IMO. The MK1 Leon Cupra R is the best one they made, the squashed, ugly, standard Megane looking Leons they did between like 07-11 are shite and the new ones just look like Ibiza's in a pretty dress. I'll take a stage 2 remap on my MK1 over spending about 20k on this thing.
super duper
the corner cutting in the Renault though 😂