Feature

New Renault Megane RS Trophy & Volkswagen Golf GTI TCR vs Honda Civic Type R

Our favourite hot hatch, the Honda Civic Type R, is being chased down by the Volkswagen Golf GTI, as well as the most extreme Renault Mégane RS to date: the 300 Trophy

Buying and owning

Costs, equipment, reliability, safety and security

If you’re a cash buyer, the Mégane will cost you the least and the Golf the most. Indeed, there’s a significant £4530 between them once discounts are factored in, and although the Golf is cheaper to service and insure, it also depreciates more quickly, so the gap shrinks only to £4111 over three years and 36,000 miles of ownership. As for the Civic, it will cost £1975 more than the Mégane up front, with the difference falling to £1615 in the long run.

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Used Renault Megane RS 2018-2022 side driving

The running order is the same if you take out PCP finance; the Mégane will cost you a single quid per month less than the Civic but £92 per month less than the Golf.

The Mégane also makes the cheapest company car, because while it emits the most CO2, it also has the lowest P11D value.

All three come well equipped, although the Mégane is the only one without standard adaptive cruise control (which maintains a set distance from the car in front). Plus, Renault puts traffic sign recognition and lane departure warning in a £250 pack, whereas Honda and Volkswagen include these safety aids as standard.