Renault’s new Megane hatchback will be priced from £13,995 when it goes on sale in the UK on November 26.

The new model will be available to order from October 2 and Renault said the pricing was intentionally aggressive to take on perennial rivals like the Ford Focus and Volkswagen Golf.

Starting pricing at £13,995 prices the Megane £1,250 below its key rival the Ford Focus 1.6 Zetec.

Standard equipment includes air conditioning, ESP with ASR (anti-skid regulation) and CSV understeer control, six airbags, electric heated body coloured door mirrors and front and rear electric windows.

There will be six engines at launch: three petrol -1.6 VVT 100, 1.6 VVT 110 and 2.0 TCe 180, three diesel -1.5 dCi 86, 1.5 dCi 106 and 1.9 dCi 130.

At launch, three trim levels will be available: Expression, Dynamique and Privilege.

Prices range from £13,995 for the entry level Expression 1.6 VVT to £18,795 the for the 1.9 dCi 130 Privilège.

Further Megane family variants will join the line-up in 2009, including a Megane Coupe in late January 2009.

Options

As well as the standard equipment list, dealers will have a big options list to tempt customers:

• £840 Arkamys ‘3D’ Sound 4x30W RDS radio CD with Bluetooth and mutli-functional
• TunePoint (for USB keys and portable music players)
• £250 Cruise control and speed limiter
• £400 Dual zone climate control (Dynamique only in lieu of air conditioning)
• £100 Extra tinted rear and side windows
• £180 Front fog lights
• £200 Heated front seats
• £900 Leather upholstery (beige or carbon depending on version)
• £375 Metallic paint
• £600 Panoramic sunroof
• £300 Rear parking sensors
• £1,600 Satellite navigation – full colour 2D screen with 3D sound 4x30W RDS radio CD with Bluetooth

Options packs

• £1,000 Technology (4x15W radio CD with Bluetooth and multi-functional Tune Point, rear parking sensors, cruise control and panoramic sunroof)
• £500 Hands Free (Hands Free Renault card and electrically operated folding heated door mirrors)
• £460 Climate (climate control with automatic lights and wipers)
• £800 Sunroof Plus (panoramic sunroof and Hands Free Renault card)
• £650 Xenon (Xenon headlights with headlight wash)