A POWER rise of 5bhp won't impress a fleet operator comparing Renault's old indirect injection 1.9-litre turbodiesel with the new, cleaner direct injection unit now avaiable in Megane hatchbacks. But a 17% increase in fuel economy, coupled with frozen on-the-road prices, might just do the trick.

Slotted into the Megane, the new engine is capable of delivering up to 54.3mpg, the combination average of 41.5mpg from cold around town and 64.2mpg in extra urban conditions. The dTi will also appear Classic saloons, and Scenic mini-MPVs - and which will shortly be available in Laguna and Clio models (a de-tuned version for the latter).

The fact of the matter is that the 'old' 95bhp dT returned 44.8mpg combined - and with most rivals achieving 50-plus, that just wasn't good enough to give the Megane diesel a real competitive edge in the lower medium market which accounts for one in three car sales, almost three-quarters of them company-funded.

Those who opt for a diesel engine instead of petrol will tend to look at the fuel consumption figures before moving on to other factors such as performance and handling. The 100bhp dTi does give the Megane better economy, but it still isn't quite as frugal as the latest 1.9-litre Volkswagen Golf TDI, which returns around 56mpg in mixed driving. It is, however, more or less on par with the new Vauxhall Astra 2.0-litre Di, which on Fleet NewsNet tests has achieved close to 54mpg.

Renault - which has long been in the back seat with its diesels - says its confidence in the new engine is demonstrated by introducing it straight into the Megane Sport. It's a move presumably designed to help overcome the perception that a diesel can't be fun.

The dTi Sport has the same specification as the petrol RT Sport 1.6e, and includes among its features alloy wheels, front fog lamps, leather steering wheel and rear spoiler. As a bonus, Renault has kept dTi prices the same as those for the dT - the five-door hatch RT Sport 1.9 dTi tested here costs ú14,190 on-the-road (ú14,485 with ABS). The RXE, which comes with air-conditioning, electric tilt and slide sunroof, and a 60-Watts hi-fi system, is pegged at ú15,070 (ú15,365 with ABS).

Classic prices start at ú15,070, and in the Scenic, the 1.9 dTi costs from ú15,050 to ú15,915 - four RT models, with the higher prices reflecting whether electric sunroof, ABS, or sunroof and ABS are specified.