I think what they did was hold a poll with a lot of important car journalists all over Europe and they came based on a questionaire to this conclusion. Sad though it seems. Bah the Megane looks so ugly indeed.
Maybe the french know how to cook, but they definitely cannot build decent cars (o.k. I have to admit that Peugeot 206 and 307 are rather nice cars, but the rest...yuck).
The 3-doors looks not very bad IRL, the 5-doors really is a horrible car..
But I drove a Mégane 1.6 yesterday. Very good car! Just as good as the Peugeot 307 (Car of the Year 2002). I think that the Renault has every right to be the winner. The design is very new, and it has more choice in interior colors, and it is a ver safe car (it will get 5 points)
Actually, when you sit inside, I'm sure you're fine. But that car would constitute a driving hazard for everyone else on the road:
"What the hell is that thing? Oh my god, it's sooooo ugly! Aaauuugh!" CRASH!!!
:hoho