Renault Megane review

If you go to a party and most guests are unfamiliar, it's tempting to make a beeline for the people you do know. Likewise, while the all-electric Renault Megane E-Tech is like no other Megane before it, its familiar name might attract potential buyers new to electric cars.

From photos it can be tricky to judge the size of the Megane because of its chunky, SUV-like styling. However, in reality it's actually closer in size to the MG4 EV than, say, the Kia EV6 electric SUV.

That plus the change in power source means that while the previous Megane was a rival to big-name family cars such as the Ford Focus and VW Golf, this latest E-Tech model is up against the likes of the Cupra Born and VW ID 3.

So how does the Renault Megane E-Tech compare with the best electric cars for range, performance, practicality and so on? Read on to find out...

Every Renault Megane E-Tech has a 215bhp electric motor driving its front wheels, and that makes it fairly nippy. In our tests, it managed 0-60mph in 6.9 seconds – fractionally quicker than the equivalent Cupra Born or MG4 EV.

All versions have front-wheel drive so you have to be a bit delicate with the accelerator pedal when the road is wet. If you put your foot down hard, the front wheels can spin before the traction control kicks in to cut the power temporarily.

The entry-level Evolution trim, which comes with 18in wheels, has the most agreeable ride, but the Megane is still comfortable on the 20in wheels you get with higher trims. The suspension has a firmer edge than the MG4's, giving the car tight body control, and potholes and expansion joints are dealt with quickly, with no pronounced aftershocks.

Disappointingly, the firm suspension doesn’t translate into enjoyable handling. It’s agile enough compared with a Nissan Leaf but the steering is very light and the speed of it changes after you wind on the first few degrees of lock. That means placing the car accurately can be trickier along faster winding roads than in a Cupra Born or VW ID 3.

Meganes in Techno trim and above come with a Sport mode that allows you to make the steering heavier. It doesn’t really transform the driving experience, so we wouldn’t pay extra for it.

The regenerative braking system (which tops up the battery by recovering energy as you brake) has four strength settings, and you can switch between them using small paddles behind the steering wheel. In the most extreme setting, it greatly reduces your need to use the actual brake pedal, especially around town.

Unfortunately, when you use the brake pedal at low speeds, you'll find it hard to judge: it sinks towards the floor with very little pressure applied, then the brakes grab suddenly. At higher speeds the pedal is more progressive, which allows for smoother braking when travelling on a motorway or a twisty A or B-road.

Renault is very proud of the extra sound insulation packaged into the floor to reduce road noise – a method it calls "cocoon effect". It seems to work well and the Megane is quieter at a cruise than the Born and MG4, with only a bit of wind fluttering around the unusually large door mirrors. The suspension is hushed too, with only the sharpest of ruts causing a pronounced thunk.

What about range? Well, all Megane E-Techs are powered by a 60kWh (usable) battery that delivers an official range of 285 miles. That’s more than a Peugeot e-308 (257 miles) or an MG4 EV Long Range (281 miles).

Thankfully, all versions are now offered with a heat pump as standard, which allows for more efficient warming of the interior. Previously, the Megane wasn’t offered with a heat pump so its range depleted quite quickly in colder weather, as we found out during our real-world winter range test (it managed 189 miles).

“Most new cars with large alloy wheels sacrifice comfort in the name of style, but I was very impressed at how well the Megane's suspension soaked up the worst of the lumps and bumps, even with 20in wheels.” – Neil Winn, Deputy Reviews Editor

With plenty of seat and steering wheel adjustment, the Renault Megane has a great driving position. It's much better than the MG4 EV because that car has its steering wheel offset to your left.

Better still, all the adjustability makes it easy to get comfortable on long journeys, while the adjustable lumbar support you get on higher trim versions is welcome.

The Megane's front window pillars are fairly chunky and can get in the way when you're navigating sweeping bends or exiting a junction. Rearward visibility isn’t great either, due to the large rear pillars and tiny rear windows. That's less of a problem in the Cupra Born and MG4.

Thankfully, rear parking sensors and a rear-view camera come as standard on all models, with front sensors fitted on all but the entry-level version. The range-topping trim (called Iconic) gets a 360-degree reversing camera and a "smart rear-view mirror", which shows a feed from a camera at the back of the car.

Inside, the Megane is smartly finished with plenty of soft-touch materials and fabrics, many of which are recycled. There are some hard plastics but they’re hidden low down and don’t detract from the overall impression. 

All Meganes E-Techs have a 12.3in digital driver’s display. The entry-level trim, called Evolution, comes with a 9in infotainment touchscreen while other trims get a 12in touchscreen.

No matter which trim level you choose, all Meganes run Renault’s OpenR infotainment system. It's easy to get along with thanks to its simple layout, sharp graphics and quick responses.

We also like the fact you get physical toggle switches for the climate controls, which makes it easy to adjust functions such as the temperature while driving. Overall, the infotainment and climate control set-up is more intuitive than what you get in a Cupra Born or MG4 EV.

As with the touchscreen, the sound system changes depending on the trim level. Evolution cars get four speakers, mid-range Techno trim gets six speakers and range-topping Iconic models get a punchy 12-speaker Harman Kardon system.

“Renault’s OpenR infotainment system is one of my favourites. It runs Google-based software, which means it’s quick and responsive to use. Plus, it gets regular over-the-air updates to keep it fresh with the latest features.” – Oliver Young, Used Cars Reporter 

There's plenty of head and leg room in the front of the Renault Megane. You also get plenty of storage, including door bins big enough for a large bottle of water, a glovebox, a tray with wireless phone-charging below the infotainment screen, and large cubbies in the central armrest and in front of it.

There's only one cupholder, mind, and the two movable dividers in the long lower cubby are a bit fiddly.

Space could be better in the Megane's back seats. Two six-footers will find their heads grazing the roof lining and knee room is disappointing by electric car standards. Plus, there’s not much room for feet under the front seats.

In short, the Megane’s main rivals – the Cupra Born, the MG4 EV and the VW ID 3 – are more accommodating in the rear.

The boot space is short but really deep. We managed to fit in an impressive seven carry-on suitcases below the tonneau cover compared with six in the Born and five in the MG4. The downside is that there's a very high load lip, so heaving in larger items isn’t all that easy. You do at least get a handy cubby under the boot floor that's large enough to store the charging cables. 

The rear seats can be folded down in a 60/40 configuration, which is the same as most rivals. With the seat backs down, there’s a large step in the floor of the extended load bay so sliding in long items won’t be the easiest. The Megane isn't available with a ski hatch – something you can get in the Born and ID 3.

“I was surprised by the space in the back of the Megane – and not in a good way. I’m 6ft 2in and found knee room particularly tight. Also, the small rear windows, grey headlining and dark upholstery on our test car made it feel a bit claustrophobic.” – George Hill, Staff Writer

If you're paying cash, the Renault Megane E-Tech costs more than an MG4 EV or Nissan Leaf but is slightly cheaper than an equivalent Cupra Born or VW ID 3. 

Disappointingly, the Megane is predicted to suffer heavier depreciation than all those rivals except the Leaf. That could mean higher payments on PCP finance although it's always worth checking for offers on our New Car Deals pages. 

As with all electric cars, the Megane will be very cheap to run as a company car because of its very low BIK tax rate.

Our pick of the trim range is entry-level Evolution, which comes with plenty of standard kit. That includes a battery heat pump, 18in alloy wheels, full LED headlights, dual-zone climate control, heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, ambient interior lighting and keyless entry.

Techno trim adds 20in alloy wheels, adaptive LED headlights, rear privacy glass, adaptive cruise control and an upgraded six-speaker sound system.

Top-spec Iconic trim adds a Harman Kardon premium sound system and replaces the rear-view mirror with a smart mirror that shows a feed from a camera. Unless you really want those items, we don't think it's worth the extra cost.

The Megane has a maximum charging speed of up to 130kW, which means a 10-80% battery top-up should take around 30 minutes if you plug into a powerful enough rapid charger. A full charge from a 7kW home wall box will take around 10 hours. That’s roughly comparable with a 58kWh Cupra Born or an MG4 EV.

We don't have reliability data for the latest Megane but we can tell you that Renault came in 23rd place out of 32 manufacturers in our 2023 What Car? Reliability Survey. That's not bad, and better than MG (25th) and Cupra (32nd).

Renault gives you a three-year warranty with unlimited mileage for the first 24 months but a cap of 100,000 miles over the three years. Three years is fairly typical – matching Cupra and VW warranties – but doesn’t match Kia’s seven-year warranty. The Megane’s main battery is covered for eight years.

Euro NCAP awarded the Megane E-Tech five stars out of five for safety in 2022, and it has plenty of safety tech as standard. That includes traffic sign recognition, a driver attention monitor system, a speed-limit warning system, lane-keep assistance and automatic emergency braking (AEB). Techno and Iconic trims add blind-spot monitoring, lane-departure warning and rear cross-traffic alert.

“I like that all new Renaults have a feature called the MySafety switch, which lets you save and personalise driver aids such as the lane-keep assistance through the touchscreen. Once you’ve set your preferences, you can enable them by pressing a button beside the steering wheel.” – Lawrence Cheung, New Cars Editor

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