Renault Megane E-Tech Review: Stylish EV launching Renault’s new era

The Megane E-Tech is spearheading a new electrified age for Renault

The Renault Megane E-Tech is an electric vehicle that arrives with high expectations.

Renault first began producing the Megane in the late ‘90s, and since then, it’s enjoyed an illustrious history, becoming a staple on our roads through its several iterations.

However, times are changing, and as Renault prepares to launch itself into a new era of electrification, the Megane E-Tech is poised to feature at its forefront.

Competing against rivals like the Kia Niro EV, Cupra Born and the Volkswagen ID.3, the Megane E-Tech offers a claimed range of up to 280 miles and is powered by a 60 kWh battery pack.

Wondering if the Megane E-Tech is the car lease for you? Find out more as we review its tech, practicality, how well it drives and much more.

What did we drive?

Model: EV60 160kW techno 60kWh Optimum Charge 5dr

Transmission: Auto

Power: Electric (220hp)

Colour: Midnight Blue                                  

OTR: £36,995

Price of the model driven: £40,245

*Prices correct at the time of publication

Price

Prices for the Renault Megane E-Tech start from £36,995 for the entry-level equilibre trim level. This rises to £39,495 for the techno edition that we were testing.

The launch edition starts from £40,995 and the most expensive option, iconic, starts from £41,995.

The Megane E-Tech comes in as a narrowly more affordable option than both the new Kia Niro, which starts at £37,295 and the Volkswagen ID.3, which begins at £37,115.

The techno trim could be the best balance of value for money – you get a very generous amount of tech and once you get into the upper echelons of the range, the only significant differences are the F1 style and the additional heat pump that comes with the iconic trim.

If you would prefer to spread that cost for a more affordable driving experience, electric car leasing is a financing option to consider.

By leasing a Renault Megane E-Tech, you can pay a competitive monthly payment with lease terms designed to suit your needs.

*Prices correct at the time of publication

Batteries, electric range & charging

The Megane E-Tech range features a single battery option, a 60kWh pack.

It provides up to 280 miles of claimed electric range, producing 220 horsepower along the way.

While only narrowly, this does see the Megane E-Tech fall just short of the Kia Niro (285 miles) when it comes to range, but it does pip the ID.3 (265 miles) for performance.

For a family-friendly electric car, the range is competitive enough for the kind of journeys you’ll do day in and day out.

Charging the Megane E-Tech is very convenient. It features 22kW AC charging as standard – a rarity that few rivals can compete with – this means you’ll be able to recoup around 150 miles in one hour and 30 minutes at a public charging station.

Using a 130kW rapid charger station, you’ll get a full charge in just over an hour or up to 30 miles in as little as seven minutes.

Drive

The Megane E-Tech’s drive does not disappoint. It handles the power output confidently and the steering is nicely weighted to give the car an agile feel.

As you progress to motorway speeds, comfort levels remain impressive, and Renault have managed to minimise incoming road noise. It was one of the quieter EVs we have tested.

Customisable regeneration levels are a nice addition and if you do set it to maximum, it’s very strong. As strong as regenerative braking can be without completely offering a one-pedal driving experience.

Unlike some of its rivals, the Megane E-Tech is a front-wheel drive car, which is something you can notice coming in and out of corners through its power delivery. Though, despite its agile and nimble handling, this is a family-friendly EV rather than a hot hatch.

It’s packed with creature comforts, including a heated steering wheel and heated front seats for both driver and passenger.

Rear visibility is one of the few factors that let the Megane E-Tech down. The window is so small that once you add adult passengers into the mix, it’s always not worth having. It’s manageable through the fantastic visibility offered ahead and through the large wing mirrors, but it’s by no means perfect.

Design & interior

Renault have effortlessly combined all the history that comes with the Megane with a nod to their exciting future.

The flowing design of the Megane E-Tech ensures it feels right at home in the new, modernised Renault line-up.

It doesn’t look outlandishly electric either – which some might prefer. There are nice hints to it, but it is more subtle than something like a Hyundai Ioniq 5 or a Volkswagen ID.3.

The combination of the imposing 20" Soren alloy wheels and the sharp LED headlights give the face of the vehicle serious presence.

Renault have been clever with their styling, giving the Megane E-Tech the impression of being a small SUV in its looks. And while it looks great, once you see the car in person, it becomes clearer this is a decent-sized family hatchback rather than the former.

Our Megane E-Tech was in the beautiful Midnight Blue, but if you really wanted to maximise its design, consider the two-tone colour options, which allows you to add a contrasting roof.

Step inside the interior and you’re met by a welcoming and comfortable cabin. The quality of materials used is impressive and the driver’s seat offers fantastic support. The use of soft fabrics across the dash adds a premium touch too.

The rear of the cabin at times did feel dark and gloomy. The dark felt-lined roof and the dark grey seats really enhance this. It’s less of an issue for the driver up front but something to consider if you’re regularly driving as a family of four.

Space & practicality

Built from the ground up as a standalone EV, the Megane E-Tech benefits from a generous amount of space inside the cabin.

In terms of storage, you have a deep armrest compartment, two cupholders, as well as good size door bins.

The boot has great depth and, in total, offers 440L of space. That’s nearly 60L more than what is available in the Volkswagen ID.3, but narrowly short of the Niro EV (475L).

Once the rear seats are folded flat the figure rises to 1,332L.

It does feature underfloor storage to hide your charging cables out of sight, but you will have to contend with a large load lip when transporting heavier items. 

Space for passengers in the back is competitive, with generous legroom and headroom suitable for younger occupants. Taller passengers above six feet will get by fine but might find longer journeys a little unpractical with the sloping roofline eating into headroom.

Technology

Living up to its ‘techno’ trim name, the car is crammed with great technology.

Wireless charging comes as standard, while the Megane E-Tech is also another car that supports wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto on select trims.

Mounted together to the dashboard are two screens. A crisp 12.3" driver’s display and a second 9” infotainment system.

There's no option to improve that 9" screen for something bigger, and when compared to similar options like the two 12.3" screens in the Kia EV6 or even the 15" screen in the Tesla Model 3 RWD, it does look small.

In a market where it feels like a 12" screen has become the norm, this does leave this particular element of the Megane E-Tech’s interior looking dated in comparison to its direct opposition.

The wrap around effect of the two screens looks fantastic and helps the driver feel more at one with the vehicle.

The system itself is responsive enough and easy to use. There are a wealth of shortcut buttons and physical buttons for your air conditioning, so you’re never solely reliant on the touchscreen.

It does feature a lot of menus and sub-menus to jump through, but generally, it is easy to use. Plus, with Google integration, you’re blessed with lots of options with that and smartphone integration to choose from.

Two USB-C ports come as standard in both the front and the rear for additional connectivity, as well as a 12V socket in the front.

You have two options for volume controls: a traditional dial on the left of the touchscreen or a stalk behind the steering wheel, which was... odd. One that I'm sure you'll grow accustomed to but a strange addition at first.

Safety

The Renault Megane E-Tech scored five stars out of five during Euro NCAP safety testing, including an 85% score for adult occupants and an 88% score for child occupants.

Cruise control is available on the Equilibre trim but you have to upgrade to this techno trim to get adaptive cruise control.

A rear-view camera is available as standard across the range, meanwhile traffic sign recognition, emergency lane keep assist and automatic emergency braking are some of the many driver safety assists that come as standard.

An around-view 3D camera is available with the launch edition spec for further peace of mind when parking.

Model lines & equipment

The Megane E-Tech range features four trim levels; the entry-level Equilibre, Techno, Launch edition and finally the range-topping Iconic.

Outlined below are the key features for each.

equilibre – from £36,995

• 18" Oston alloy wheels
• 12.3" driver information display cluster
• Wireless smartphone integration
• 9'' OpenR link multimedia system with Arkamys audio system
• 2 front & rear c-type USB connectors
• Paddle shifters for regenerative braking
• Driver drowsiness alert
• Distance warning alert
• Anti-lock braking system
• Emergency brake assist
• Cruise control with speed limiter
• Emergency lane keeping assist including solid line, oncoming traffic & road edge detection
• Hill start assist
• Rear park assist
• Automatic emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection & junction alerts
• Day & night rearview mirror
• Rearview camera
• Traffic sign recognition
• Driver & passenger heated seats
• Heated steering wheel
• Interior ambient lighting (8 colours)
• Two-zone automatic climate control with humidity sensor & air recycling
• Hands-free keycard with keyless entry

techno – from £39,495

(In addition to/replacement of equilibre)

• 20" Soren alloy wheels
• 9" OpenR link multimedia system: navigation, Google services, Arkamys audio system with 6 speakers
• Front & rear park assist
• Adaptive cruise control with speed limiter
• Rear cross-traffic alert with rear automatic braking system
• Lane centering
• Traffic sign recognition with overspeed prevention
• Multisense: customisable driving modes & interior ambient lighting
• Tinted rear windows
• One tone metallic paint

launch edition – from £40,995

(In addition to/replacement of techno)

• 20" Enos alloy wheels
• 9" OpenR link multimedia system: navigation, Google services, Harman Kardon audio with 9 speakers
• Smart rearview mirror
• Around view 3d camera
• Gold F1 blade

iconic - £41,995

(In addition to/replacement of launch edition)

• Heat pump

Verdict

The Renault Megane E-Tech is a promising start to a new era for the French manufacturer.

Deceptive in its styling, it delivers on good looks, style and personality through the sleek touches Renault have created.

The quality of the interior matches the generous levels of kit that come either as standard or early in the range – exactly what you would expect from a modern day EV.

It's by no means the perfect family car; it's not without its imperfections, but if you're in the market for a refined, good-looking EV that more than holds its own in range, space, and comfort, the Megane E-Tech does the job and then some