Renault Megane E-Tech first drive | desirable, practical and cost-efficient

The Renaulution is well and truly underway, it would appear. That’s Renault’s self-named programme to shift its focus from volume to profitability.

This new Megane E-Tech is the first car to be launched as part of the new strategy and it marks a significant departure from Renault’s existing mainstream model line-up.

The French brand is no stranger to making driver-focused cars, courtesy of its Renault Sport division, and the Zoe, now in its second generation, shows Renault is equally capable at making affordable electric cars. The new Megane brings both these talents together, for the first time, and it’s quite a feat.

Just looking at the Megane is enough to pique your interest. It presents like a concept car with its bold design and large 20-inch wheels.

The current Clio and Captur represent a step-up in terms of driver focus for Renault, with sharper controls and a more engaging experience. In the Megane it goes further still, with particular focus applied to its drivability by engineers.  

Under the skin sits a new Renault-Nissan Alliance platform, which is also utilised by the Nissan Aryia. The Megane is smaller, however, and lower. It’s effectively a hatchback, but succumbs to the trend for a ‘crossover’ SUV look.

The interior marks the biggest change for Renault, elevating the car to new heights when it comes to quality. A wraparound design puts the focus on the driver, with the central infotainment screen angled inwards to give a cockpit feel.

A particular highlight for the new car is its digital experience. The central nine-inch display sits alongside a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster. The latter is among the best we’ve experienced, with high resolution graphics and excellent integration of the car’s trip computer and navigation functions.

The whole system, known as OpenR, is based around a Google platform, which perfectly integrates Google Maps and Google Assistant voice control with the rest of the car and put the Megane miles ahead of rival products in this regard.

A single electric powertrain is offered across the three-tier model line-up, which serves up 220PS to the front wheels and is powered by a 60kWh battery.

It puts the Megane on the brink of hot-hatch territory, with a 0-60mph acceleration time of 7.4 seconds and potent mid-range pick-up.

The range is 280 miles, according to WLTP, and in our experience around 230 miles is quite easy to achieve in real-world driving. DC rapid charging (130kW) can add 186-miles worth of range in 30 minutes, while a full charge using a 7kW home charger will take just more than nine hours.

Renault has paid particular attention to refinement when engineering the new Megane, which includes a softer throttle calibration to avoid unwanted jolting and extra soundproofing to mute road and tyre noise.

It makes for a serene drive, adding to the cabin’s premium ambience. We did find the ride quality to err on the choppy side, although the firmer set-up means less body roll and a more engaging handling which, coupled with ultra-fast steering, makes the Megane feel nimble.

The car’s closest rival is Cupra Born, which feels slightly more compliant thanks to its rear-driven configuration. The Megane remains a strong contender, though, especially when you factor in price and equipment.

Entry-level Equilibre costs £35,940 (P11D) and includes LED headlights, heated front seats, keyless entry, reversing camera and the twin-screen infotainment set-up.

The Techno costs £38,440, which adds adaptive cruise control, the Google services, an upgraded speaker system and blind spot monitoring. There’s also a range-topping Launch Edition that costs £39,940. To simplify ordering, there’s no optional equipment.

Renault set out to up its game and deliver a more premium and desirable product, and it has achieved exactly that. The new Megane is desirable, practical and cost-efficient, and therefore oozes user chooser appeal.

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