Renault Megane E-Tech | long-term test review

It is very hard to find fault with the Renault Megane E-Tech as it leaves our long-term test fleet.

The all-electric Megane impressed from day one, with bags of kerbside appeal. Its low overall height, sloping roofline, narrow-sided tyres and sculpted bumpers helping to reduce unwanted drag.  

Meanwhile, inside I was impressed with the step-up in quality from Renault’s of old, with a recycled fabric dashboard cover and the suede inserts on the door cards, a welcome change from the usual black plastic and faux leather.

There is also plenty of legroom, headroom and shoulder room up front, while a higher mounted bench seat in the back does compromise for those taller rear passengers.

On the road, it also failed to disappoint. However, I think you would be pushing it to label the Megane a ‘hot hatch’, it’s built for a family, but it is still a lot of fun to drive.

It’s quick off the mark, even if a second slower than the 77kWh Cupra Born, and is sure footed on the road.

In ‘comfort’ mode, the steering is responsive if a little light, while in ‘sport’ mode the heavier steering provides offers more feedback for the driver.

The Megane covered its fair share of miles while being put through its paces, with a mix of long-distance driving and short trips around town.

As discussed in previous reviews, its 60kWh battery, while claiming an electric driving range of up to 280 miles (WLTP), delivered 220-240 miles of range fully charged, around 3.6 miles per kWh.

This is close to the 235-mile real-world range figure suggested in the Fleet News Electric Car and Van Database.

While making sense on the road, the Megane also impresses on paper thanks to a P11D price of £39,440, a 2% benefit-in-kind (BIK) tax rate for the driver and Class 1A NIC costs to the employer for our test car of £109.

According to our Company Car Tax Calculator, on a 48-month/80,000 mile cycle, running costs of 45.5p per mile should be expected for the employer.   

Overll, the Megane E-Tech is a quality car with a better interior than rivals such as the Volkswagen ID3, an exterior that is easy on the eye and a battery which delivers a real-world range that’s more than adequate for today’s company car driver.  

Real-world range tested

With a claimed electric driving range of up to 280 miles (WLTP), the Megane E-Tech compares well to its rivals, even if reaching the quoted figure has proved difficult.

A more realistic 220-240 miles, with its 60kWh (useable) battery fully charged, can be achieved during the summer months but, as with any electric vehicle (EV) and internal combustion engine (ICE) car, fuel economy is down to individual driving style.

For example, don’t be surprised if you drive the Megane with a heavy right foot in Sport mode (available in Techno trim and above), to only have a range of 140 miles when fully charged.  

In comfort mode, however, the Megane has manged around 220 miles between charges, returning around 3.6 miles per kWh, without you having to drive like a complete saint. 

This is close to the 235-mile real-world range figure suggested in the Fleet News Electric Car and Van Database.

Since it’s been on long-term test, we’ve seen an overall efficiency rate of about 3.1 miles per kWh, which would deliver 190 miles between charges.

The Megane's winter range is helped by an intelligent system to shuffle thermal energy between the battery, the cabin, the motors and electronics, and the outside air.

The battery pack feeds an electric motor mounted on the front axle. The system develops 217PSand 300Nm of torque, which Renault says is enough for a 0–62mph time of 7.5 seconds and a top speed of 99mph.

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.

When you do have to stop and charge, the Megane E-Tech can charge at up to 130kW, meaning a 15 to 80% top-up from a suitably fast ultra-rapid charger takes just 30 minutes.

Plugging into a 7.4kW home wallbox charger, meanwhile, will take a flat battery to a full charge in just over nine hours.

Top marks for safety

The all-new Megane E-Tech Electric is packed with technology, helping it to achieve a five-star rating in Euro NCAP safety tests.

Euro NCAP gave it a score of 85% in the adult occupant category, with some concern around the driver’s chest in the frontal impact and marginal protection from whiplash for those in the front seat.

The Megane, meanwhile, scored 88% in the child occupancy category, with vehicle testers impressed by car’s ability to shield both its six-year-old and 10-year-old dummies from severe injury.

The Megane’s driver-assist systems also performed well, achieving a 79% rating, although it did lose marks for pedestrian protection (65%) due to some poor results recorded at the base of the windscreen and on the stiff windscreen pillars. 

Renault has done well to achieve a five-star rating given the Euro NCAP safety assessments are the most stringent ever

It says that there are 26 advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) available on the Megane E-Tech Electric, which are divided into three categories – driving, parking and safety.

It is definitely well-equipped. Standout additions are active driver assist, which is now classed as Level 2 vehicle autonomy, combining contextual adaptive cruise control with ‘stop and go’, lane keeping assist, and rear automatic emergency braking, which is an automatic emergency braking system that activates when the driver is reversing.

The system initially provides a visual and audible initial warning, with the brakes automatically applied should the driver not react.

Other note-worthy safety systems are the smart speed limiter, which uses a front camera and the navigation system to determine the current speed limit and adjusts the speed limiter accordingly, cruise control, or adaptive cruise control to suit, and something called occupant safe exit (OSE), which warns an occupant of an approaching vehicle, motorcycle or cyclist as they open a car door.

The Megane E-Tech also has a QR code on the windscreen, which can be scanned by rescue teams to reveal the location of the car’s battery and airbags for quick and risk-free cutting.

Practicality a "mixed bag"

When it comes to practicality, it’s a mixed bag for the Renault Megane E-Tech Electric.

With wheels positioned at the very extremities of the car’s platform, Renault has created more space in the cabin for passengers, meaning legroom, headroom and shoulder room is plentiful up front.

However, in the rear, it’s a different story with the bench mounted higher than a conventional hatchback, because it sits on top of a bulge in the battery pack.

As a result, those over six feet tall may find their heads brushing against the roof lining, with little space for feet beneath the front seats.

In terms of storage, the Renault Megane E-Tech Electric’s door bins are able to take a large bottle of water, there is a good-sized glovebox and a decent sized storage area under the central armrest.

There is also a very handy tray under the infotainment system that’s perfectly sized to hold your smartphone, while on mid-range Techno models and up, there is also a wireless charging pad.

There one cupholder and two movable dividers in the tray underneath the infotainment system to create a second. 

With the rear seats in place, the Renault Megane E-Tech Electric has 440 litres of boot space, although that figure increases to 1,332 litres if you fold the rear seats flat. That’s comparable to the amount of space on offer in the Volkswagen ID 3 and Kia Niro EV.

With the seats down, there’s a large step in the floor of the extended load bay, so sliding in long items is not the easiest. There is also no ski hatch, either, which you can get in the Cupra Born and ID 3.

The Renault Megane E-Tech Electric’s boot is big, but that capacity comes mostly from its depth rather than its length, although there is a handy compartment under the boot floor that's large enough to store the charging cable. 

Interior and specification impress

Renault has definitely upped its game when it comes to the interior of the Megane E-Tech compared to previous models.

A recycled fabric dashboard cover and suede inserts on the door cards, while different, are very appealing and a welcome change from black plastic and faux leather.

The Megane E-Tech is offered in three different trims, starting with the entry-level Equilibre, which comes with 18-inch Oston alloy wheels, full LED headlights, black fabric upholstery including the fabric-covered upper dashboard and interior ambient lighting.

Company car drivers choosing this trim will also find automatic dual-zone air conditioning, one-touch electric windows, heated steering wheel, heated front seats, rear park assist and a rear-view camera as standard.

There is a 12.3-inch instrument cluster, 9-inch OpenR infotainment display with navigation, with both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, connected services including over-the-air software updates, four-speaker Arkamys audio system, two front and two rear USB-C ports and automatic windscreen wipers with rain sensor & sensitivity setting.

All models come with a five-metre Mode 3 charging cable as standard and a hands-free key card with keyless entry, together with an array of safety and driver assistance systems, including automatic emergency braking with junction assist and pedestrian and cyclist alerts, cruise control with speed limiter, driver drowsiness alert, emergency lane keeping assist with oncoming traffic and road-edge detection, and emergency e-call.

The Techno model we have on test goes further with the addition of adaptive cruise control with speed limiter and lane centring, traffic sign recognition with overspeed prevention, blind spot recognition and intervention, rear cross traffic alert with rear automatic braking, and both front and rear park assist.

The Techno trim also offers 20-inch Soren alloy wheels, full adaptive LED headlights with automatic high/low beam, front and rear signature lighting with dynamic turn signals, contrasting door mirrors, and a shark fin antenna.

Inside, you will find grey and black upholstery made from synthetic leather and recycled materials, tinted rear windows and a frameless auto-dimming rear-view mirror.

Furthermore, electric lumbar adjustment for both driver and front passenger seats, the full range of Google services including Google Assistant, Maps, and Play store, wireless smartphone charging and an upgraded Arkamys audio system with six speakers come as standard.

At the top of the range, Renault has a special Launch Edition exclusive to the UK with 20-inch Enos alloy wheels and a gold F1 blade, while the interior gains a 9-speaker Harman Kardon audio system, smart rear-view mirror, and around view 3D camera system.

Renault Megane E-Tech Techno joins our fleet

The all-new Mégane E-Tech 100% electric is the first of a new generation of Renault electric vehicles (EVs) built on a new modular platform.

It also features an enhanced digital experience, with a 12.3-inch dashboard display, nine-inch multimedia display, and Android Automotive OS with integrated Google services, available from the Techno trim, which we have on test. There is also the recently introduced top-of-the-range Iconic trim and the entry-level trim, Equilibre, with prices starting from £36,995 OTR. WLTP figures say electric driving range is up to 280 miles.

While it shares the CMF-EV platform with the Nissan Ariya, the Mégane has a different motor, made by Renault, which, in UK-spec models, produces 217PS. 

Power is supplied via a slimline 60kWh battery mounted in the chassis, meaning the centre of gravity is lower compared with the internal combustion engine (ICE) car which, Renault says, makes it more agile.

Inside, the impact on space is minimal though a little tight in the rear, while there is a generous 440 litres available in what is a deep boot.

First impressions have been good. However, in the cold weather and my right foot combined with driving the Mégane in ‘sport mode’ have cut the official mileage almost in half, with a 100% charge delivering just more than 150 miles of range at 2.4 miles per kWh.

Moving the car into an ‘eco’ or ‘custom mode’ should push that higher – to around 200 miles.