Renault Megane E-Tech Review 2024

If you're looking for an electric family car that looks stylish, has a superb interior and comes fully loaded with standard equipment, the Renault Megane E-Tech is a great choice. Its impressive range of up to 280 miles will be more than enough for most drivers, while we're big fans of the Android-based infotainment system. If you need a big boot with easy access you might be better looking at the Kia Niro EV, though, while both the MG4 and Cupra Born are a little more fun to drive.

The basic Megane E-Tech has always been worth a look since all models get the same battery, and it actually offers a few more miles of range than the higher-spec cars on larger wheels. Since 2024 the entry car has been the Evolution, and it’s a little better-equipped than the Equilibre that started the range when the E-Tech was launched. You do get a smaller, less feature-heavy infotainment system than Techno and Iconic models, but as well as a marginally longer range, the 18-inch wheels also smoothen the ride quality.

We’d probably still spend the extra £2,000 (or equivalent on a finance deal) and step up to at least Techno trim though, as the 20-inch wheels look great and you get the larger 12-inch infotainment display (with greater functionality), plus front and rear parking assist.

If you're in the market for an electric family hatch, you're also going to want to look at the Volkswagen ID.3 and its sportier relation, the Cupra Born. The MG4 is worth a look, too, especially as it offers excellent value for money - for a model of equivalent range it’s around £4,000 cheaper, and while it’s slightly less powerful, MG has put more of an emphasis on driving fun than Renault has with the Megane E-Tech.

We'd also recommend the excellent Kia Niro EV (particularly if practicality is a priority), while you could also take a look at the Citroen e-C4 and the popular Nissan Leaf.

Generally, the Renault Megane E-Tech feels very well finished inside. The grey fabric seats (made from recycled plastic bottles) look just as classy as leather, while features like the carpeted door bins are a nice touch.

There are a few harsh plastics here and there - the centre console feels pretty robust, and the power button stands out for its, erm, simplicity - but the textured dashboard and shiny black finish around the infotainment means the cabin feels a step above the Volkswagen ID.3's. There’s also a pleasing absence of fingerprint-attracting ‘piano black’ plastic, while higher-spec models get neat details such as airy light grey fabrics and contrasting stitching on the seats.

Depending on the model you go for, the Renault Megane E-Tech comes with either a nine-inch infotainment display, or a 12-inch system. The former is available on the entry-level Evolution trim while the latter comes as standard on the Techno and Iconic. They run on an Android operating system which means most of the built-in systems are Google - which should be familiar for most drivers, and the larger portrait displays come with Google Maps built in, even if you don’t plug in your smartphone (and both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are supported).

One clever feature on the Iconic specifically is that charging mapping is built in, so when you set out a route, the car will inform you of nearby charging stations, tell you how much range you’ll have left at your destination based on your current battery charge and energy use, and generally make it very easy to plan a trip around the car’s charging needs. The Google tech also gives you some voice control, so you can ask it to turn on the heated seats, if you don’t fancy pressing a button.

You can also use the Google Play Store to download your favourite apps, while user profiles mean you can personalise the infotainment setup for different drivers. If you'd prefer to just use your smartphone, you can plug it in and use Apple CarPlay or Android Auto instead.

A car as refined as the Megane E-Tech deserves a premium sound system, says Renault. Depending on trim level, the Renault Megane E-Tech either comes with a four- or six-speaker sound system developed by French firm Arkamys, or a nine-speaker Harman Kardon system.

The Renault Megane E-Tech has a relatively wide and very deep boot. There isn’t an adjustable false floor, either, so there’s a high lip for lifting items over - although you do get a little bit of extra stowage space for hiding away your cables. Overall, the boot can carry up to 440 litres of luggage, which is more than a Volkswagen ID.3 but less than a Kia Niro EV.

If you need more space, the rear seats split 60:40 and drop to provide more load capacity. There is a noticeable step up from the boot floor, though, so you’ll need to look elsewhere if you need a flat load bay with the rear seats lowered.

Boot aside, the Renault Megane E-Tech is a spacious family hatchback. Two adults will be reasonably comfortable in the rear. The relatively low seating position means there’s loads of headroom in the back, too, although there isn’t a huge amount of space for moving your feet around.

The front feels spacious and airy, thanks to a relatively open centre console and a deep front windscreen. You get a reasonably large storage area in the centre cubby, while the door bins can fit a bottle of water and a few odds and ends. There’s a handy storage tray for your mobile phone, too.

One thing that has remained constant with the recent updates is the Megane E-Tech’s 60kWh battery pack and another is the 220PS electric motor powering the front wheels. Neither really needed changing - as you’ll see in the next section the range is very competitive for a car in this segment, while the punchy electric motor delivers 0-62mph in 7.5 seconds. It feels well up to that figure on the road too, surging off the line and up to motorway speeds with no real let-up, but without feeling uncomfortably quick as some more powerful EVs can sometimes do.

There are paddles behind the steering wheel which allow you to adjust the amount of regen when you lift off the accelerator pedal. Essentially, this means you can crank up the 'engine' braking so that the Megane slows down quite significantly when you lift off the gas - good news for efficiency as it essentially pumps energy (that would ordinarily be wasted) back into the batteries.

This regenerative braking is great when you're driving around town as you'll rarely have to touch the brakes although, unlike some electric cars, the Megane E-Tech won't come to a complete stop under regenerative braking. You can also reduce the amount of regenerative braking so that the car coasts like a normal car when you lift off the accelerator -

All Megane E-Techs come with a 60kWh battery pack in the UK, rather than the options of 40kWh and 60kWh available elsewhere in Europe. While the smaller of the two gets an official range of 190 miles, it’s the 285 miles of the larger battery that really stands out. You’ll need ideal conditions to match that in the real world, but the Megane is still pretty efficient in day-to-day driving.

During our most recent drive in the updated car, which took place in the Cotswolds - meaning a mix of stop-start town traffic, 50mph country roads, and a few jaunts to 70mph on motorways - our car returned an efficiency figure of 3.9 miles per kilowatt-hour. Extrapolate that and you get a real-world range on that drive of 234 miles - around 50 short of the official number, but one that should cover several daily commutes for most owners and handle longer trips without too much range anxiety too.

The Renault’s range figure is also competitive with rivals - a 58kWh Volkswagen ID.3 Pro has a claimed 269 miles, a 64kWh MG 4 (with a less powerful 203PS motor) gets up to 281 miles, and the 54kWh Citroen e-C4 goes 260 miles on a charge. You can expect each of those to have a similar real-world drop to the Megane.

Renault's clear focus on quality with the Megane E-Tech extends as far as its noise and vibration levels. It's a very serene car to travel in, with much less wind and road noise than budget alternatives like the MG 4 and even the Volkswagen ID.3.

Of course, with the lack of a grumbly petrol or diesel engine, you'd expect any EV to feel very refined. But the Megane E-Tech goes a step further - you could hear a pin drop in the cabin. It does a genuinely excellent job of isolating you from the outside world.

The Renault Megane E-Tech has been tested by independent experts Euro NCAP and awarded a full five stars for safety - a marked improvement over the Renault Zoe electric city car. That means it's fundamentally a very safe car to travel in should the worst happen, while there's also a long list of standard driver-assistance technology on hand to reduce the chances of a collision in the first place.

One such system is the automatic emergency braking feature, which uses cameras and sensors to monitor your surroundings. If it detects sharp braking from another vehicle, pedestrians crossing the road or a cyclist cutting in front of you, it'll alert the driver and apply the brakes if necessary.

Other highlights of the Megane E-Tech's safety systems include a driver drowsiness alert feature, which tells you when it's time to take a break, while a distance warning alert notifies you when you're too close to the car in front. Lane keep assist is standard across the range too, but Renault now usefully allows drivers to set their safety system preferences via the touchscreen, and then select those preferences with a button press each time they get in the car - rather than having to dive into the touchscreen and turn things off individually every journey.

It's fair to say Renault doesn't have the best reliability record. The brand was one of the worst performers in the latest HonestJohn.co.uk Satisfaction Index, while older Meganes are known to be quite problematic for used car buyers.

However... anecdotally, we're hearing fewer reports of issues with Renault's latest models, while the brand has been investing heavily in quality control in recent years. Like all electric cars, the Renault Megane E-Tech has much fewer moving parts to go wrong than a petrol or diesel alternative, and Renault is pretty experienced with electric cars now, having been one of the first manufacturers to offer an EV with the Zoe way back in 2013. It also shares many of its mechanical bits with the Nissan Ariya which should be good for long-term reliability.

The Renault Megane E-Tech has been placed in insurance groups 26 or 27 depending on trim level. What that means in reality depends on a multitude of factors - things like your home address, age, driving experience and annual mileage all combine to determine the price you'll pay for insurance.

Some insurers do charge a premium for electric cars like the Megane E-Tech due to their complexity, not to mention the punchy performance compared to combustion-engined car. We'd always recommend shopping around for quotes, but the Megane E-Tech shouldn't cost any more to insure than a Nissan Leaf or Kia Niro EV.

If you buy an electric car (such as the Renault Megane E-Tech) before 2025, you won't pay any VED (road tax). It's exempt from the £40,000 premium car surcharge too, since even the top-trip Iconic only starts at £37,995 and doesn’t have many options to bump the price up further, which could save you a considerable chunk of money compared to an expensive petrol or diesel alternative.

Since a range of light updates in 2024 the Megane E-Tech is available in three trim levels, Evolution, Techno, and Iconic, though as when the car was launched, Renault has bundled all the equipment it deems necessary into each model, rather than letting you choose option packs that might see one trim level overlapping with another. There are still accessories though, and of course you can choose different alloy wheel designs and body colours.

The range starts with Evolution trim, which includes 18-inch alloy wheels, a 9-inch portrait-layout media touchscreen, driver and passenger heated seats, rear park assist and a rear-view camera, LED headlights, adaptive cruise control, a heated steering wheel, and a 60kWh battery pack, now with a heat pump as standard.

Step up to Techno trim and the wheels jump two inches to 20-inch items, the media display grows by three inches and gets charging route planning via Google Maps, you get a more sophisticated cruise control system, ‘Multisense’ switchable driving modes, adaptive LED front and rear fog lights, and front and rear parking assist.

With the Iconic, there’s a different 20-inch alloy wheel design, titanium coloured exterior detailing, and around-view 3D parking camera, hands-free parking, and a digital rear-view mirror, plus all the equipment from the trim levels below. Standard safety kit across the range includes active emergency braking, emergency lane keep assist, and distance warning alert. All models also get configurable electronic safety aids, which can then be activated and deactivated with a single button.