Name: Renault Megane E-Tech Electric
Brand: Renault

The Renault Megane E-Tech Electric is a super-stylish way to go electric, but its good looks come at a compromise on practicality.

wowscore

8/10

This score is awarded by our team of after extensive testing of the car

What's good

Stunning design
High-quality interior
Superb infotainment system

What's not so good

Limited rear headroom
Massive load lip for the boot
Poor rear visibility

Find out more about the Renault Megane E-Tech Electric

Is the Renault Megane E-Tech Electric a good car?

If you’re looking for a seriously stylish family hatchback, the Renault Megane E-Tech Electric is one worth considering. It’s the sort of car to be looking at if you’re looking into the battery-powered Volkswagen ID.3, or the Ford Focus with its internal combustion engines.

This Megane is like one of your mates who’s suddenly decided to take on a vegan, eco-conscious lifestyle. Gone are its petrol versions, with just electric power coming in its place, plus a bunch of eco-friendly materials. But more on those shortly.

There’s no questioning that the Renault Megane E-Tech Electric is a looker. A striking front end design, sleek roofline and strong selection of two-tone colour choices certainly allow it to stand out. You’ll get 18-inch wheels as standard, but there’s a set of 20-inch alloys if those aren’t large enough for you.

It’s just as stylish inside, too. You’re met immediately with a two-spoke steering wheel that offers something of a throwback feel (if you look beyond all the buttons), plus a host of recycled fabrics that look and feel the part. You can go for leather on top-spec cars, though.

Directly in your line of vision is a 12-inch digital driver’s display that’s crisp and very configurable. To the side of that, you’ll find a portrait-set infotainment system that serves as evidence car manufacturers should bin off developing their own software and leave it to tech companies.

This isn’t a dig at Renault, as it uses a new Google-based system here in the Megane. It’s super-sharp, dead easy to use and comes with impressive Google Maps integration without charging you any extra for the privilege. It helps that the assistant for voice controls is easy to use and rarely mishears you, too.

However, the Megane is let down a little in the practicality stakes. Its roofline helps the design, but it does mean headroom in the back isn’t great, although there’s a good amount of knee room.

You should skip over the 130hp Megane and go straight for the 220hp version. Its performance is well suited for real-world driving and its longer range is a must-have.

Mat Watson

carwow expert

Its boot comes in at a healthy 440 litres, which is comfortably more than the VW ID.3’s 385 litres. However, it’s hindered by a massive lip that can make loading difficult — and storing the charging cables under the boot floor will mean playing real-life Tetris every time you want to charge while carrying a full load.

You’ve got the pick of a 130hp or 220hp version for the Megane. Both will offer instant torque, but the latter offers the best real-world performance.

You can have the former with a 40kWh or 60kWh battery, though the 220hp version comes paired with the 60kWh option alone. This offers 292 claimed miles between charges, compared with 186 miles for the smaller battery.

Hook it up to a 130kW rapid charger you’ll be able to complete a full charge in a little over 70 minutes. A 7.4kW home wall box charger will take just over 9 hours.

Around town, the Megane’s light and direct steering make zipping around a breeze. That said, massive pillars at the front and a narrow rear window result in pretty poor visibility. You can have a rear-view camera displayed on the mirror to help the latter issue, but it’ll cost you.

Take it out on the motorway and its soft-set suspension results in a smooth ride, though this combined with light steering does detract from your ability to have fun on twisty roads.

So if you’re looking to add some style and sustainability to your driveway, the Renault Megane E-Tech should have a place on your shortlist. Head on over to our Renault deals page to see how much you can save when you buy through carwow.

How practical is it?

You’ll find plenty of useful cubby holes in the Megane, as well as a nice slot designed for your phone.

Dimensions

Boot (seats up)

Boot (seats down)

Passenger space

If you’re sat up front in the Renault Megane E-Tech Electric, you’ll find yourself with plenty of room. There’s a good amount of adjustability in each seat, and the clutter-free interior lends itself well to creating space.

Those in the back might find it a bit of a struggle though. There’s a decent amount of legroom but the sloping roofline eats into headroom, so you’ll be banging your head if you’re tall. On the plus side, having no transmission hump to eat into the floor means more space for your feet too – particularly if you’re sat in the middle seat.

Storage space

There are some useful cubby holes in the Megane. Under the central armrest is a huge space, while its door bins are well-sized. You’ve got a nicely-placed wireless charging pad for your phone as well that doesn’t eat into other storage space.

Boot space

In terms of size, the Renault Megane E-Tech Electric’s boot has a lot to offer. Its 440-litre capacity tops the Volkswagen ID3’s 385 litres and the Ford Focus’ 375-litre offering.

However, a massive load lip means loading items can be tricky. The rear seats don’t fold completely flush with the base of the boot either, so larger items will have to be placed awkwardly.

There’s a storage space under the boot floor for the car’s charging cables. This is useful for making the most of the boot, however, it does mean you’ll have to unload and reload your boot if you’re carrying a lot of luggage when you need to charge.

What's it like to drive?

A decent range and a solid amount of power keep the Megane in line with key alternatives. You’ll want to skip the smaller battery, though.

Performance and Economy

Every Renault Megane E-Tech Electric is equipped with a single electric motor powering the front wheels, though it can be had with 130hp or 220hp.

The former will crack 0-60mph in 10 seconds, with the latter dropping that considerably to 7.5 seconds.

You can have the 130hp car with a 40kWh or 60kWh battery with a claimed range of 186 and 292 miles respectively. If you want the 220hp car, that comes paired with the larger battery.

In the real world, you can expect closer to 260 miles from the 60kWh battery, and 170 miles for the 40kWh version.

Both versions of the car support 130kW rapid charging. No times have been confirmed yet for the 40kWh battery, though the 60kWh can complete a full charge in a little over 70 minutes hooked up to one of these.

If you’re charging at home, a 7.4kW charger will do the job in just over 6 hours for the smaller battery, and 9 hours for the larger option.

Driving

If you’re mostly driving around town, you’ll be grateful for the light steering and spongy suspension the Renault Megane E-Tech Electric comes with. This makes it a breeze to zip around comfortably in, which its instantaneous torque only helps with.

However, chunky pillars up front and a tiny rear window mean visibility is quite poor. You can get a camera that displays within the rear-view mirror to help see out of the back, but you’ll need to pay extra for it.

Its soft-set suspension results in a cosy ride out on the motorway too. However, that, paired up with light steering, doesn’t translate to a particularly engaging drive on twistier roads. You’d be better off with a Focus if you’re looking for a fun family hatchback.