Renault Megane E-Tech Review 2023
The Renault Megane E-Tech is an electric mid-sized hatchback that adds even more competition to the market. Coming with a stylish exterior and a driver-oriented interior, the Megane E-Tech makes a good family lease car.
Rivals to the Renault Megane E-Tech include the Volkswagen ID.3, Nissan Leaf, Cupra Born, and Hyundai Ioniq 5.
Our Renault Megane E-Tech review covers:
- Slick exterior styling with thin LED lights
- Driver-oriented dashboard featuring high-quality materials
- 440-litre boot
- One 60kWh battery is available
- Four trim levels: Equilibre, Techno, Launch Edition, and Iconic
Pros:
- Driver-oriented dashboard
- Excellent ride quality
- Slick exterior design
Cons:
- Limited rear legroom
- Large load lip in the boot
- Pricey for a Renault
The Megane E-Tech is what the consumer has come to expect for mid-sized electric hatchbacks, coming with a slick and stylish exterior. Complimenting the design of the E-Tech is beautifully designed thin LED lights, bold alloy wheels, and contours on the bonnet.
If sitting in the front, you won't have any issues with space, even if you're above six feet tall. The same goes for those in the back regarding headroom; however, legroom is quite cramped, which could make a long journey a bit uncomfortable. If you want more rear space, look towards the Cupra Born or the Volkswagen ID.3.
You get plenty of storage space for all your gadgets. There's a well-sized glovebox, large cubbies in and around the central armrest, and a tray under the infotainment system which is perfect for your phone.
Open up the boot and you'll find 440 litres of space, which can be extended to 1,332 litres with the rear seats split 60/40. Although this is bigger than some of its rivals, the boot has a massive load lip because of its depth, making it tricky to load heavy items.
The Megane E-Tech has been well-designed by Renault and features a range of high-quality materials. A fabric dashboard and plenty of soft-touch plastics make for a pleasant experience.
The technology is equally as smart; there's a 9-inch touchscreen infotainment system and a 12.3-inch digital driver display. The touchscreen displays sharp, responsive graphics and features Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Opt for the Techno trim and above and you'll also get Google services such as Google Maps and Google Assistant.
Four trim levels are available for the Megane E-tech: Equilibre, Techno, Launch Edition, and Iconic.
The entry-level Equilibre comes standard with 18-inch alloy wheels, a leather heated steering wheel, LED lights, auto-tilting wing mirrors with puddle lamp, a rearview camera, and loads of safety systems such as drowsiness alert, emergency brake assist with pedestrian and cyclist detection, and lane keep assist.
Techno adds to this with 20-inch alloys, Moirage front and rear signature lighting with dynamic turn, an adverse weather adaptive front lighting system, rear tinted windows, autonomous driving level two capabilities, and overspeed prevention.
Launch Edition has 20-inch alloys, a Harman Kardon audio system, and an around-view 3D camera.
The range-topping Iconic comes with 20-inch alloys, a heat pump, a gold F1 blade on the front and rear exterior, and one-tone metallic paint.
One 60kWh battery is available for the Megane E-Tech, coming with front-wheel drive and paired to an automatic gearbox. It returns 217hp, a top speed of 99mph, and accelerates from 0-60mph in 7.5 seconds.
Renault claims you'll get up to 299 miles of range on a full charge, which is on par with the mid-range versions of the Volkswagen ID.3 and Cupra Born. The Megane E-Tech has charging capabilities of up to 130kW, meaning a full charge from a home charger takes around 10 hours, and a 10-80% rapid charge takes roughly 30 minutes.
On the road, the Megane E-Tech stands out for its ride quality. It's smooth and well-refined in almost all conditions and easily tackles potholes and bumps in the road. This is consistent whether you're on the 18 or 20-inch wheels.
However, this doesn't translate into truly engaging handling. The Megane E-Tech is agile enough when cruising around town thanks to its light steering, but struggles as you speed up, which means you almost have to place the car where you want it to go.
Prices for the new Renault Megane E-Tech start from £36,240.00 OTR* or to lease from £333.51 per month.
Looking to get behind the wheel of the Renault Megane E-Tech? Leasing may be cheaper than an outright purchase thanks to a low initial deposit, fixed monthly payments, and various benefits included in your deal, like road tax and breakdown cover.
Nationwide Vehicle Contracts is one of the UK's largest car leasing brokers and has a range of affordable leasing deals available to suit your every need.
*' On the road' price correct at time of publication and includes one year's road fund license, DVLA first registration fee and number plate fee. Prices are subject to change, always check with your nearest retailer.
