Renault Megane E-Tech Review 2025

With the justified hype surrounding the reimagined Renault 5 E-Tech it's easy to forget that the French brand already had a larger electric hatchback in its range that was well-regarded back at the time of its 2022 launch. Given the pace of development in the EV arena can it still cut the mustard now? Read our full Renault Megane E-Tech review to find out.

First things first, this battery-powered Megane E-Tech has very little in common with the lacklustre old Renault Megane family hatch it's replaced. Its predecessor was a sub-par alternative to the likes of the Ford Focus and the Volkswagen Golf, yet the Renault Megane E-Tech is the electric hatchback that the VW ID.3 wishes it was.

It's built upon the same dedicated EV underpinnings that are shared with the larger Nissan Ariya SUV courtesy of Renault's long-standing strategic alliance with the Japanese firm. They also serve as the basis for the excellent Renault Scenic E-Tech and the new Nissan Leaf, which has been reinvented as a slinky SUV. 

That bespoke electric car architecture means there should be little in the way of compromise. The Megane E-Tech's large-diameter wheels have been pushed out to the corners, while its battery pack is positioned low down beneath the the floor.

That's good news for handling — although it's no hot hatch following in the wheel tracks of Renault Sport Meganes of old — but it steers with precision and isn't prone to leaning through sweeping bends. In the front it also makes the interior feel like you're in a much bigger car, although adults are likely to find the rear bench tighter than they'd prefer.

It also feels properly posh inside the Renault Megane E-Tech with part-faux-leather trim and a lovely fabric-covered dashboard. Such a welcome change from an expanse of dark grey plastic. Another highlight is the Google-based multimedia system, which takes Android Auto a step further. Not only do you get integral Google Maps navigation you can also use its voice-activated assistant which responds to commands such as 'turn my heated seat on'.

Considering how much time we spend inside our cars, Renault's efforts with the Megane E-Tech's quality and ease of use are fully justified. It feels leaps and bounds ahead of the aforementioned ID.3 and that car's slightly racier sibling, the Cupra Born. That is also shows up the MG 4 EV in this regard is less of a surprise given its price compared with the Renault.

A greater challenge is expected from the new Kia EV4 given that brand's succession of excellent electric cars, whereas the closely-related Stellantis offerings in the shapes of the Citroen e-C4, Peugeot E-308 and Vauxhall Astra Electric are more compromised by dint of being designed to also accommodate combustion engines.

Renault has concentrated on making the Megane E-Tech lighter than its alternatives. It's still a heavy old thing, but it certainly feels softer over uneven road surfaces than many electric vehicles. Its braking system also feels more conventional than some with the energy recuperation system feeling less intrusive than earlier EVs tended be like.

Refinement is another of the Renault Megane E-Tech's strong points. The way it hushes out external noise really does make it feel a more upmarket car including at motorway speed. It feels sufficiently rapid with 220PS of power on tap yet it can travel up to 285 miles between charges according to official WLTP Combined cycle tests — in the real-world you're still looking at a useable 250 miles. That'll be more than adequate for most drivers, while its 60kWh Comfort Range battery can be charged at a rate of up to 130kW.

What's the catch? That'll be the price, although it's now significantly cheaper than it was back at launch. Then you'd be looking at upwards of £36,000 but now, in part thanks to the government's Electric Car Grant (ECG), it's dipped a smidgen below £31k. Factor in the low running cost potential and the Renault Megane E-Tech shines as one of the best electric family hatchbacks available.

Renault Megane E-Tech: Range

Unlike in a Volkswagen ID.3 or Cupra Born, the Renault Megane E-Tech's electric motor drives the front wheels rather than the rear. This doesn't really make a huge difference in day-to-driving, it certainly feels more than agile and Renault has form for making front-wheel-drive cars that are fun to drive.

Indeed, the positioning of its battery pack means the Megane E-Tech has a very low centre of gravity, so it remains composed during cornering and your passengers won't complain that it's like being on a rollercoaster.

Like all electric cars, there's a slightly firm edge to the ride quality, but we reckon it's far more comfortable than most. If you're looking for an EV that can soak up lumpy road surfaces, we'd recommend sticking to the entry-level Renault Megane E-Tech Techno with its smaller 18-inch alloy wheels and slightly squidgier tyres.

Around town, the Renault Megane E-Tech is easy and unintimidating to drive. The steering is and light at low speeds, building up weight progressively when driven faster. It's not massively communicative about how much grip the front wheels have but you soon develop faith in its accuracy when tracing bends with little sign that its trying to push wide under acceleration.

For the UK market there's just the one drive system option for the Renault Megane E-Tech. Its motor drives the front wheels via single-speed transmission which is essentially operated in the manner you would an automatic gearbox. 

Maximum power is 220PS with 300Nm of torque — those are numbers which suggest the Megane E-Tech's no slouch, which the 7.5-second 0-62mph time confirms. Its top speed is electronically pegged at 99mph.

Brisk, of course, but there's plenty of modulation within the Renault's accelerator to use it appropriately in a controlled manner. Sure, it'll zip into a gap in traffic on a busy roundabout and quickly get you up to motorway pace when descending a slip road, yet around town it's simple to drive gently. 

You'll find paddles behind the steering wheel which can adjust the regenerative braking system. With it cranked up to the highest setting, it'll slow down quite significantly as soon as you lift off the accelerator. The advantage of this is, with practice — and a bit of forward planning — you won't need to brake as often as you would ordinarily. At the same time, it'll pump energy back into the battery, rather than wasting it under braking.

Most Renault Megane E-Tech models come with four Multi-Sense drive modes, operated via button on the steering wheel, allowing you to sharpen up the accelerator response by selecting Sport or eke everything out in Eco mode. Most of the time you'll find yourself leaving it in Comfort or your customised variation of the settings saved in Perso mode. Usefully, the Megane E-Tech starts back up in whichever mode was used when it was last driven.

Renault used to make some of the safest cars on sale but it lost its way a bit with the electric Renault Zoe — a car awarded zero stars in 2021 Euro NCAP retest. Fortunately, the Renault Megane E-Tech represents a return to form for the brand with it receiving the full five-star rating for safety.

Standard driver-assist technology on all Megane E-Techs includes an automatic emergency braking system that can, as its name suggests, apply the brakes if it detects an impending collision. This could be when a car in front of you suddenly applies the brakes, or if a cyclist or pedestrian suddenly crosses the road in front of you.

Also standardised is a driver drowsiness alert system, which monitors your steering inputs and tells you when to take a break, and an emergency call system which'll automatically dial 999 if the Megane's involved in a crash.

Techno versions upwards take things a step further with adaptive cruise control can adjust its speed depending on speed limits and even slow down for obstacles such as roundabouts, speeding up again afterwards. It can also be used as a conventional adaptive system without the additional trickery.

The Renault Megane E-Tech can be fitted with a tow bar which could be useful for carrying a bike rack or towing a small trailer. It's limited to hauling a braked trailer weighing up to 900kg, so you're not going to use the Megane E-Tech to pull a large caravan.

The Renault Megane E-Tech instantly feels more spacious than a lot of conventional family cars, although this is more obvious to those sat in the front. There are a number of reasons for this — it's been designed from the start as an EV, so it doesn't have to package space-robbing mechanical components such as a combustion engine or a conventional gearbox.

Electric motors and their transmissions are comparatively small, while Renault also claims to have the thinnest battery available slotted beneath the floor. Looking at its exterior you'll notice its wheels are sited as close to the corners as possiblem, increasing the wheelbase — that's the distance between the front and rear wheels — which also promotes interior roominess.

You sit relatively high up, aiding access, while there's a large seven-litre storage compartment between the front seats where you'd ordinarily find a gear lever or drive selector in a petrol or diesel car. Overall, Renault says the Megane E-Tech has an impressive 33 litres of on-board storage, including the aforementioned central cubby, cup holders and inside the door bins.

Space feels more compromised in the back where adults might find the seating position a little awkward. You sit with your knees up high brushing the front seats, nor is there much foot room beneath them. Taller passengers will also lament the Renault's slinky roofline for the way it impinges on available space. Kids in car seats and younger teens should be relatively happy back there, although the middle position is on the narrow side for adults.

Note also that access to the car differs front and rear. The front doors have flush-fitting, electrically operated door handles that resemble mountaineers' ice axes, while the rear ones are hidden behind a slot just aft of their windows. They're opened by pulling on what looks to be a glossy black section of the window frame.

With its 440-litre boot, the Renault Megane E-Tech outranks the Kia EV4 by five litres, although other rivals are further off the pace with the Citroen e-C4 offering 380 litres, the Cupra Born at 385 litres and the MG 4 EV yielding just 363 litres.

While the boot is surprisingly deep, this does create a high lip which can be awkward when loading heavy or bulky items. Its floor has a well beneath it that can be used to store away charging cables — useful as there's no 'frunk' under the bonnet.

Folding the 60/40 split rear seats down leaves a step from the boot floor, something to consider when loading in long, heavy items. Measured to ceiling height there's 1332 litres of total space availble when the Renault's in two-seater mode, comfortably roomier than the e-C4 (1250 litres) and the 4 EV (1177 litres) — Cupra and Kia don't quote comparable figures.

In order to reduce costs and weight associated with the car's internal electrical cabling, the Renault Megane E-Tech's charge port is sited on the nearside front wing. If you favour reversing into spaces when using public chargers then bear in mind that the tethered cable might not reach.

You'll soon get used to it but despite the proliferation of buttons and rocker switches on the steering wheel, your right hand has plenty to do. In addition to the wiper stalk that side of the steering column also plays host to Renault's long-standing controls for the audio system as well as the drive selector — unlike the similar looking device in the 5 E-Tech, the Megane's version has a P for Park button on its end.

We're used to mainstream manufacturers making bold claims about competing with premium brands but when it comes to quality, it's hard to fault the Renault Megane E-Tech's cabin. It's in a different league to a Volkswagen ID.3's, with feel-good fabrics and soft-touch materials.

Renault's interior designers haven't gone for the easy 'cover everything in leather-look plastics' option, either with a huge swathe across the top of the dashboard upholstered in grey fabric. Another classy touch is the way the Megane E-Tech's door bins are lined with a dense fabric that helps absorb noises generated by items within them.

Inevitably there are some small areas which have been finished with glossy black plastic that — like the multimedia touchscreen and steering wheel buttons — soon seem to be coated in fingerprints, even if you've no recollection of touching them. Countering that are the silver-coloured interior highlights which lend a more upmarket air.

Despite the expensive feel to the Renault Megane E-Tech's interior around 20kg of the materials are made from recycle plastic bottles — a further nod to the car's less environementally damagine credentials.

Google powers the multimedia system in the Renault Megane E-Tech. The standard-fit 12.0-inch touchscreen display — 9.0-inch in earlier entry-level models — will be familiar to anyone who's used Android Auto, or an Android phone, for that matter. It comes with Google services integrated into the infotainment setup, enabling you to say "Hey Google, turn on the heated seats" and it will do just that.

Not that you have to, of course, and thankfully many of the Megane E-Tech's controls are operated via either a series of shortcuts along the base of the touchscreen or — hallelujah! — a bank of physical buttons below that. Nestled underneath those is the smartphone wireless charging pad, which is conveniently located but can be a fiddle retrieving it again, afterwards.

The infotainment system is one of the best you'll use in any car with fast responses and better integration than Volvo's Android-based package. You can set up different user profiles for different drivers and download various apps from the Google Play Store. You can also mirror apps from your phone via Android Auto or Apple CarPlay wirelessly.

As well as the central touchscreen, the Renault Megane E-Tech comes with a 12.3-inch digital driver's display, which looks sufficiently modern without being needlessly complicated or distracting on the move. It can be switched to show a variety of different displays and colours to match the interior ambient lighting settings. 

Not only have the prices of the Renault Megane E-Tech fallen since its introduction in 2022, the levels of specification have increased and entry-level Equilibre trim level, which cost £35,995 at launch, has been dropped. Prices across the range fell further still in August 2025 as it was one of the first cars confirmed as elligible for the government's Electric Car Grant (ECG), resulting in a Band 2 discount of £1500.

That means today's line-up costs from £30,995 for the Techno model, with the Techno Esprit Alpine chiming in at £33,995. Topping the range is the £35,495 Iconic Esprit Alpine version. All Megane E-Techs have the same 220PS motor and 60kWh Comfort Range battery pack.

Compared with the competition those numbers look favourable. Kia's EV4 with a 58.3kWh battery costs £34,695, the 59kWh Cupra Born is upwards of £34,190 (with ECG discount), while the same pack in the Volkswagen ID.3 starts at £34,240, also with the ECG discount.

Volkswagen also sells the ID.3 with a 52kWh battery pack for £29,360 (inclusive of ECG) although it can only travel as best of 241 miles. Elsewhere, the Citroen e-C4 appears significantly less, costing from £26,150 with the ECG discount applied, although that's for a Standard Range battery with a 219-mile range. The e-C4 Extended Range increases that to 257 miles for a reasonable £30,005 (post-ECG discount).

There's no ECG discount for the MG 4 EV although the Anglo-Sino brand is running its own deals to compete. List prices are still attractively low with the 217-mile Standard Range costing £27,245 and the Long Range, with a best of 288 miles, priced from £29,745.

As with any electric car, the lowest running costs available for the Renault Megane E-Tech are generated by charging it at home using a dedicated wallbox. This allows you to access EV-friendly tariffs which could see prices as low as 7p/kWh.

That's approximately 10% of the cost of using a typical public charging facility. Yes, they're much quicker, but we only recommend their use sparingly, such as when on a long journey. They don't make for viable alternatives to home-charging.

Since April 2025 all electric cars are liable for Vehicle Exise Duty (VED, or 'road tax') from the first anniversary of the date they were registered, currently priced at £195 per year. They are also included in the Expensive Car Supplement — often referred to in the mainstream press as the 'luxury car tax' — when they're priced at £40,000 or more, inclusive of options. At present, no Megane E-Tech is close to that figure.

Company car drivers still benefit from choosing an electric car by virtue of the low 3% Benefit-in-Kind (BiK) taxation rate they attract.

The Renault Megane E-Tech is covered by the brand's five-year/100,000-mile warranty, while the battery pack is guaranteed for up to eight years.

Renault Megane E-Tech: Range and charging

While you can buy the Renault Megane E-Tech in other markets with a smaller 40kWh battery, the UK's appetite for range means it's only sold here with the 60kWh Comfort Range version. That's smaller than you can get in the pricier Cupra Borns, Kia EV4s and Volkswagen ID.3s — something to consider if you're after an EV with a 300-mile range minimum.

Renault says its focus on saving weight means the Megane E-Tech's competitive range figures should be achievable in the real world. Our experiences so far haven't lived up to that claim, although a best of 257 miles was achieved in a summer road test.

According to the WLTP Combined cycle figures manufacturers are obliged to quote, the Renault Megane E-Tech Techno tops the chart at 285 miles of range, ahead of the Techno Esprit Alpine's 280 miles and the 279-mile tally of the Iconic Esprit Alpine.

Renault's recharging times are all quoted at a 15-80% replenishment window, when the lithium-ion battery is able to accept the energy flow fastest. 

When using a DC public charger at speeds of up to 130kW that top up could be achieved in as little as 32 minutes. While it can handle an AC charge at 11kW, most UK residences with a wallbox are capped at 7.4kW — here Renault quotes the recharge at 6 hours and 1 minute.

Today's Renault Megane E-Tech line-up comprises three levels of specification — Techno, Techno Esprit Alpine and Iconic Esprit Alpine.

Standard features found on the Renault Megane E-Tech Techno include:

• 18-inch Oston alloy wheels
• Exterior sport styling pack
• Electric, flush-fitting front door handles
• Keyless entry and exit
• Electrically adjustable and folding door mirrors with integral LED puddle lights
• Front and rear parking sensors
• Reversing camera
• Adaptive cruise control
• Heat pump for battery pack
• Multi-Sense selectable drive modes
• 12.3-inch driver's display screen
• 12.0-inch multimedia touchscreen with Google integration
• Wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone connectivity
• Wireless smartphone charging pad
• Six-speaker Arkamys Classic audio system
• Fabric-upholstered upper dashboard
• Fabric-upolstered seats
• Dual-zone automatic climate control
• Heated front seats
• Heated steering wheel

Upgrading to the Renault Megane E-Tech Techno Esprit Alpine adds:

• 20-inch Esprit Alpine alloy wheels
• Moirage LED head and tail lights with dynamic indicators
• Matte grey external detailing
• Electrically adjustable front sports seats upholstered in embossed titanium black recycle mesh and recycled quilted grain-coated fabric with blue stitching
• Massage function for driver's seat
• Esprit Alpine interior theme

Topping the range is the Renault Megane E-Tech Iconic Esprit Alpine which additionally features:

• 360-degree camera system
• Automatic hands-free parking
• Nine-speaker Harman/Kardon premium audio system
• Smart interior rear-view mirror