Marvellous Megane
RENAULT BUILDS ON LEGACY TO CREATE A CLASS LEADER
NEXT week the winner of the 2022 Car of The Year contest is unveiled. Six cars are on the shortlist and five of them are electric.
The Renault Megane E-tech is on that list and is being tipped to win – and having driven it last week in Spain I can understand why judges may rate it so highly.
Put simply, for driving pleasure I’d say this Renault is second only in the EV world to the BMW i4. Certainly it is the best EV that’s priced under £40k.
But it’s not just good to drive, it looks extremely appealing too.
Renault’s designers are very pleased with how slippery they’ve made its aerodynamics.
The platform upon which the Megane sits is new and will underpin both future Renault and Nissan EVS including the next Nissan Leaf.
A highlight is the compact and thin battery pack. At only 110mm thick you don’t sit any higher off the ground than you do in the current Megane, and the centre of gravity is 90mm lower.
There is a choice of two batteries: 40kwh and 60kwh. Neither are enormous but this is an efficient car so ranges are 186 and 292 miles respectively.
We drove the 60kwh version at the launch, fitted with a 220bhp motor. This motor drives the front wheels and only comes with the bigger battery – a less powerful 130bhp motor can be had with either battery.
Flush door handles extend as you approach the car, and as you slip inside you’ll see a very appealing interior. The standout feature is an inverted L-shape screen under which there’s a reassuring selection of push buttons which control regularly-used functions.
Renault uses the Android Automotive operating system and it works well. Voice recognition is surprisingly accurate and Apple Carplay links wirelessly and integrates perfectly.
There’s a column-mounted wand which is used to select drive, reverse and neutral, and a selection of steering wheel buttons, plus Renault’s traditional audio controls on a block mounted to the steering column which the company introduced decades ago.
The quality of trim is excellent. Our car, which was in French specification, also included attractive leather trim which will be available in Ukspec cars, too.
The Megane E-tech will be available in Britain in late summer and although we haven’t got exact pricing, it’s reckoned the entry-level car with the small battery and 130bhp motor will cost just over 30 grand, with the top spec car around £40,000.
Renault’s engineers explained the steering is quicker than in most rivals. That may be so but it lacks a bit of feel. It’s a shame because otherwise the Megane E-tech drives as well as a petrol-engined hatchback.
The car’s top speed is a realistic 99mph and 0-62mph takes 7.4sec.
What impressed me was the feel of the brakes, which in EVS and PHEVS can feel over-assisted and have inconsistent pedal pressure. For brisk driving on smooth country roads a second setting on the regenerative braking system worked best.
You can turn off regenerative braking with a paddle behind the steering wheel, or select a setting that allows you to drive in single pedal mode.
There’s plenty of legroom in the front and lots of storage in the centre console and door bins.
Rear legroom isn’t quite as impressive but there’s a decent boot with an underfloor section for the charging cables. The only drawback is the boot’s high sill.
Renault has taken everything it has learned from building its pioneering Zoe, including data collected from the six billion miles driven in them, and used it to develop the Megane E-tech.
Even if it doesn’t win the Car of The Year, it will be a winner in showrooms and with customers.