Used Renault Megane E-Tech Overview – 73 Plate

I ought to be upfront: I’m a tech fanatic, not a automotive individual. I’ve at all times discovered driving extra of a mandatory inconvenience than a pleasure, and I didn’t even study till my mid-thirties. For years, a 16-year-old 1-litre Vauxhall Corsa suited my wants completely – I used to be doing round 2,000 miles a yr and simply wanted one thing low cost and dependable to get round.

That modified after I took on a brand new function in IT help. Immediately, I used to be commuting every day and recurrently heading out for shopper callouts. The previous Corsa, which had been completely enough for infrequent use, shortly grew to become a real supply of stress. Each winter morning concerned scraping ice, ready for the cabin to heat up, and wrestling with virtually no in-car expertise in anyway. I had patched issues collectively considerably utilizing a Technaxx TX-320 Wi-fi CarPlay and Android Auto show paired with a Soundcore Bluetooth speaker, however that required organising from scratch every morning and was removed from a easy expertise.

After a lot deliberation, I made a decision it was time to purchase a used electrical automobile. My companion had picked up an MG4 the earlier yr and located it glorious, and the monetary case for used EVs had change into more and more exhausting to disregard. I receives a commission 45p per mile for work callouts, house charging prices me round £5 for a full cost, and the extreme depreciation that has hit EVs exhausting since 2022 means consumers within the used market are at the moment getting a variety of automotive for the cash.

I had initially deliberate to purchase a Hyundai Kona, however after a prolonged interval of analysis I grew to become genuinely within the Renault Megane E-Tech. It regarded completely different, it was constructed on a devoted EV platform, it got here with Google Automotive integration, and the Iconic trim specification was beneficiant. However did it truly ship in day-to-day use? This assessment relies on a number of months of possession, driving primarily within the north of England via winter and into spring.

Key Specs and Options

The automotive reviewed is a 73-plate Megane E-Tech Iconic trim with the 60kWh battery and 160kW (217hp) motor. Key specs are listed beneath.

Negatives

Because the Megane E-Tech has been on sale for just a few years, and provided that it is a used automotive buy, there’s little to be gained from a simple characteristic rundown. What issues way more to anybody contemplating shopping for certainly one of these is an sincere account of the real-world points. My record of negatives is kind of lengthy, however that doesn’t make the Megane a foul automotive. A lot of the issues are comparatively minor, and infotainment glitches seem like a typical theme throughout many manufacturers. All the identical, potential consumers deserve a transparent image earlier than they commit.

Vary and Effectivity

Vary and effectivity will rightly be the very first thing most consumers need to find out about, so I’ll deal with it plainly. The Megane E-Tech just isn’t probably the most environment friendly EV in its class. After I picked it up in January, with chilly temperatures, the automotive was reporting a variety of round 200 miles at 100% cost. Because the climate has warmed heading into spring, that determine has been creeping upwards.

My every day driving sample just isn’t perfect for effectivity. The commute includes roughly a mile to the health club, 5 miles to the workplace, and a six-mile journey house. Quick stop-start journeys in chilly climate, with heating operating, are in regards to the worst mixture for EV effectivity. The automotive has been persistently returning round 3.3 miles per kilowatt-hour beneath these circumstances. For context, different reviewers testing the automotive at motorway speeds in milder circumstances report round 3.4 miles per kilowatt-hour, which aligns intently with the 200-plus miles of real-world vary Renault quote for combined driving.

For my utilization sample, the vary has been completely enough. However if you’re in search of class-leading effectivity, it’s value figuring out that the Hyundai Kona and Kia Niro each have a stronger repute on this space, and both would doubtless return higher figures on related routes. The Megane’s inclusion of a warmth pump on Techno+ and Iconic trims does assist scale back the effectivity hit from cabin heating in chilly climate, however it isn’t a whole resolution.

Google Automotive Infotainment

The infotainment state of affairs is advanced. Google Automotive integration is each one of many strongest causes to purchase this automotive and a persistent supply of frustration – and most of that frustration comes from Renault’s strategy to software program updates somewhat than the platform itself.

On the day I took the automotive out for its check drive and returned it to the dealership, a software program replace notification appeared saying it had downloaded and would set up after I left the automotive. That replace failed twice and has not tried to set off once more since. I now have to take the automotive right into a Renault dealership for a handbook software program replace. This can be a completely avoidable state of affairs for what is meant to be an internet-connected automobile with over-the-air replace functionality.

Making issues worse, it seems that some fashions solely barely older than mine is not going to obtain the most recent firmware in any respect. There have additionally been widespread stories of the current OpenRLink 3.1.0 replace inflicting important points, with a notable variety of customers reporting that it breaks the heating system. Given how essential local weather management is to consolation and vary, that may be a significant issue.

On a day-to-day degree, the Google Maps integration on the driving force show generally fails to load after I begin the automotive. Initially I suspected this was associated to the Wi-Fi hotspot not connecting in time, but it surely has occurred even when connectivity was already established. The map additionally periodically glitches and reloads, most frequently when the automotive involves a standstill. It has not induced any security issues, however seeing the map flash on and off when navigating just isn’t what you anticipate from a contemporary automotive.

The automated darkish and light-weight mode switching is one other irritant. Driving beneath a bridge or right into a shaded space could cause the map to flip between modes quickly, and there doesn’t seem like any option to lock it to darkish mode completely. These are all issues {that a} software program replace may repair. That Renault seems unwilling or unable to ship well timed updates makes these small annoyances more durable to miss.

Rear Window and Digital Mirror

Rear visibility is genuinely poor. The again window is slender – the phrase letterbox just isn’t far off the mark – and the rear pillar creates a big blind spot that makes filtering at junctions one thing you want to take heed to. The rear wiper can also be undersized for the glass it has to cowl.

The digital sensible rear-view mirror is included on the Iconic trim and is an inexpensive substitute for the restricted glass view, but it surely mists up in a single day, which means it’s a must to wipe the exterior digicam lens every morning earlier than it turns into helpful. It’s a intelligent little bit of equipment, however its sensible limitations are value figuring out about upfront.

Failed Entrance Digital camera

On the day I collected my automotive, the entrance digicam stopped working. This seems to be linked to a failed software program replace and is, sadly, not an remoted case. A big variety of house owners have reported related issues, with many requiring both a digicam alternative or a alternative of the digicam controller module. I’ve been ready near a month for a dealership appointment to have the digicam inspected and the software program manually up to date.

That is irritating, significantly as a result of the 360-degree digicam system and entrance digicam are listed as headline options of the Iconic trim. It is among the predominant causes I selected this specification over cheaper options. In equity, after I checked out what I might have ended up with had I returned the automotive and acquired one thing else, I shortly realised that only a few competing choices embrace a 360-degree digicam system at a comparable value level. The entrance digicam challenge is hopefully a case of unhealthy luck, however it’s one thing consumers ought to think about.

eSIM and Information Connectivity

The Megane has its personal built-in eSIM for linked providers. In concept that is handy; in observe the info subscription is pricey and severely restricted by way of allowance. For something past fundamental distant notifications, you might be primarily paying a premium for little or no. Renault’s strategy compares unfavourably with manufacturers like Polestar, which have supplied prolonged complimentary knowledge providers whereas they determine a longer-term pricing mannequin.

My workaround is to maintain an previous cell phone within the automotive with an information SIM and go away the hotspot operating completely. It isn’t elegant, but it surely works reliably and means the automotive’s Google Automotive system at all times has connectivity after I get in. The telephone connects through an influence financial institution somewhat than the automotive’s USB ports, to maintain it tucked away neatly. It’s a faff that shouldn’t be mandatory on a automotive of this specification.

Cell App

The Renault app has a poor repute amongst house owners and it isn’t exhausting to see why. It’s gradual to attach, restricted in what it truly permits you to do, and lacks options that many competing apps embrace as customary. Distant unlocking, for instance, is obtainable on the MG iSmart app for the MG4, whereas the Renault app doesn’t supply it. Nor does it permit distant pre-conditioning or automotive activation.

To be truthful, I’ve discovered connectivity itself fairly dependable when it does join – extra so than I anticipated given the web repute. However the restricted characteristic set is a real limitation. When you think about that Renault is a big automotive producer with substantial sources, the app appears like an afterthought.

Positives

The record of negatives above would possibly paint a bleak image, however that may be an unfair studying of the general possession expertise. The Megane E-Tech has a variety of genuinely spectacular qualities that make it stand out from the competitors, and for the suitable purchaser, these positives outweigh a lot of the gripes listed above.

Look

Most of my shopping for selections come all the way down to practicality, however the Megane E-Tech’s design was genuinely troublesome to disregard. It is among the better-looking mass-market EVs accessible at this value level, and the hatchback format is turning into more and more uncommon in a section dominated by SUVs and crossovers. Lots of people have grown bored with the ever-present raised SUV look, and the Megane presents a classy, low-slung various.

The Iconic trim’s gold F1 blade is divisive – some find it irresistible, others discover it a bit a lot. Personally, I don’t thoughts it, although I believe the silver blades on newer model-year automobiles look barely cleaner. The 20-inch Enos alloy wheels fill the arches properly, and the LED lighting signature entrance and rear is distinctive with out being overdone. The contrasting black roof possibility on the highest two trims additionally works properly in observe.

Inside, the fabric high quality is cheap for the worth bracket. The dashboard incorporates a textile end that appears and feels premium, and the seat upholstery on Techno and Iconic trims is constituted of one hundred pc recycled supplies. Decrease down, across the door trims, supplies are noticeably more durable and extra scratchy – that is pretty typical for the category – however the general cabin impression is optimistic. The cockpit-style structure, with the screens wrapping round in the direction of the driving force, provides the inside a thought-about really feel.

Inside House and Practicality

Being constructed on Renault’s CMF-EV devoted electrical platform – developed collectively with Nissan – the Megane makes higher use of its footprint than a standard automotive transformed to battery energy. The flat flooring is a real profit for front-seat occupants particularly, and the big central storage compartment doubles as an armrest. In comparison with the Hyundai Kona, which may really feel fairly cramped significantly in older variations, the Megane’s entrance cabin feels ethereal and spacious.

The rear is much less convincing. The low roofline and the best way the cabin curves inward on the rear pillars means taller passengers on the outer seats can discover headroom slightly tight. Foot area within the again is extra restricted than you would possibly anticipate given the flat flooring, and becoming three adults throughout the rear bench is a squeeze. For a household of 4 with two younger kids, this will likely be superb; for normal rear-seat adults, it’s value experiencing earlier than committing.

Boot area is 440 litres with the rear seats in place and 1,332 litres with them folded, which is a aggressive determine for the category. There is no such thing as a entrance storage compartment, which is a minor disappointment given the devoted platform. Door bins entrance and rear are usable, and the wi-fi charging pad within the centre console is a pleasant inclusion, even when wi-fi charging is inherently slower than a cable.

Driver Show

The 12.3-inch digital driver show is among the highlights of the automotive. The power to overlay Google Maps immediately onto the driving force show is genuinely helpful in every day use, decreasing the necessity to look sideways on the central display for navigation info. The map is giant sufficient to be genuinely readable at a look, and for these of us who spend a variety of time navigating unfamiliar roads for work, it is a significant characteristic.

It isn’t a head-up show, and a head-up show would arguably be higher nonetheless, however as a sensible various it really works properly. Competing automobiles on this value bracket usually make do with smaller digital instrument clusters that can’t show mapping at a helpful dimension. The Megane’s strategy right here is among the issues that makes it really feel like a extra thought-about product than a number of the options.

Google Automotive Infotainment

Regardless of the criticisms above round software program updates and glitches, the Google Automotive platform remains to be one of many strongest causes to purchase the Megane. For Android customers particularly, the native Google Maps expertise is considerably higher than the mapping options constructed into most competing automobiles. Gaining access to real-time visitors, Google’s routing algorithm, and a well-recognized interface with no need to attach a telephone is a real benefit.

Spotify works natively with no need to be mirrored from a telephone, Google Assistant is obtainable for voice instructions, and the general interface is intuitive when you get used to it. Android Auto additionally works wirelessly over Bluetooth for individuals who want to reflect immediately from their telephone, whereas some competing choices nonetheless require a wired connection. Apple CarPlay can also be accessible wirelessly.

My workaround of holding a SIM-enabled telephone within the automotive for always-on connectivity signifies that after I get in, all the things is able to go with out the gradual strategy of Bluetooth pairing or Android Auto connecting. It provides a small quantity of {hardware} litter, however in observe it’s seamless.

Journey Planning with Cost Planning

This deserves its personal part as a result of it has been genuinely helpful. When utilizing native Google Maps navigation, the automotive integrates battery knowledge with the route to supply estimated cost ranges at your vacation spot and for the return journey. On longer routes the place charging could be required, it is going to plot stops at suitable cost factors intelligently.

As somebody who’s new to EVs and liable to vary nervousness, having a sensible and correct battery prediction constructed into the navigation has been glorious. On a handful of journeys of over 100 miles, I’ve tracked the predictions towards the precise final result. On one journey I arrived with 2 p.c greater than predicted; on one other I arrived with 2 p.c much less, and that journey concerned driving over the hills within the Forest of Bowland in gale-force winds, so the slight shortfall was hardly stunning. The accuracy is sweet sufficient to plan with confidence.

Harman Kardon Sound System

The Harman Kardon 9-speaker audio system is unique to the Iconic trim and was one of many elements in my choice to particularly search for this specification. Sound high quality in automobiles issues to me – I hearken to music consistently when driving, and poor audio system with no low-end punch are a real irritant on longer journeys.

The Harman Kardon system within the Megane is great for a factory-fitted unit. There’s actual bass, the soundstage is well-defined, and it holds up properly at larger volumes with out the distortion or thinness you get from customary fitted audio system. My companion’s MG4, which has a good audio setup, begins to point out its limitations when you push the quantity; the Megane’s system holds its composure significantly higher. For anybody who spends significant time within the automotive, this alone is value contemplating when selecting a trim degree.

360-Diploma Digital camera System

The 360-degree around-view digicam, which incorporates entrance and rear cameras plus a stitched hen’s-eye view, is one other Iconic-exclusive characteristic and one I’ve discovered genuinely helpful. Coming from a Corsa with no parking sensors and no reversing digicam, I could also be extra impressed by it than somebody switching from a automotive that already had related expertise – however that doesn’t make it any much less helpful.

The digicam high quality has been criticised by some reviewers, and it’s true that the picture decision just isn’t significantly sharp. However for the aim it serves – serving to you park precisely and keep away from obstacles – it really works completely properly. You don’t want high-definition element to know whether or not you might be about to hit a bollard.

When my entrance digicam failed, I surveyed the options accessible at a comparable value level and located that only a few supply 360-degree protection. The MG4 is among the few exceptions. The Polestar 2 can have it, however solely as a part of a paid Pilot pack, which makes figuring out whole price of possession significantly extra advanced. On that foundation, the Megane’s digicam inclusion within the Iconic trim begins to seem like good worth.

Driver Help Options

The suite of driver help options on the Megane Iconic is complete and, in observe, reduces fatigue and stress noticeably on longer or extra monotonous drives. The adaptive cruise management with lane centring works properly on motorways and takes significant effort out of sustained high-speed driving. On roads with clear lane markings, it maintains place confidently. On roads with worn or absent markings, it turns into much less dependable, however the lane centring is well switched off through a devoted button to the suitable of the steering wheel – no have to dig via menus.

The pace limiter is the characteristic I take advantage of most on on a regular basis driving. It eliminates the necessity to consistently monitor the speedometer, which is especially helpful on routes with variable pace limits or common pace digicam zones, of which there are an growing quantity. It is usually value noting that the Megane’s strategy to toggling driving modes through a button on the steering wheel is extra handy than many rivals, which bury these controls in touchscreen menus.

For these coming from a handbook automotive, the automated transmission and the brake help and hill maintain options are a direct quality-of-life enchancment. These are customary on EVs and automatics usually, however experiencing them every day after years of handbook driving makes the distinction very tangible. The regenerative braking system, managed through paddles behind the steering wheel, presents extra deceleration management and is value experimenting with to discover a setting that fits your driving type.

Total Normal Options

Throughout a lot of the trim vary, the Megane is well-equipped as customary. All fashions get a heated steering wheel, heated entrance seats, ambient lighting, wi-fi telephone charging, keyless entry, and USB-C ports. The Techno trim provides entrance electrical seats with lumbar help, and the Iconic provides the 360-degree digicam, Harman Kardon audio, hands-free parking, and the digital rear-view mirror.

The place the Megane compares significantly properly towards options just like the Polestar 2 is in what comes as customary. Heated steering wheels and adaptive cruise management, for instance, are extra-cost choices on the Polestar 2; on the Megane they’re included with out extra expense. The Polestar is a greater automotive in varied methods, however when you begin including the choices wanted to copy the Megane’s customary gear, the worth comparability shifts significantly.

Driving Expertise

On the highway, the Megane E-Tech is a composed and comfy companion. The trip high quality is sweet – the suspension feels well-sorted for UK roads, coping with floor imperfections with out transmitting an excessive amount of into the cabin. The automotive weighs round 1,700kg, which is comparatively mild for an electrical automobile, and this contributes to a suspension setup that doesn’t should be overly stiff to handle physique motion.

Steering is mild at low speeds, which works properly in city environments and makes manoeuvring simple. The turning circle of 10.4 metres is comparable with rivals just like the Volkswagen ID.3, and U-turns in confined areas are manageable. At larger speeds, switching to Sport mode provides weight to the steering and sharpens throttle response, giving the automotive a noticeably extra engaged really feel on winding roads.

Efficiency is respectable somewhat than thrilling. The 160kW motor produces 300Nm of torque and will get the automotive from 0-62mph in 7.5 seconds. Energy supply is easy and linear in regular driving, although there’s a slight torque steer impact beneath exhausting acceleration given the front-wheel-drive structure – significantly on damp roads. In sport mode the automotive is pleasantly brisk, however it isn’t designed to be a efficiency automobile. Motorway cruising is hushed and relaxed, with wind and highway noise properly suppressed at authorized speeds.

One space the place the front-wheel-drive structure reveals a limitation is compared to rear-wheel-drive rivals just like the MG4. The MG4 pushes you out of corners in a approach that feels extra playful and planted; the Megane pulls from the entrance, which is much less participating dynamically. For many consumers this will likely be fully irrelevant – the Megane is purchased for consolation, expertise, and usefulness somewhat than driving leisure – however it’s value noting if the driving expertise issues to you.

On the town, the regenerative braking might be set to most through the paddles, bringing the automotive near one-pedal driving. It doesn’t fairly cease the automotive utterly, so the brake pedal remains to be wanted at junctions, however it’s efficient sufficient to minimise brake use on acquainted routes. The brake pedal itself feels barely over-sensitive initially, however most drivers modify to it inside just a few days.

Worth and Various Choices

New, the Megane E-Tech begins from £31,295 together with the federal government EV grant. The Techno Esprit Alpine is £34,095, and the Iconic Esprit Alpine sits on the top quality at £35,495. For the cash, the Iconic spec represents stable worth on paper, however EV depreciation has been extreme sufficient that purchasing new is troublesome to justify except you might be doing it via a wage sacrifice scheme or as an organization director benefiting from the two% Profit in Variety fee.

I paid £17,500 for my 73-plate Iconic. On the time of writing, the most cost effective Iconic on Autotrader is a 73-plate instance with 41 miles on the clock at £15,490, with loads of choices accessible beneath £18,000. If you would like the up to date 24-plate automotive with the bigger 12-inch central show, the most cost effective examples are round £19,495 with very low mileage. The used marketplace for these automobiles is well-stocked and competitively priced.

After I was looking out, a number of options got here into account:

The Hyundai Kona in facelift kind is obtainable with the N Line trim for beneath £20,000 and has a superb effectivity repute. The older design feels extra cramped however may be very dependable. Both era represents a smart, sensible alternative.

The Polestar 2 is obtainable within the used market from round £12,000 for higher-mileage examples, with loads of alternative within the mid-teens for decrease mileage automobiles. The primary complication is that the Polestar 2 has a big choices construction, and figuring out which automobiles have which packs – Pilot pack for digicam, Plus pack for premium audio and ventilated seats, and so forth – makes comparability purchasing time-consuming except you purchase direct from Polestar.

The Kia Niro EV is one other sturdy contender, significantly in facelift 4 trim, which provides a panoramic sunroof, ventilated entrance seats, and electrical seat adjustment. Loads of these can be found for round £18,000 with 40,000 to 50,000 miles on the clock. Kia’s repute for reliability and its seven-year guarantee on new automobiles provides used consumers extra confidence than some options.

The Genesis GV60 is an unconventional however fascinating alternative. It’s labeled as a luxurious SUV, however 2022 fashions with round 50,000 miles might be discovered for near £18,000. The vary is longer at 321 miles, and it comes loaded with options together with a head-up show. The issues with this feature are larger insurance coverage premiums and the potential price of upkeep at a Genesis specialist. The seller community can also be thinner than mainstream manufacturers.

The MG4 deserves particular point out. My companion’s MG4 Trophy Lengthy Vary was bought new for a reduced £20,000 and has been completely dependable. For the cash it’s terribly well-specified, and used 2023 examples with beneath 20,000 miles are actually accessible for beneath £14,000. If finances is the first concern and you might be joyful to stay with out the Megane’s refinement and infotainment, the MG4 is tough to argue with.

If I may have stretched my finances barely past £20,000, the Renault Scenic E-Tech would have been severely tempting. It makes use of primarily the identical mechanical bundle because the Megane however in a bigger physique with a considerably larger battery, giving a theoretical vary of 379 miles. For anybody who recurrently does longer journeys, the additional price could be properly justified.

Tesla Mannequin 3 and BMW i4 choices are additionally accessible at related value factors within the used market, with the caveat that i4 examples are inclined to have larger mileage at comparable costs. Each are value contemplating for various causes, although the Tesla possession and charging ecosystem comes with its personal set of concerns.

Renault Megane E-Tech vs MG4 Trophy Lengthy Vary

Having lived with each automobiles – mine every day, my companion’s as an everyday passenger and occasional driver – I can supply a fairly direct comparability between the 2.

The Megane is the extra refined automotive. It rides higher, the inside feels extra premium, and the infotainment expertise is extra polished when it’s working accurately. The warmth pump, included on Techno+ and Iconic trims, does assist preserve vary in chilly climate in comparison with a automotive with out one, although in observe the vary figures for each automobiles in winter have been broadly related – the MG4 performs properly sufficient in chilly circumstances that the warmth pump benefit is much less pronounced than anticipated. In hotter climate the MG4 may very well edge forward on effectivity.

The Google Automotive integration on the Megane is a real differentiator versus the MG4’s system, which depends on Android Auto or Apple CarPlay mirroring. For an Android person who makes use of Google Maps consistently, native integration with no need to plug in or pair a telephone is a significant benefit. The Megane’s driver show, exhibiting maps immediately in entrance of the driving force, can also be notably higher than something the MG4 presents at an equal value level.

On reliability, we’ve truly had fewer points with the MG4 than the Megane – although a big a part of that’s as a result of my companion hardly ever ventures past Android Auto, so she by no means interacts with the native infotainment sufficient to come across its glitches. The lane-keeping help on the MG4 is kind of aggressive and has a behavior of peculiar you when it prompts unexpectedly.

For worth, the MG4 wins straightforwardly. The spec-for-money ratio is outstanding, significantly when purchased new on the reductions which were accessible. As a used automotive, the MG4 is now accessible at costs that make it probably the greatest worth EVs available on the market, full cease.

My general view is that the Megane is the higher automotive to personal and drive every day, and I want it as a used buy. But when I have been out there for a brand new automotive somewhat than a used one, the MG4’s mixture of specification and aggressive pricing could be very troublesome to stroll away from.

Total

The Renault Megane E-Tech is much from an ideal automotive. The software program replace state of affairs from Renault is probably the most irritating facet of possession, not as a result of the underlying platform is unhealthy, however as a result of it’s fully avoidable. A producer promoting a linked automotive with over-the-air replace functionality ought to be delivering these updates reliably and recurrently. Renault’s file on that is poor, and it signifies that consumers are left with identified bugs and glitches that could possibly be mounted however usually are not.

The eSIM state of affairs, the restricted cell app, and the entrance digicam failure on my particular automotive all add to an image of a product that might have been higher supported by the model behind it. These usually are not elementary issues with the automotive’s structure or engineering – they’re service and software program shortcomings.

Set that apart, and the Megane E-Tech Iconic is a genuinely spectacular used purchase. The Google Automotive integration, the big driver show with mapped navigation overlaid, the Harman Kardon sound system, the 360-degree digicam, and the excellent driver help options all add as much as a well-rounded bundle that’s troublesome to seek out at this value level from a competing model. The devoted CMF-EV platform provides it higher inside area than converted-platform rivals, and the hatchback design is a welcome change from the ocean of equivalent crossovers on this market section.

The Megane earned a five-star Euro NCAP score and has gained awards together with Small Automobile of the 12 months on the Firm Automobile and Van Awards 2025 and Finest Electrical Hatch on the High Gear Electrical Awards in 2022. These accolades replicate a automotive that the automotive press has persistently rated properly, and my real-world possession expertise broadly agrees with that consensus – with the caveat that Renault’s software program and help infrastructure has not stored tempo with the standard of the underlying automobile.

Is it the perfect used EV at this value level? In all probability not – the MG4 presents extra for the cash, and the Hyundai Kona and Kia Niro each have stronger effectivity reputations. However the Megane is a automotive that’s genuinely gratifying to make use of every day, appears good, and packs a specification that may price significantly extra from competing premium manufacturers. Purchased at present used market costs, with eyes open in regards to the software program replace state of affairs, it’s a sturdy alternative.

Verdict: A refined, well-specified used EV let down by Renault’s poor software program help and replace reliability. At present used market costs, the Iconic trim presents a bundle that’s exhausting to copy for the cash – however go in with sensible expectations in regards to the infotainment quirks.