Renault Megane e-Tech 2024 review

[@richardpiper4828]

I’m a UK Megane owner and generally I am still pleased with the car after 15 months driving. I have removed the middle rear headrest to improve visibility as the Techno models do not have the rear camera - it is only on the higher spec Iconic. Like in Australia and Ireland we only get the smaller Infotainment screen but from the 2025 model year build which starts shortly we will be getting the larger portrait screen that has been standard on the European LHD cars. I guess all RHD market cars will get the same upgrade. The small boot button irritates but my biggest criticism is that there is no panoramic roof option because with the dark headlining the interior is a bit gloomy. The tech including the Google Automotive operating system together with a sensible number of physical buttons makes functions on the Megane easier to operate. I chose the Megane over the Born and have no regrets although I was not best pleased when Renault cut the price in the UK by £3000 soon after launch and also made available the option of a heat pump which had been deleted from the UK spec cars - along with a few other items which I was told was to keep the price low.

[@murraymaclean3998]

Bought one. Brilliant!!!

[@therightcar]

Awesome!

[@robbiesheppard3280]

Yes they look good, the French car Renault.😀

[@01Damian]

Woohoo! You reviewed it! And a great review it is! I'm glad you liked it. I'll get to have a look at one at the end of the month. I hope I like it too! I'm a bit bummed how it's despecced from the European one. I don't know why they got rid of Android auto and lowered the AC charge rate. Do you know why? But hopefully that won't be a deal breaker. Might be the car to get me into the EV space!

[@therightcar]

Yep, I’m stoked I got the chance to. They are trying to shift some stock, so the price adjustment is a good thing - and hopefully when the EOFY deal period ends, the price might stay. Not sure about spec stuff. It’s a bit of a “probably just because it needs to meet a price for the market” thing.

[@01Damian]

@@therightcar Yeah I'll be struggling to get my ducks in a row by the end of the fin year. So the continued price would be good. I think it's fair value at that price. Yeah I assumed the spec change would be to hit a price point. Probably let them get down to the current price too. But Android automotive really would have been nice. Now just need to figure out if the kids can do without rear drink holders for their Macca's cups. Such an odd omission to have rear air vents but no arm rest and drink holders.

[@NDYTCH]

​@@01DamianI just ordered a Megane in the UK and we now have the higher spec at the lower price in the new (MY25) model. I assume you will hang this now too.

[@brent_in_aussie]

Great review as always Matt ! It’s a bit quirky and different , shortcomings but good price with the discount… need more puppies in the reviews

[@maxcarter970]

Every time I hear about EVs getting their prices slashed it reminds me that now is the time to wait.

[@vMaxHeadroom]

Mom got the Techno Plus in the UK and I have to admit I was a bit aghast at her choice but ultimatly it suited her lifestyle which was local journeys and she has a 7KW home charger so charges to 80% overnight at the cheapest rate and the range has been decent, so low cost on the electricity front. Once I took it out for a drive, I was more than impressed as it handles so well more so like an ICE car with enough powewr to have some fun. Great road holding and the interior is excellent especially the Google operating system that they have moved to. It is a blast in the sport mode though I would not tell her that! Yes the space in the back is not huge but for a family with 2 kids it's perfect...Not an EV fan at all as we seem to being pushed in that direction without really thinking of the infrastructure and the fact the hybrids should have been a more focused option until said infrastructure was in place...still overall, I was very impressed and it looks great too...

[@beaverweaver]

I live in Ireland and have had this car for over a year, and you’re spot on, it’s a pleasure to live with (and turns head in red). The visibility took a little to get used to, but to be honest, I don’t mind the sacrifice for how awesome it looks. All models come with 22 kWh AC charging in Ireland, which is a godsend as it’s my most used form of charging. Why more EVs don’t come with this is beyond me! Great review mate!

[@therightcar]

Thanks mate! Glad you’re loving it - and yes, 22kW would be great as standard!

[@gerryheery1388]

i went to mullingar yesterday to test drive the megane when i was there i also drove the new scenic they are both 2 great cars and feel more comfortable than my kia ev6

[@PeroniPete]

22kW charging stripped out for Australia, along with many other Tech features. We get 7 kW.....

[@kennethprocak5176]

As long as still drive like a Renault it drives great compared to most the others.

[@anthonylangton3664]

I think there may be a bit of confusion regarding the apple android story. The Native system in the car is android, my phone intergrates seamlesly as it utilises the app for remote control & monitoring. I don't understand how it is possible to wipe Google of the Australian model.

[@eddybourke8286]

Sensational, thanks for the review. The lack of 22kw AC charging in Aus is annoying, though my main concern is rear leg room. But goodness it looks lovely.

[@theroadrunner8300]

I've already got a Renault Megane GTLine 2015.The E tech is beautiful and so French

[@cathybyrne4489]

I just did a test drive and agree with all your obs. I did freak a bit when I realised (having shifted from euro to non euro blinker and wiper swap to different sides) that it might be possible to be flying down the freeway and flick that fourth right hand lever from drive into reverse !! Ouch? Is there a safety mechanism to prevent that?

[@PeroniPete]

YES there is....

[@kejmat]

Nice review. I think I want one. I'm currently in Europe and am just amazed at the number of choices of electric cars available here.

[@therightcar]

Thanks! Yeah, Europe is a few years ahead of us. Australia will catch up with an influx of new brands due here imminently!

[@PeroniPete]

Well stay there and buy one mate, it'll be a lot better than an Aus-spec car.... But they are a good thing.

[@Steve-jx3mh]

Thanks for the review. Was hoping you would get the chance. At 55k it makes a compelling argument. At 65k, not so much...

[@therightcar]

You bet. My thoughts exactly.

[@PeroniPete]

Yes, exactly. I'm one of the few suckers who paid $65k. Renault Aus priced it high while the Govt. rebates were in place to suck that money up then dropped the price when the rebates started to be unavailable.

[@GlowingTube]

This looks so good. The specs and price are decent too. Negatives are that you are buying from a distributor now and the DC fast charge speeds could be a touch better. Would I buy one? Not right now as insurance and resale are a concern. Well done Renault!

[@marcusgeorge1825]

Great review as always. Thank you. The French simply won’t take advantage of the modern camera system and technology available today as it’s not their way and the quirky nature of the right hand steering wheel assortment? It’s French. Best way to sum it up. As history has shown over 100’s of years that they have a way of doing things differently. Not saying it’s bad, just different and as someone who has owned a Renault Megane RS, you do get used to it.

[@waynehobbs5175]

Another question. 15.6kW/100km WLTP 60kWh battery doesn’t equate to 450km range. 60/15.6=384km in my maths.

[@therightcar]

Yep, the real range isn’t quite as good as the official number. Maths is not my forte. But like pretty much EVERY car on the market, it uses more fuel than the sticker suggests.

[@DrIreneBonneyFaulkesDD]

What about tyre wearoutabilty? Seems due to added weight of battery that tyre wear is double that of non EV's?

[@AndrewThomson888]

Not true mate, sorry. This is a media myth. I own, let's call it a fast EV, and with 1 tyre rotation, and 54,000kms, not even close to buying new tyres.

[@DrIreneBonneyFaulkesDD]

@@AndrewThomson888 Thanks for that I have 2018 Koleos now and Scenic before that new in 2004, 250k when sold and still running as new with never an issue. Koleos is brilliant and love the CVT. Thinking of an EV hybrid but the EV Megane might just be the one. Just to add my Koloes is at 63k and tyres look good for at least another 15-20k.

[@PeroniPete]

Renault put a huge amount of effort into keeping the weight down on this car, and it wouldn't have been cheap to do that. Kudos to them for doing it, because I can't see it with the other brands, not at all.

[@gregj7916]

Is Ateco now the importer?

[@PeroniPete]

Yes, unfortunately. They hardly give a fig about Renault. They have many other brands, and you could say that Renault is poorly represented in Australia.

[@RodneyW]

At the discounted price of $55k, it also competes with the Honda Civic e:HEV. I wonder how it compares with this. They seem to have a lot in common. Similar boot space. No spare wheel in either car (which is a show stopper for me). Firm ride. Low roof line interference for rear seat passengers. Better visibility and convenience of not having to recharge for the Civic (800km range in a tank with 5 minutes required to fill up), but full EV peace and at home charging for the Renault.... The Civic is longer and around 200kg lighter, and the battery warranty is a little better (8 years, unlimited km).

[@therightcar]

Good point on Civic. Great car. But if you’re buying an EV, you’re not usually considering a hybrid.

[@RodneyW]

@@therightcar I suspect (but do not know for sure) that there are a bunch of buyers that are tossing up between HEV and EV.

[@gregturner_awod]

Great price, interesting car. I’ve always liked French cars and the design on this small SUV is attractive, some great features, others not so great. Seems practical in many respects, no frunk sadly because it’s crammed with electronics and the drive train. Appears to drive nicely and as described is comfortable. An excellent review showing a vehicle I think would work well for me/us as a second EV. I think I could live with the digital rear view, not perfect but seems perfectly adequate. Battery warranty could be better, service costs….hmmm. I like my Tesla’s service intervals. But, thanks for another excellent review, this looks like an excellent small EV.

[@one4me03]

I'm guessing they unbanned you? Great to see ... Despite its some short comings it does work... I pick it over the ex30

[@therightcar]

Haha I may not have been banned after all! 😅

[@one4me03]

@@therightcar honestly, so glad you had the opportunity to review it! It's also great to see that they now have given unlimited K's warranty. It's definitely worth considering+ if the price continues to be right.

[@FéargalO]

Any MY25 Megane owners confirm if they have fixed the grabby brakes some reviewers mention?

[@PeroniPete]

I don't find the brakes a problem at all, in fact, I almost never use the things...... Take with a grain of salt what you read...

[@PhillipMurrayChester-sg9uj]

Great review. Appears Renault have used their long experience of electric cars to benefit. I hope they bring the electric Scenic here too.

[@therightcar]

Yep, I loved the Zoe too!!

[@CThienV]

Im hoping for a price drop on the byd seal to push me over the fence

[@therightcar]

Maybe, but that brand is a bit more stubborn.

[@Richard-sl8we]

Hi Matt, is it possible to do a review of the BMW iX3 M-Sport, RWD; full EV?

[@therightcar]

It may be possible, but it might not be likely. It’s a bit niche and I’ve struggled to get iX3 before for whatever reason. Lovely car though.

[@ozozi49]

No mention of Model Y?????😮

[@therightcar]

Different size of car. Much bigger. You might argue that makes it even better value!

[@joelopic]

Great looking car and apreciate that its a nice car to drive, but shut it down at crappy reverse camera and no 360° cameras. Compared to the Zeekr 7X coming to town. There is no comparison.

[@PeroniPete]

The 360 deg camers are there....just not for us lucky Aussies. We get the dummed-down local version.

[@Greg-k4j]

I guess one of these would be a decent option if Ateco is offering user friendly customer service…

[@therightcar]

The Renault network is decent in Australia. Not huge. But I haven’t heard many issues.

[@TheHayabusa09]

Amazing vehicle, love the styling and that dash design is striking to look at. It's just a shame that Renault is well known to have appalling after sales service and reliability.

[@therightcar]

I guess the EV factor could play into reliability and hopefully no issues after sale. But it is gorgeous.

[@PeroniPete]

In my view, Renault are poorly represented in Australia. They should just bite the bullet and set up themselves in Australia, and properly back up what is now a truly inspirational range of EV's...Just have a look at what's coming through.

[@hadetbramatt]

Really ??? Please drive it like you've just won the lotto, mate. It's a fun car ❤

[@rodrigobatistaguerra7991]

👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍

[@therightcar]

I feel the same way.

[@waynehobbs5175]

A great objective review thank you. Bizarre that Android Auto, the biggest smartphone player is snubbed for Apple which now represents only about 35% of users. Alienating over 50% of smartphone owners is a crazy decision. Impressive boot but clearly comes at the expense or rear seat space. No power tailgate, no suroof, no 360° camera and the screens having such low resolution is, as you suggest . . . Outdated. The Kona is only 4★ safety so I wouldn't compare it but the Cupra is probably worth the extra spend. Better still, buy an Atto 3 Extended range for more interior room, same boot, 360° camera, electric tailgate, opening sunroof and sunshade, class leading graphics on 12" media screen with wireless Android Auto and wired Apple (wireless due shortly). Other negative on the Renault is NMC which is environmentally worse than LFP, has less charging cycles and should only be charged to 80% regularly which affects range. Other contender is MG4 64 NMC regrettably or BYD Dolphin Premium 60.4kW LFP like the Atto 3. Dolphin has smaller boot than Renault but better infotainment Android, graphics etcetera. Like it or not China offers way better value cars. Thanks for pointing out no Android Auto and that NMC is used as many buyers will delete this car from their shortlist. If the Renault was $46k I would pay $5k more for the Atto 3. I do like your style of reporting!

[@therightcar]

Thanks mate! Great commentary.

[@Pyjamarama11]

$10,000 price drop Because "EV salEs arE sO sTRonG" 😂😂😂😂

[@ETERNITY777]

❤ NO EV PLEASE WILL NEVER BUY AN EV FIRE STARTER ❤❤

[@pastorofmuppets8834]

I hope you don't buy an internal combustion vehicle then. They catch on fire at a much higher rate. Better go and get your horse 🐎 and cart!

[@ETERNITY777]

@@pastorofmuppets8834 EV CARS IS GARBAGE GOVERNMENT HUMAN SOCIAL ENGINERRING TO CONTROL YOUR BRAIN THIS WILL FAIL VERY SOON

[@AndrewThomson888]

what total rubbish.

[@ETERNITY777]

@@AndrewThomson888 🤑 ALL OVERSEAS EV CAR SALES ARE DRASTICALLY DECLINING AND BEING DISCOUNTED BECAUSE NO ONE WANTS THEM HA CHECK IT OUT BUT BACKWARD ROBOT CITIZEN IN AUSTRALIA BELEIVES THE GOVERNMENT HAAAAAAAAAAA HAAAAAAAAAA 😁😁🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@TheSilentMiaow]

Never let facts get in the way of your prejudices

[@Boogersncome]

French cars and electronics. Lol

[@buncha5651]

Renault plus EV and no spare. A big NOOOOOO Deal.

[@therightcar]

Okay.

[@markscott2215]

Dude - virtually no ev on the market has a spare

[@buncha5651]

​@markscott2215 I know that, and that's exactly why I will never buy one.