2022 Renault Megane E-Tech Electric review: International first drive

This is the Megane E-Tech Electric, Renault’s second-generation pure electric car following on from the aged but perennially updated Zoe. The Megane Electric is a small hatch that has been rushed through development by Renault CEO Luca de Meo since he was appointed just over a year ago and will launch in the UK during the third quarter of 2022, though it remains unconfirmed for Australia.

De Meo clearly enjoys needling his former employee, Volkswagen Group. His engineers have carte blanche to boast of the Megane’s (claimed) 100kg+ weight advantage over its VW ID.3 rival. And the boss calls the first Renault on his watch the ‘GTI of EVs’.

An electric hot hatch? Sounds appealing...

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Absolutely. It's a mighty appealing prospect to assess over a couple of hours in the countryside bordering Paris, too. We start in Comfort mode, navigating stretches of divided roads interrupted with roundabouts. GTI exhibit A: the steering has a low 12:1 ratio, and it’s responsive off the straight-ahead, if a little light and numb feeling.

A 160kW/299Nm electric motor spins the front axle, fed in this top-spec S Edition by a 60kWh battery between the 20-inch wheels. That gives an official range of 470km; the 40kWh pack is good for 300km. This EV40 model gets a lower power motor producing 96kW.

Standout feature is the ride quality. It's suavely comfortable but still taut enough for good body control. Now that sounds very GTI.

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Renault says the e-motor and clutch combined only weigh 145kg. It’s all part of a forensic program to minimise weight on this new, dedicated electric CMF-EV platform, which also underpins the Nissan Ariya.

Be measured with the accelerator and progress is steady; it doesn't fly like a GTI. That said, through corners, it's flatter than a fly that hits your windscreen at 110km/h. There's substance to Renault's claim that the centre of gravity is 90mm lower than the existing petrol Megane’s. The thin 110mm battery pack helps with that, integral to the CMF-EV underpinnings.

Quick enough – how's the handling?

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Standout feature is the ride quality. Potholes, hurtling over expansion joints, high-frequency bumps, the Megane Electric just ebbs and flows over the topography. It's suavely comfortable but still taut enough for good body control. Now that sounds very GTI.

Time to engage Sport via the drive mode button on the misshapen steering wheel, reminiscent of Bane's facemask. The throttle becomes super-responsive, with punchy acceleration capable of rocking your head back and making the 7.4sec 0-100km/h time seem utterly plausible.

The steering has much more heft and reassurance too. I tend not to bother much with drive modes when the differences are barely discernible, but I'd lock the Megane Electric in Sport and throw away the key.

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Unfortunately the four grades of regenerative braking aren't so distinctive. I know this is a matter of taste but I'd prefer a greater breadth of intensity, with the max setting truly throwing weight forward as you lift to help pivot the car into corners. Something for an over-the-air update, Renault? Operating them is crystal clear however; a yank on the left steering paddle to boost braking, on the right to reduce. But the brake pedal sometimes acts like an inconsistent parent: too soft, then too hard.

Efficiency and all the charging options

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We averaged 4.8 miles per kWh when driving enthusiastically on a mix of urban and rural French roads and autoroutes, which bodes well for the Renault having an efficiency edge over its German rivals.

Customers will be able to option different types of in-car charger systems, ranging from the base 7kW AC ‘standard charge’ to fast DC public charging at 85kW for the smaller 40kWh battery and 130kW for the bigger battery pack.

The Megane Electric EV60 can draw around 200km of range in 30 minutes on a 130kW DC charger. Eight hours of charging on a typical 7.4kW home charger will bestow around 400km of range.

It certainly looks wild...

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It's a handsome car, the Megane Electric. Don't be fooled by the crossover design cues that owe royalties to a certain Gerry McGovern: the car stands a scant 50mm taller than the combustion Megane, is a little shorter and has regular ground clearance.

And this hatchback has lots of space inside; there's sufficient legroom in the rear and a flat floor thanks to the bespoke battery underpinnings. But the glasshouse is set very high, which will displease claustrophobic adults and most small children, and the driver's view through the rear screen is letterbox sized.

It's a handsome car, the Megane Electric. Don't be fooled by the crossover design … the car stands 50mm taller than the combustion Megane, is a little shorter and has regular ground clearance.

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The cockpit is trimmed nicely, with quality to banish some shonky Renault prejudices (aside from the naff ON button and hollow stalks). The disguised rear door handles have a lovely action, the curved dash top is trimmed in parquet flooring (mice-sized), and the driver’s digital display and touchscreen are glossy and colourful.

The boot is vast – it stows 440 litres of stuff – but it's awkwardly deep, so hopefully Renault is planning a two-stage floor not ready for this prototype drive.

Google powers the infotainment and there’s fun to be had asking the assistant questions, though she steadfastly ignores requests to cancel nav waypoints or turn up the heating. There are still physical buttons for that.

Verdict

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Modern through and through then. Just what you’d expect from an entire reinvention of a car we’ve known for decades, and will for a while yet as existing petrol Meganes will continue to be sold until 2024.

The Megane Electric is smooth-riding, sharp-looking, efficient-running and its interior is up there with the best in class. Pretty engaging to drive too, if not quite the electric GTI Renault’s promising. How about a Renault Sport version, Luca?

2022 Renault Megane E-Tech Electric specifications