Renault Megane variants
Total price
Monthly payment

Finance representative example (PCP)

Total cash price £18,899. Borrowing £17,009 with a £1,890 deposit at a representative APR of 10.9%.

48 monthly payments
£278.35
Fixed interest rate
10.9%
Total amount payable
£24,581.01
Cost of credit
£5,682.01
Optional final payment
£9,330.00
Purchase fee
£10.00
Annual mileage limit
6000 miles

Renault Megane buying guide

What Renault Megane trim levels are there?

First up is Play trim, with cruise control, hill-start assist, 16-inch alloy wheels, two-zone climate control, LED daytime running lights and a seven-inch touchscreen with DAB radio, Bluetooth and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto connectivity.

Iconic adds auto headlights and wipers, rear parking sensors, 17-inch diamond-cut alloys, sat nav, ambient lighting and extra safety kit such as a lane-departure warning system and auto high-beam assist.

Depending on the age of the car, Renault’s sporty trim is called GT Line or RS Line. Both get more aggressive bumpers, sports seats, model-specific alloy wheels and an upgraded 9.3-inch touchscreen.

Confusingly, Iconic is the top trim level on the electric Renault Megane E-Tech, with Equilibre and Techno beneath it. All get LED headlights, a rear-view camera, heated front seats, a nine-inch touchscreen and a 12.3-inch digital dial cluster. Techno adds upgraded headlights that have an adverse weather mode, while Iconic includes a Harman Kardon stereo system and gold front bumper trim.

Renault Megane interior and technology

Inside the 2016-2022 Megane, the quality is generally pretty good in areas you’ll touch. There are a few cheaper plastics down low, but the soft-touch materials make up for that. The large portrait touchscreen looks impressive but the smaller seven-inch screen has most of the same features, and neither boasts the sharpest graphics. There are a couple of other quirks, too, including some of the cruise control buttons being located behind the handbrake and some being located on the steering wheel.

Renault has pulled out all the stops for the Megane E-Tech’s interior, which gets a glossy touchscreen and a crisp digital instrument cluster as standard. Without a need for a gearlever, lots of space has been freed up in the centre console. The Megane E-Tech has a higher-quality interior than its main rivals, the Volkswagen ID.3 and MG 4.

Renault Megane boot space and dimensions

It may be marginally shorter than a Ford Focus, but the engine-powered Megane does well for interior space. At comfortably under 4.4 metres long and with a flat rear end, the Megane hatch should be pretty easy to park – and all trims bar Play get rear parking sensors. Boot space stands at 335 litres with the seats up and 1,180 litres with the seats down, which is about 15% down on a Focus or Volkswagen Golf. The Sport Tourer estate offers a decent boot that measures between 504 and 563 litres – except for the E-Tech plug-in hybrid with its 447-litre boot.

That is seven litres more than the boot of the electric Megane, so the new car is a lot more practical than the previous hatch. Handily, the electric Megane’s boot is 55 litres bigger than the boot of the Volkswagen ID.3, and there’s room for charging cables underneath.

Renault Megane engine range explained

(Most popular) Renault Megane 1.3 TCe 140 petrol

Used in cars as diverse as the Mercedes A-Class, Nissan Qashqai and Dacia Duster, this 1.3-litre turbocharged petrol engine offers perky acceleration with a 0-62mph time of 9.4 seconds. It’s our pick of the combustion engines – especially if you can’t plug in – and it boasts an economy figure of nearly 50mpg. An ‘EDC’ automatic gearbox is available if you don’t want to shift gears yourself.

Renault Megane 1.5 dCi 115 diesel

The 114hp diesel engine favours fuel economy over quick acceleration, making it ideal for long-distance drivers. Up to 61mpg is achievable with this engine, and its 11-second acceleration time will be fine for keeping up with most traffic. Like the petrol, this engine can be mated to a manual or automatic gearbox.

Renault Megane E-Tech PHEV 160 hybrid

A late addition to the Megane lineup, the E-Tech Plug-in Hybrid combines a 1.6-litre petrol engine with a 9.3kWh battery and a 65hp electric motor. Total power stands at 160hp, but the PHEV’s extra weight means it offers the same acceleration time as the petrol-only Megane. Don’t get drawn in by its claim of 217mpg unless you can plug in regularly and predominantly drive on battery power – which, when fully charged, gives you about 32 miles of zero-emission driving.

Renault Megane RS 1.8 280/300 petrol

As possibly Renault’s last-ever petrol-powered hot hatch, the Megane RS went out with a bang. A fizzy 1.8-litre petrol engine boosted power to up to 300hp, while various chassis upgrades and all-wheel steering means the Megane steers as well as it goes.

Renault Megane E-Tech Electric 60kWh

The new Megane is only available as an electric car, with a powertrain shared with the impressive Nissan Ariya. Its large battery enables a 280-mile range and its 220hp motor makes the electric E-Tech the quickest Megane this side of the RS. Zero-to-62mph takes 7.5 seconds, but it’s the rate of acceleration up to about 30mph that’s most impressive.

FAQs

Over time, there have been lots of versions of the Megane. The first-generation car spawned a coupe, convertible and the Renault Scenic MPV, while all petrol-powered Meganes have had hot-hatch versions that deserve to be in the sports car hall of fame. The outgoing Megane is available as a hatchback or an estate, while the very latest Megane is more of a crossover with SUV styling – and with only electric power under the bonnet.

Cast aside your aspersions about the reliability of French cars – we’ve not heard of any major problems with the Megane. It’s partly Japanese anyway, sharing parts with Nissan models. Keeping up with routine maintenance is the best way to make sure your car is reliable, but you may wish to take out an extended warranty when you buy your car for total peace of mind.

The Megane gets a little overlooked next to the Focus, Golf and SEAT Leon, but it’s a good car with economical engines and spacious rear seats. A used Renault Megane represents excellent value for money.

As for the latest electric-only Megane, it’s practical, nippy and refined, has a long range and a very impressive infotainment system. It’s one of our favourite compact family EVs.

The Renault Megane shouldn’t be too expensive to repair because many of its parts are used in other Renault and Nissan models. Renault offers a service plan for used cars – you’ll need to speak to your dealer for up-to-date pricing.

Occupying insurance groups 17-22, the Renault Megane is in slightly higher groups than an equivalent Ford Focus – but the difference in premiums for the two cars are unlikely to be huge. With its potent power and performance, the Megane RS sits in group 37 out of 50.

Whether you pick the petrol or the diesel, the Megane can tow a caravan weighing up to 1,650kg. Note that that figure is with only the driver on board, so you will have to take into account the slightly reduced towing capacity when you have passengers as well. The Megane PHEV can only tow 750kg so won’t be suitable for caravanners.