Renault Megane E-Tech EV60 2024 Review

For now, just one 2024 Renault Megane E-Tech variant is offered in Australia, dubbed the Techno EV60. In countries where the full range of three variants are offered, the EV60 is the mid-range option, but it’s surprisingly well specified and comes at a corresponding cost.

It’s priced from $64,990 plus on-road costs, which is on the pricey side when you look at competitors such as the Tesla Model 3 and MG4, but if you wanted to throw in a few SUV comparisons then the Hyundai Kona EV saves you a few grand while the freshly arrived Volvo EX30 also starts about the $60K mark.

If you’re quick, though, Renault recently announced that it will be slashing a remarkable $10,000 from the Megane EV’s list price until the end of the 2024 financial year, offering buyers a chance to get behind the wheel for $54,990 plus ORCs.

Whether this car deserves to be compared to SUVs is up to you. With the transition to electrification, the Megane has taken on a decidedly SUV look with black trims around the wheel-arches and side skirts, along with a tall posture and huge 20-inch wheels.

That said, it’s still front-wheel drive and retains a somewhat car-like ride height of 135mm.

Rather than offering a long list of options to achieve a lower opening price, the 2024 Renault Megane E-Tech includes more standard equipment at the start.

As such, the options list extends to just two items – a choice of metallic paint colours ($400) and a two-tone exterior look that brings a contrasting black roof ($800).

There’s also all-LED lighting including adaptive headlights, daytime running lights (DRLs), Renault icon puddle lights at the front doors and ambient cabin illumination with ‘living lights’ that change colour every 30 minutes.

What you don’t get is a 360-degree camera, power-adjustable seats, a sunroof or leather upholstery, but there is a very nice, recycled fabric textile as standard fitment. Actually, much of the Megane E-Tech’s interior is recycled material, while 90 per cent of the car is entirely recyclable, according to Renault.

Heated front seats and steering wheel are included in the price, while a pair of USB-C ports are offered in each row of seating along with a 12-volt power socket in the front row.

The Megane E-Tech gets a five-year warranty, though it’s limited to 100,000km, unlike many brands which offer unlimited kilometres. The battery is covered separately with an industry-standard eight-year guarantee.

Service intervals are a marathon 30,000km or 12 months, which will presumably come first, with capped pricing of $198 for the first visit, $265 for the second and $274 for the third. The fourth scheduled service is the most expensive at $466.

Total cost for the first five years of maintenance is $1401.

Like the level of general comfort and entertainment technology included as standard, the 2024 Renault Megane E-Tech’s safety systems are also generously represented.

With seven airbags, including front-centre chest-protecting airbags for front occupants and a curtain airbag for both rows of seating, the Megane E-Tech has respectable passive safety.

ISOFIX anchors for two child seats are provided in the back.

Active safety systems are also well covered with autonomous emergency braking (AEB) that detects the most vulnerable road users, lane departure warning and lane keep assistance, blind spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control that works at stop-start traffic speeds, traffic sign recognition and driver attention monitoring as standard.

No surprise, then, that ANCAP has awarded the Megane E-Tech a full five-star safety rating based on testing conducted in 2022.

At the centre of the 2024 Renault Megane E-Tech’s technology suite is a 9.0-inch touch-screen, which may seem a little diminutive compared with some of the large and portrait-oriented screens offered by an increasing number of manufacturers.

Indeed, in other markets, the higher-grade E-Tech gets exactly that, with a 12.0-inch vertically mounted screen. However, we rather like the smaller display as it lacks nothing in presentation, allows the use of proper climate control switches (the larger screen has them in virtual menus) and offers a clever little shelf below that recruits your smartphone into a third screen.

Also included is a fully digital instrument cluster measuring 12.3 inches, a digital rear-view mirror that switches between regular mirror and a small screen relaying an image from a rear-view camera, wireless device charging and wireless connectivity for Apple and Android smartphones.

A head-up display is not offered, which some may miss – especially in Victoria where being aware of even 1km/h over the speed limit is of vital importance – but the driver’s instrument cluster offers the right amount of information.

Some systems can overwhelm with stats, graphs and figures, but the Renault can be switched to several lovely minimalist settings.

We particularly like the most spartan, which has a strange black-hole dent in Tron-like grid that enlarges/deepens as the vehicle’s speed increases – an interesting and unique visual representation of speed.

Bluetooth connection enables music to be streamed from a connected device or via digital radio and through to a six-speaker Arkamys sound system, which proves stereo systems don’t need nine speakers and a subwoofer to sound good.

True to the model’s mantra, the 2024 Renault Megane E-Tech remains front-wheel drive with the single synchronous electric motor under the bonnet producing 160kW of power and 300Nm of torque.

It is fed by a 60kWh lithium-ion battery.

It’s also worth noting that the battery measures just 110mm tall, making it one of the flattest in the EV world and allowing space advantages inside the car.

How far can the Renault Megane E-Tech go on a charge?

With a full battery, the 2024 Renault Megane E-Tech is claimed to travel up to 454km, which is impressive for a vehicle with a (60kWh) battery that’s certainly not as large as they come.

Moreover, the maximum range was calculated using the more realistic WLTP method.

Power consumption is said to average 15.6kWh/100km, which would be acceptable, but during our time with the E-Tech, driving a variety of different roads, the Megane reported an impressive consumption of just 14.9kWh/100km.

Unlike the most cutting-edge electric vehicles adopting very high power 800-volt drive systems, the Megane is a more traditional 400-volt, which limits charging times and power.

With the mainstream 7.4kW domestic charging wallbox, the E-Tech can be charged from 0-100 per cent in a little over nine hours. Renault says the maximum DC charging rate is 130kW, which will take the battery from 0-80 per cent in “as little as 30 minutes”.

In the mission to produce electric cars that are great to drive, many brands are going for the sledgehammer approach of dual motors, all-wheel drive, massive batteries and monstrous performance.

The 2024 Renault Megane E-Tech’s approach, on the other hand, is a little more delicate and deft. With just one drive motor and two-wheel drive, it is relatively light for an EV and that means it doesn’t need huge figures to get a lot done.

With 0-100km/h acceleration of 7.4 seconds it’s nippy, a tare weight of about 1600kg means it’s light on its feet and the wide tyres and carefully tuned suspension offer playful and responsive handling.

Combined with those massive wheels and low-profile tyres, the suspension might be a little over-damped for Australia’s crumbly roads, but comfort levels for all occupants are good, along with minimal road and wind noise.

Perhaps the only mark on an otherwise perfect score card is the drivetrain calibration. Regenerative braking is not particularly aggressive, even in the highest of four settings, which means one-pedal driving is not possible during most driving, especially as the car reverts back to traditional coasting at 10km/h.

As well, the regen braking defaults back to its least aggressive each time the car is switched off – doesn’t sound like a big problem until you are barrelling up to a corner when on an enthusiastic drive, expecting the car to decelerate once the accelerator is released … and it doesn’t.

Otherwise, the Megane E-Tech is great fun to drive. The full 300Nm comes on strong and acceleration is excellent with no signs of torque-steer and excellent traction despite the more efficiency-focused tyres.

The steering is light but not dull and the entire driving experience is refreshing. When so many EVs feel like they’re trying to hide their weight, the Renault embraces a more lightweight approach.

Renault has always succeeded in producing cars that manage to be different. In the past, it’s sometimes been guilty of being different for the sake of being different rather than offering any practical advantages.

The 2024 Renault Megane E-Tech’s cabin, though, certainly can’t be accused of that.

Its layout is ergonomically well executed with excellent use of space, a light and airy feel and top-notch design and materials throughout.

Some hard plastics are used but not in frequent touch-points, where instead you’ll find pleasant quality materials and examples of apparently good build quality.

The dashboard is finished in an understated but chic woven fabric that matches the comfortable and cool seat upholstery, while the black roof lining and leather steering wheel complete a restrained but thoroughly sophisticated aesthetic.

The arrangement of digital displays, illumination and graphics is also evidence of a car-maker that’s been honing its design and functional features for a long time. The E-Tech’s cabin is mature but classy and contemporary.

It’s this fine balance of style and technology that many of the Chinese challenger brands appear to be trying to emulate but get a little overexcited and overcook everything, while Renault demonstrates its experience as a longstanding car brand.

The Megane E-Tech might officially be a small crossover/SUV, but thanks to a dedicated electric platform, there’s plenty of space, relatively speaking.

There are tons of cleverly thought-out cubbies dotted about the cabin, such as the central console area which features a huge bin extending down into the area under the central screen and can be customised with movable blocks including varying size cup/bottle holders or just maximum space.

The centre arm rest hides more storage along with more cup holders and something like a business card holder in front. There’s a reasonable size glove box and good door pockets all round too.

The boot can carry up to 440 litres, expanding to 1332L via the 60/40-split folding rear seats. Its deep shape is good for fitting tall items but might frustrate some users when trying to unload heavier items.

Renault has always felt like a brand on its back foot fighting for a chunk of the Australian audience, often being late to the party when it does launch an appealing new model, but the 2024 Renault Megane E-Tech is bang up to date.

Not only does its styling and technology level stand out for all the right reasons, it’s not trying to follow in the tyre tracks of other successful models in an attempt to replicate similar sales.

The E-Tech is fun, practical and packed full of meaningful tech wrapped up in a deeply attractive package that extends into the cabin.

Perhaps the only sticking point is the price. A couple of years ago, the electric Megane might have looked like a bit of a bargain, but with competition at an all-time high, it’s probably priced about $5000 too expensive compared with equivalent rivals.

If you’re keen and quick, however, its current special pricing certainly makes it a lot more competitive.

Regardless, if you want to put something unique but largely uncompromised on your driveway, then you could do a lot worse than the Megane E-Tech.

Most importantly, Renault finally has a car that could earn the French brand the attention and respect it deserves. And if this car heralds an E-Tech RS … wouldn’t that be a thing?

2024 Renault Megane E-Tech Techno EV60 at a glance:
Price: $64,990 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Powertrain: Single permanent magnet synchronous motor
Output: 160kW/300Nm
Transmission: Single-speed reduction gear
Battery: 60kWh lithium-ion
Range: 454km (WLTP)
Energy consumption: 15.6kWh/100km (WLTP; 14.9kWh/100km as tested)
Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP 2022)