Renault’s stylish electric hatchback lands on our long-term fleet for six months of work and family life.

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Renault Megane E-Tech Iconic

List price (BiK): £41,995 (2%) Range: 280 miles On Fleet: N/A Efficiency: N/A

If Renault’s name was already good in the world of EVs thanks to the legacy of the popular Zoe, then it’s fair to say that 2024 will probably see that boosted still further.

The unveiling of the retro-styled new Renault 5 will be at the forefront of that, but so will the arrival of the all-electric Scenic running alongside this Megane E-Tech, which joins the Fleet World long-term fleet for the next six months.

Mean and moody in its optional Ceramic Grey bodywork and black roof with gold accent trimmings on this flagship Iconic model, it certainly looks the part. In fact, while I’d got used to larger SUVs with my outgoing Mazda CX-60, this Megane feels small by comparison, but that’s very welcome in tight car parks.

And that’s also no bad thing with its 60kWh battery, which at first glance seems a little on the small side, compared to the VW ID.3’s 77kWh, but the claimed 280-mile range is still respectable. The larger Scenic gets the choice of the same 60kWh battery or an 87kWh long-range pack too.

Would it be good to have the same choice in the Megane? Perhaps, but with a claimed efficiency of 3.86mpkWh, there’s a strong argument for ‘right-sizing’ of batteries in cars and first impressions of the balance in this Megane are that this might be ok. Just.

I especially like the low and sleek look, accentuated by that black roof, although the only thing narrower than the rear windscreen is the opening on editor Challen’s wallet when it’s his round. The look out of the rear-view mirror is like peering out of a letterbox and the rear wiper is comically tiny.

It’s only been with us a few days so far, but I like the ability to quickly switch the level of regenerative braking on the steering wheel paddles (something that should be obvious, but isn’t always) as well as the consistency of the feedback. Not so great has been the infotainment system, which is only randomly successful when linking to Apple CarPlay, and the screen, which feels oddly small compared to rivals. I’m looking forward to coming back to this, and the other highs and lows of the Megane, over the next six months.

Nat Barnes