Crucially, and thankfully, Renault has stuck with physical heating and ventilation controls, which just makes life so much easier. The software underpinning it all comes from Google, so you get integrated Google Maps, as well as wireless connections for Android Auto and Apple Car Play. Indeed, compared with the previous Megane or even current models such as the Captur or Clio, the new Megane represents a major leap forward in the layout and functionality of Renault’s digital tech. It’s dominated by screens, of course, but they’re really good screens. Inside, the Megane has one of the best interiors in the business. Inside, the Megane has one of the best interiors in the business It looks especially good in the “Flame Red” paint work of our test car (an €825 option). The overall shape kinda suggests a crossover, but it’s actually quite low-slung and relatively sleek – indeed the roof is barely any higher off the ground than that of our own family Mini Clubman. The efforts of the likes of Gilles Vidal and Laurens van den Acker have lifted Renault’s styling up to a peak of performance of late, and the compact, muscular-looking Megane is one of the best-looking cars in its segment. Style-wise, the Megane is one of Renault’s best recent efforts and praise comes no higher. Renault Megane: prices start from €37,495 including all grants for a basic Equilibre 40kWh model You get a choice of 40kWh or 60kWh battery packs, and a choice of 130hp or 220hp electric motors, driving the front wheels. Unlike rivals from Peugeot and Volkswagen, you won’t be able to buy a petrol or diesel or plug-in hybrid equivalent of this new electric Megane. This new Megane marks a seriously significant step, not least because it’s the first mainstream European family car to go entirely electric. It feels more like the Renault that gave us the 16, the original 5, the second-generation Megane than the Renault that gave us the 11 or the third-gen Megane. Renault for the most part these days, and in spite of having to shoulder a savage series of multibillion-euro losses in recent years, seems confident in its own corporate skin. Happily, today, we seem to be at the other end of the pendulum swing. Too often, Renault has retreated to a stack-’em-high-sell-’em-cheap mentality, best (worst) exemplified by the savage discounts that put a lot of Fluence saloons (one of the most disappointing cars of all time) on to Irish driveways. The brand has often struggled to match the steady, upmarket rise of the likes of Volkswagen and even its great French rival, Peugeot. In that, you’d have to sense a bit of a missed opportunity for Renault. Certainly, looking back at interviews I once edited of a troop of 1980s Irish celebrities, it was striking how many mentioned that they had switched to a Renault because it offered a bit more class, a bit more technological prowess, than an equivalent Ford or Opel. It’s interesting, when you look back at Renault’s history, how often it has been on the cusp of being an almost-premium brand. Verdict: Renault gets its mojo back with this impressive electric Megane, but the vastly more affordable MG4 is lurking in the wings…
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