The pictures you see here are of the updated Renault Megane, new for 2020…sorry…very slightly different for 2020. Due on sale in August, you’re looking at £20,740 exactly for a base model, called Iconic, and at the other end of the scale £36,495 for a Renaultsport Trophy 300 version.
It does look like a significant price bump given that today’s Megane range begins at £17,995 for a Dynamique spec base model, although Renault will point out that this has a lot more kit. Plus, the reality is that if you’re one of the 99% (not a scientific number) that buys their new Megane on finance, it’s not going to make that much difference anyway.
The major change is the addition of a plug-in hybrid model, mating a 1.6-litre petrol engine to a pair of electric motors and a 9.8kWh battery pack. Total output is 158bhp, meaning a 9.8-second 0-62mph time and a barely believable 217.3mpg average economy figure using the WLTP cycle. Don’t believe it, by the way. Not at all. But it does make the Megane plug-in extremely tax efficient thanks to a 30g/km CO2 rating. Its claimed electric-only range is 30 miles. Don’t believe that either, but you’ll definitely make half of that at least.
As standard a Megane Iconic now gets proper LED headlamps, parking sensors, a rear parking camera, cruise control, alloy wheels, cruise control, dual-zone climate, Apple CarPlay, automatic speed sign recognition and a multimedia touchscreen.
There are just two trim levels now too: Iconic and RS Line, the latter replacing GT Line as the ‘sporty’ variant. Prices for an RS Line kick off at £22,140 and kit includes bigger alloys (17-inch as opposed to 16), a body kit that mimics the RS 300 model proper in some ways, a bigger 9.3-inch touch screen and a 10-inch digital instrument panel.
As before you can have the Megane as a five-door hatchback or a five-door estate, with the latter boasting a 1695-litre maximum loading capacity.
The engine range comprises the hybrid (only in the estate at first but soon in the hatchback too), a 1.3-litre turbo petrol with 138bhp and a 1.5-litre diesel with 113bhp. A six-speed manual is standard with a seven-speed twin clutch automatic an option. The diesel returns 62.8mpg and 117g/km CO2 and the petrol 47.1mpg and 136g/km CO2.
Keyword: The Renault Megane has been updated. Here are the details.