Renault Megane hatchback (2016-2022) - MPG, running costs & CO2

Previous Renault Meganes – particularly the diesels – have always been among the most efficient cars in their class and this latest version looks to maintain that position. Renault is also one of the leading manufacturers when it comes to electrification, and a plug-in hybrid version has the potential to drastically cut bills.

Renault Megane MPG & CO2

The plug-in hybrid E-Tech model offers an EV range of just over 30 miles, slashing CO2 emissions to around 30g/km and resulting in an official fuel-economy figure of 234.5mpg. This makes it the top choice for company-car drivers, thanks to by far the lowest Benefit-in-Kind (BiK) band of any Megane. Its fuel consumption figure should be taken with a pinch of salt, however, as this will entirely depend on how often you charge the battery. Do this often and make short trips, and you could use almost no petrol at all. On the other hand, drive further afield and the economy figure will fall to below the diesel Megane.

As most E-Tech drivers will simply charge up at home overnight, there's no capability for rapid charging. Instead the maximum rate is 3.6kW, allowing a full charge in around three hours.

When the petrol and diesel engines were still available, the most economical version of these was the 1.5-litre 113bhp Blue dCi 115 diesel with a six-speed manual gearbox. Renault claimed up to 62.8mpg and CO2 emissions as low as 117g/km for the Iconic trim. Step up to the top-of-the-range R.S. Line version with an automatic gearbox and economy sits at 61.4mpg with emissions at 121g/km; visits to fuel stations shouldn’t be too frequent as a result.

The 138bhp 1.3-litre petrol engine returns 47.1mpg in the Iconic model, while specifying the optional automatic gearbox brings this down to 46.3mpg.

After the first year's CO2-based road tax (generally included in the on-the-road price), petrol and diesel Renault Meganes cost the standard rate in annual VED (road tax), while the E-Tech gets a discount of around £10 per year. Insurance groups span from 17 to 22 out of 50.

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Insurance

The lowest Megane insurance group is 17 for the 1.5-litre diesel engine with a manual gearbox, while the 1.3-litre TCe 140 petrol sits in groups 21-22. That makes it slightly more expensive to insure than the Ford Focus, which starts in group 11. The plug-in hybrid is no more costly to insure than the petrol.

Warranty

Renault lengthened its standard warranty at the end of 2019, so the Megane is covered by a five-year/100,000 mile warranty. This stacks up well against rivals, beating the three years of cover offered with the Ford Focus and Volkswagen Golf, while matching the Hyundai i30's five years of cover. Renault also includes three years of roadside assistance.

Servicing

The Renault Megane requires a service every year or 12,000 miles, and Renault offers affordable service plans for all its cars. Its EasyLife Pack covers servicing for three years (or 30,000 miles, whichever comes first) for £300, but is not transferable if you sell the car.