New Renault Megane E-Tech vs used Kia EV6

The contenders

NEW Renault Megane E-Tech Equilibre

List price £34,495
Target Price £32,133

This latest Megane is exclusively produced as an electric car and it's a comfy, practical one at that

USED Kia EV6 77.4kWh RWD GT-Line

Price new £48,190
Price used £34,000*

A great official range and quick charging times are among the EV6's strengths, and its used prices are very tempting 

*Price used is based on a 2023 model with average mileage and a full service history and is correct at the time of writing

To quote Malcolm in the Middle's Dewey: "The future is now, old man." And, by the looks of it, the future lies with electric SUVs that don't exactly look like SUVs, as demonstrated by the Renault Megane E-Tech and Kia EV6.

The former could be considered a chunky family hatchback, while the latter is so sleek it borders on being a coupé SUV. 

You likely won't be cross-shopping these two models on a new vs new basis, mainly due to the EV6 being around £14,000 more expensive to buy. However, look at year-old EV6s and that price gap either shrinks greatly, if you look at our Target Price (which you really should), or disappears completely if you focus solely on the Megane E-Tech's list price.

Either way, it begs the question: should you buy a used EV6 or a brand-new Megane E-Tech?

Driving

Performance, ride, handling, refinement

With 215bhp at its disposal, the Megane E-Tech is nippy, even if it isn't the quickest electric car around. Against our stopwatch, it managed a 0-60mph time of 6.8sec, which is similar to what you'd see from a Ford Fiesta ST hot hatch. 

The EV6 has more power – 226bhp – but its extra weight stunts acceleration. During testing, we saw 0-60mph in 7.1sec. You'd be hard-pressed to call that slow, though: like the Megane E-Tech, the EV6 provides more than satisfactory performance.

In case you're wondering, the E-Tech is front-wheel drive and that's your only configuration. We have the rear-wheel-drive EV6 here, but all-wheel-drive models are also available.

The E-Tech feels agile, more so than the EV6 – the former car being considerably smaller and lighter helps. Mind you, the EV6 handles sharply, with its heft only really becoming prevalent on fast and twisty roads. And, overall, the EV6 has a more polished driving experience, mainly because it lacks the E-Tech's steering and brake pedal shortcomings. 

The problem with the E-Tech is that its steering is very light and the speed of it changes after you wind on the first few degrees of lock. That means placing the car accurately can sometimes be tricky. As for the brake pedal, it sinks towards the floor with very little pressure applied, then the brakes grab suddenly, as though you’ve flicked a switch.

Points for comfort go to the E-Tech, though. Both the EV6 and E-Tech have firm yet comfortable rides, but the E-Tech's suspension is more compliant, resulting in the driver and passengers being slightly more cushioned from bumps and potholes. 

Against direct rivals, the Megane E-Tech fares well for range, officially going 280 miles before running out of juice. The EV6 can officially travel even further, mind you, at 328 miles. In real-world conditions, particularly if it's cold, it's important to remember that these ranges can decrease by around 50 to 100 miles.   

Next: What are they like inside? >>

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