Renault Megane Sport Tourer review

The Renault Megane Sport Tourer 1.3 TCe’s CO2 emissions are on the high side compared with the petrol Skoda Octavia Estate and the Toyota Corolla Touring Sports. The 1.5 dCi diesel, meanwhile, has higher emissions than the equivalent diesel Octavia and Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer and so has a higher benefit-in-kind (BIK) company car tax rate.

The E-Tech PHEV, though, is much more impressive – its low CO2 emissions and 30-mile electric range put it in the same BIK band as the Peugeot 508 SW and Skoda Superb estate plug-ins, and one band lower than the PHEV Kia Ceed Sportswagon.

Fuel economy for the diesel is competitive for the class, but the petrol is less efficient. As is the case with all plug-in hybrids, the E-Tech’s claimed 217.3mpg should be taken with a pinch of salt. You could match or even beat that figure if you're travelling predominantly on electricity, but the numbers will tumble rapidly on longer journeys if the petrol engine is used a lot more.  

Every new Renault has a five-year warranty with no mileage limit for the first two years, but a 100,000 limit applies thereafter. Renault also provides three years (or 60,000 miles) of roadside assistance cover. The Megane Sport Tourer needs a service every 18,000 miles, which is roughly on a par with most of its rivals. Unfortunately, Renault didn’t perform very well at all in the 2020 What Car? Reliability Survey, finishing 30th out of 31 manufacturers.

Pricing is in line with rivals, and the E-Tech hybrid virtually matches the Ceed Sportwagon PHEV. While leasing a Megane can work out more expensive per month than its rivals, private buyers will find that PCP finance can be very competitive.

One area where the Megane ST excels is in the amount of standard equipment included. Iconic gets plenty of kit, including dual-zone climate control, 16in alloy wheels, keyless entry and start, cruise control and the infotainment system. We’d upgrade to RS Line trim, though, mainly because you get automatic emergency braking (AEB). We consider that a vital safety system, and one that’s well worth having alongside the lane-departure warning and traffic sign recognition systems that come as standard with Iconic trim. 

Speaking of safety, it’s hard to directly compare the Megane Sport Tourer with newer rivals because it was tested by Euro NCAP under less strict conditions than apply today. Looking at its performance, though, it does a good job of protecting front seat occupants from injury.

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