Cupra Born vs Renault Megane

The Cupra Born costs £4,000 more than the Renault Megane. On the headline specs that premium buys little measurable advantage - the two are closely matched on range, charging and space. The Renault Megane is not just cheaper - it also offers 60 kW faster peak rapid charging and 55 litres more boot space. On EVcarsguide's combined category scores, the Renault Megane comes out ahead overall.

The Renault Megane is £4,000 cheaper to buy. Running costs are almost identical - about £128 a year either way, at 8,000 miles on an off-peak home tariff. Add 5 years of charging and the Renault Megane comes out roughly £3,880 cheaper overall. These figures cover list price and home charging only - insurance, servicing, tyres and depreciation will move the real total.

EVcarsguide estimates a real-world motorway range of about 250 miles for the Cupra Born and 255 miles for the Renault Megane - effectively matched, and both well below their WLTP figures because sustained high speed is the hardest case for an EV.

The Renault Megane is the easier car for tight UK car parks: it is 41 mm narrower than the Cupra Born. In a standard 2,400 mm bay that leaves about 632 mm of total clearance for the Renault Megane and about 591 mm of total clearance for the Cupra Born.

Over a 8-year ownership window EVcarsguide's degradation model projects roughly 84% battery health for the Cupra Born and 90% for the Renault Megane. That gives the Renault Megane a modest edge in retained real-world range. The Renault Megane's LFP-type pack tolerates daily 100% charging, while the Cupra Born's NMC-type pack lasts longest kept to about 80% for everyday use. Both batteries carry a 8-year manufacturer warranty.