Renault Megane vs Toyota bZ4X

The Toyota bZ4X costs £8,000 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 30 miles more WLTP range, 35 kW more power and a 1.0s quicker 0-62mph time. On EVcarsguide's combined category scores, the Renault Megane comes out ahead overall.

The Renault Megane is £8,000 cheaper to buy. Running costs are almost identical - about £144 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 £7,960 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 255 miles for the Renault Megane and 230 miles for the Toyota bZ4X - both below their WLTP figures, because sustained high speed is the hardest case for an EV. The Renault Megane goes roughly 25 miles further between charging stops. Both rapid-charge to 80% in a similar time, around 24-30 minutes.

The Renault Megane is the easier car for tight UK car parks: it is 92 mm narrower than the Toyota bZ4X. In a standard 2,400 mm bay that leaves about 632 mm of total clearance for the Renault Megane and about 540 mm of total clearance for the Toyota bZ4X. The Renault Megane also turns in a 0.8 m tighter circle, which helps with U-turns and multi-storey ramps.

Over a 8-year ownership window EVcarsguide's degradation model projects roughly 90% battery health for the Renault Megane and 84% for the Toyota bZ4X. 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 Toyota bZ4X's NMC-type pack lasts longest kept to about 80% for everyday use. Both batteries carry a 8-year manufacturer warranty.