Peugeot E-Partner vs Renault Megane

What's the difference?

It’s a lot of money for a small commercial vehicle that’s well into its current model cycle in Europe, falls short on benchmark safety and requires convenient charging infrastructure to minimise inconvenience for owners. However, its emissions-free drivetrain is quiet and competent under load, with a range that should comfortably cater for the daily urban use small van operators typically require. Whether those positives outweigh the negatives, only a potential buyer can decide.

If the Renault Megane RS Trophy is your dream car let me say this: there’s no overarching reason that I’d say you shouldn’t go ahead and buy it. 

But with so much amazing competition in this part of the market, it’s hard to put it ahead of its rivals. And it’s going to be even harder for it to stay high on the contenders list as more new metal arrives in the coming years.

The single electric motor is positioned at the front where it drives the front wheels. The 50kWh lithium-ion battery that provides its energy is located beneath the cargo bay’s load floor to ensure that the total load volume, floor loading heights, etc, are identical to the petrol version.

The same applies to its compact 2975mm wheelbase, 4753mm length, 1921mm width and car park-friendly 1880mm height.

The e-Partner rides on MacPherson strut front suspension and coil-spring trailing-arm rear suspension, with electric power steering and four-wheel disc brakes. Its 11.4-metre turning circle is larger than we expected.

There are unpainted dark grey plastic finishes in all the places where bumps, scrapes and wear usually occur in working vans including hubcaps, bumpers, body side-mouldings, door mirrors and handles. The charging port is located above the left rear wheel.

A sealed metal bulkhead with central window separates the cabin and cargo bay, which minimises tyre noise emanating from the rear-wheel housings and doubles as a cargo barrier.

The cabin architecture, with two bucket seats and wipe-clean vinyl floor, is outwardly the same as the petrol version but the driver’s analogue instrument display has been reconfigured for the electric drivetrain.

This includes continual display of energy consumption levels, comprising 'Eco' (minimum consumption), 'Power' (maximum consumption) and 'Charge' (energy recovery from regenerative braking).

It also displays energy consumption by the cabin heating/air-conditioning and battery charge-level, while the dash’s central touchscreen includes an ‘electric menu’ that monitors live energy flows and consumption statistics plus allows scheduling of delayed charging if required.

The Megane RS Trophy’s dimensions don’t really communicate just how chunky it really is. At 4364mm long on a 2670mm wheelbase, 1875mm wide and 1435mm tall, it is pretty conventional in terms of size for the segment.

But it packs a lot of style into that size. I for one love those broad hipped wheel-arches, the signature LED headlights and chequered flag lighting signature at the bottom of the bumper, and the bright, eye-catching colours available really just ram the message home that this isn’t your average Megane.

I could happily leave behind the red flecks on the wheels, which look a bit too blingy and not quite ‘lightweight racing-spec’ to me. But they obviously appeal to a certain buyer - maybe someone who wants a bit more drive-by flair, as opposed to track-day talking points.

The Trophy model builds upon the Cup variant, using the same chassis and hardware under the skin, and therefore running the brand’s 4Control four-wheel steering and a mechanical Torsen limited slip diff. More on that in the driving section below.

Exterior design and styling are one thing - but you probably spend more time sitting inside your car than just admiring it from a distance. How does the interior of the RS Trophy stack up? Check out the interior images to make up your own mind.

The e-Partner’s 1632kg tare weight is about a quarter of a tonne (247kg) heavier than its 1385kg petrol-engine equivalent, largely caused by the lithium-ion battery pack.

So, even though the electric model has more power (100kW vs 96kW) and torque (260Nm vs 230Nm), the battery ensures it has an inferior power-to-weight ratio, with the e-Partner carrying 16.3kg/kW compared to the petrol’s 14.4kg/kW.

The e-Partner’s 753kg payload rating is also 182kg less than its petrol sibling, so be mindful of these differences if payload is important.

The e-Partner is also rated to tow up to 750kg, but given Peugeot does not publish a GCM figure (how much it can legally carry and tow at the same time) we don’t know if it can haul its maximum payload while towing its maximum trailer weight.

The cargo bay, with 3.9 cubic metres of load volume, is a window-free zone accessed by a sliding door on each side and asymmetrical rear barn-doors that open to 180 degrees for optimum loading access.

With its 2167mm length, 1527mm width, 1243mm height and 1229mm between the rear-wheel housings, it can carry one standard Aussie pallet or two Euro pallets held in place by a choice of six load-anchorage points.

The cargo bay is lined to mid-height and there’s protective mesh over the bulkhead window. However, the bulkhead protrudes into the sliding door openings given the need to allow sufficient cabin space for the seat backrests.

There’s also no load-floor protection provided as standard, so to avoid scratches and dents we’d recommend fitting a floor-liner like the thick rubber one fitted to our test vehicle.

Cabin storage includes a full-width shelf above the windscreen and bins in the base of each door. The dash offers small bottle/cupholders on each side plus a lidded upper glove box and open storage on the passenger side.

The dash extension, where the gear-selector and electronic handbrake reside, offers more open storage as does the floor-mounted centre console.

Our criticisms include the lack of a dedicated storage place for the charging cable, which is supplied in a zip-up vinyl bag.

Although it was sitting on the passenger floor when we collected the vehicle, it was difficult to find a secure place to store it with a passenger aboard. It ended up unsecured in the cargo bay.

The rear barn-doors also do not have any stays to keep them open when positioned at 180 degrees.

As a result, the slightest breeze swings them shut.

And due to the lack of any dedicated bottle-holders in the front door bins, bottles tend to topple onto their sides and can be difficult to extract when driving.

The Megane RS Trophy’s cabin carries over some of the design cues from the exterior. It looks and feels like a hot hatch should.

There’s a lovely part-Nappa leather, part-Alcantara steering wheel with paddle shifters and a ‘centre line’ marker - but some may lament the lack of a flat-bottom to the wheel, which is a current trend in the “trust me I’m actually very sporty” breed of cars.

The manually adjustable seats are very supportive though they are a bit firm, so those wishing for ultimate comfort over long distance trips might be left wanting. But there is good adjustment to the seats, and they’re heated, too.

There are some nice elements to the cabin including soft plastics on the dashboard, but the lower plastics - below the eye-line - are quite hard and not very pleasant. However, the inclusion of ambient lighting does distract from that, and add a bit of flair to the cabin.

The portrait-style media screen is fine most of the time, though it does take some learning. The menus aren’t as intuitive as you might hope, with a mix of on-screen buttons and off-screen touchpad-style controls that can be difficult to hit when you’re driving. We also had a couple of instances of glitching while using Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone mirroring.

Storage is okay. There are shallow cupholders between the seats, a covered centre console bin, as well as a storage section in front of the gear selector that’s big enough for a wallet and phone, and bottle holders in the doors. 

In the rear seat there’s enough space for someone my size (182cm) to sit behind their own driving position, albeit with limited knee room and toe room. Headroom is good, and there are dual ISOFIX child-seat anchor points and three top-tethers for baby seats.

You’ll find a pair of small door pockets, two map pockets, and rear-seat directional air vents, which is nice. There’s a flip-down arm-rest with cupholders, too, and unlike some other high-price hatches with ambient lighting up front, the Megane gets LED light strips on its rear doors, too. 

The boot space is good in the Megane RS Trophy, with luggage capacity claimed at a healthy 434 litres. On test, the car fit all three CarsGuide suitcases (124L, 95L and 36L) with room to spare. Speaking of spare (ahem), there isn’t one: it comes with a repair kit and tyre pressure monitoring, but no spare wheel of any kind. 

The Renault Megane RS Trophy has a list price of $52,990 for the six-speed manual, or $55,900 for the six-speed dual-clutch auto model, as tested here. Those costs are RRP/MSRP, and don't include on-roads. 

Standard equipment for this range-topping ‘regular’ RS model includes 19-inch ‘Jerez’ alloy wheels with Bridgestone Potenza S001 tyres, an active valve exhaust system, Brembo brakes, LED headlights with LED daytime running lights, rear fog lights, front/rear/side parking sensors, semi-autonomous parking system, reversing camera, auto locking, smart key card and push-button start, and steering column-mounted paddle shifters.

There’s also auto headlights, auto wipers, dual zone climate control, an auto dimming rearview mirror, heated front seats with manual adjustment, a nine-speaker Bose sound system with subwoofer and amplifier, an 8.7-inch touchscreen media system with aux port, 2x USB ports, Bluetooth phone and audio, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, sat nav, the brand’s RS Monitor track timing software, and a 7.0-inch TFT colour screen for the driver with configurable modes and digital speedo.

You can find a run down of the safety tech and equipment fitted in the safety section below.

Options available include an electric sunroof ($1990), and there is also the choice of a few metallic paint colours: Diamond Black and Pearl White metallic are both $800, while the Signature Metallic Paint colours - Liquid Yellow and Orange Tonic as you see here - are $1000. Only Glacier White will cost you no extra. 

Wondering where it sits among its closest rivals? If you’re thinking about a Ford Focus ST (from $44,690 - manual or auto), Hyundai i30 N (from $41,400 - manual only), the outgoing VW Golf GTI (from $46,690 - auto only), or the mighty Honda Civic Type R (from $51,990 - manual only) the Megane RS Trophy is expensive. Only the VW Golf R Final Edition ($57,990 - auto only) is dearer… unless you’re thinking of comparing to the likes of a Mercedes-AMG A35 ($69,300).

The single electric motor and 50kWh lithium-ion battery combination produces 100kW of power and 260Nm of instant torque.

It also offers three switchable drive modes including Eco (60kW, 190Nm) for minimal performance and energy use, Normal (80kW, 210Nm) which is a happy medium for everyday use and Power (100kW, 260Nm) for maximum performance when hauling heavy loads.

The gear-selector controls Park, Reverse, Neutral, Drive and Brake functions. There's also a button marked B which engages regenerative braking for optimum battery top-ups when driving.

The Mode 3 Type 2 wall-box/public station charging cable is supplied as standard, but buyers can also purchase a domestic wall socket cable for home-charging.

Quickest charge time from 0-80 per cent is 30 minutes using a 100kW DC charger while a 0-100 per cent charge using a single-phase wall-box (7.4kW) takes about 7.5 hours.

Home-charging from 0-100 per cent using a domestic wall socket (2.3kW) takes about 24 hours.

Engine specs matter if you’re talking about performance hatchbacks, and the Megane RS Trophy is no exception.

It has a 1.8-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine that punches hard for its size, with 221kW of power (at 6000rpm) and 420Nm of torque (at 3200rpm). That’s for the six-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, as was fitted to our test car. If you buy the six-speed manual, you miss out on a bit of grunt - it has 400Nm (at 3200rpm) and the same peak power.

In auto spec the RS Trophy “300” offers higher figure vs the Sport and Cup “280” models (205kW/390Nm), and more engine performance per litre of capacity than the Focus ST (2.3-litre: 206kW/420Nm), Golf GTI (2.0-litre: 180kW/370Nm; TCR 2.0-litre: 213kW/400Nm), and even the Golf R (2.0-litre: 213kW/380Nm). 

All Megane RS models are front-wheel drive (FWD/2WD) and no Megane RS is all-wheel drive (AWD). The Trophy and Cup models both get 4Control four-wheel steering, which is an interesting aspect of the drive experience. More on that below. 

There are multiple drive modes to choose from, including Comfort, Neutral, Sport, Race and the configurable Perso mode. These can alter engine, transmission, throttle, traction control, exhaust noise, fake engine sound and steering sharpness - but not suspension, because the dampers aren’t adaptive units. 

Peugeot claims an official WLTP driving range of 258km. The dash display was showing a projected driving range of 280km when we collected the vehicle.

A few days later when we stopped to top-up the battery at a public charging station, after 135km of unladen city and suburban driving, it was displaying average consumption of 20.4kWh/100km.

When charging was completed, the dash display was claiming 270km of driving range. This had dropped to 194km the following day when we stopped to load the vehicle for our GVM test. Average consumption had also dropped to 19.0kWh/100km.

We then drove 52km with a heavy payload in busy traffic, during which consumption dropped again to 18.8kWh/100km with regular switching between the drive modes.

After unloading and then returning the vehicle to Peugeot, there was still 96km of range remaining and energy consumption had dropped again to 18.4kWh/100km.

So, we covered a total of 271km during our test, of which about one quarter was with a heavy payload.

So, based on its lowest consumption figure, Peugeot’s claimed 258km range in real world driving conditions is pretty accurate by our measure.

The claimed official combined fuel consumption for the Megane RS Trophy is 8.0 litres per 100 kilometres. That’s for the EDC auto model as tested. The manual is said to use 8.3L/100km.

You might achieve that if you drive gently, though over my testing - which incorporated hundreds of kilometres of highway and country road driving, as well as a few spirited stints and some urban snarls - I saw a return of 10.8L/100km at the pump.

The Megane RS requires 98RON premium unleaded, and the fuel tank capacity is 50 litres. 

It has a comfortable driving position thanks to a reasonably spacious cabin, two-way adjustable steering wheel, left footrest and fold-down inboard armrest.

However, the base cushion feels a tad short for proper upper-thigh support and does not have rake adjustment.

The flat top of the rectangular steering wheel provides a clear view of the instrument display while the flat bottom allows ample driver clearance.

The electric motor with its muted hum delivers a liquid-like flow of acceleration that’s different to a petrol engine.

The lack of engine noise also makes other sounds more prominent, including tyre roar on coarse bitumen surfaces and thumps from the rear suspension over larger bumps.

The extra battery weight is not a noticeable hindrance in stop-start traffic, given the instant torque of the electric motor.

Its location under the load floor also contributes to a low centre of gravity which makes the e-Partner feel well-planted on the road. Even so, it takes a leisurely 11.2 seconds to accelerate from 0-100km/h.

To test its payload rating we forklifted 650kg into the cargo bay which with driver was just under its 753kg limit. The rear suspension compressed 70mm, but there was no bottoming-out over bumps due to large rubber cones positioned inside the coil springs that assist in supporting heavy loads.

We covered more than 50km with this weight in city and suburban driving and its performance was good in all modes including the energy-saving Eco. Energy consumption did not spike as expected.

Our only gripes from a driver’s perspective are the absence of blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert, which should be mandatory in all solid-walled vans given the huge blind-spot over the driver’s left shoulder. Relying only on the relatively small passenger door mirror is potentially hazardous.

The other is the cruise control stalk located on the steering column, which is hidden from view by the steering wheel arm. Therefore, it must be operated purely by feel, which can be fiddly and distracting when driving.

The Megane RS Trophy has the ingredients to be an all-time legendary hot hatch, but they don’t work together well enough for it to be a truly great car to drive.

That is, they don’t work together on public roads. I didn’t get a chance to sample the RS Trophy at the track, and I’m sure that may well alter some of my opinions. But this was a review focused around everyday driving first and foremost, because - unless you’ve got quite a fleet of cars - you’ll be spending a lot of time in mundane motoring in your Megane RS, too.

Other hot hatches in the segment manage to combine big power and torque with immense traction and steering prowess. The Megane RS used to, as well.

But this new version seemingly has some issues harnessing the grunt, and the 4Control four-wheel steering system simply isn’t as rewarding as it should be.

I had several instances where the traction on slippery surfaces was lacking, while even in the dry I noticed distinct torque steer and the Bridgestone tyres struggled to cope under hard acceleration. That’s despite the fact the Trophy gets a mechanical LSD.  

Further, that four-wheel steering actually makes it pretty hard to judge the behaviour of the car at times, with an artificial feel to it that just doesn’t do it justice. There will be some who say that the four-wheel steering - which can angle in the rear tyres to help you pivot in corners more adeptly - is excellent. But I’m not one of them. I really found it hard to predict this car’s behaviour. I never really gelled with it.

At the very least there’s a non-interventional lane keeping assist system, which emits a pulsing sound through the speakers rather than actively vibrating or adjusting the steering. 

The ride is unapologetic in its firmness – although, if you’re across the history of RS Megane models, that is to be expected for a Trophy chassis. It can be tiring on longer road trips especially if the surface isn’t great.

While it is extremely fast in a straight line - 0-100km/h is claimed at just 5.7 seconds - it wasn’t as quick through corners as I was expecting it might be, and that comes down to its four-wheel steering mostly, along with a lack of usable traction at times. It simply isn’t as connected to the road as the previous RSs have been. 

It was also a bit laggy then lurchy at lower speeds when taking off from a standstill, such is the nature of the dual-clutch in stop-start situations. 

To put it bluntly, I didn’t enjoy this car anywhere near as much as I thought I might. It just isn’t as pure a driving machine as I’ve come to expect from the RS brand. Perhaps I should aim to try it on a track!

The Renault Megane has not been awarded an ANCAP crash test rating, but the regular (non-RS) model scored five stars against EuroNCAP criteria back in 2015.

The RS Trophy (manual or automatic) comes fitted with adaptive cruise control with speed limiter, auto emergency braking (AEB) at speeds between 30km/h and 140km/h, blind spot monitoring, lane departure warning with audio alert, reversing camera, surround parking sensors and semi-autonomous parking.

Missing is rear cross-traffic alert, front cross-traffic alert, rear AEB, pedestrian detection and cyclist detection. 

Warranty is five years/200,000km plus eight years/160,000km for the battery. There are also three-year paintwork and 12-year corrosion warranties.

Scheduled servicing is every 12 months/25,000km, whichever occurs first.

The pre-paid service plan price of $1000 covers the first five scheduled services, or just $200 per service.

The Renault Megane RS range is covered by a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty, which adds some peace of mind for owners.

Further, the service intervals are generous, at 12 months/20,000km - though the brand states the Megane RS is actually “subject to adaptive servicing requirements” as the oil condition sensor may trigger a service check requirement prior to the standard intervals.

Unlike other Renault models with a five-year capped price servicing plan, the Megane RS is only covered for three years/60,000km. The service costs for the EDC dual-clutch auto models are higher than the manual versions, due to replacement transmission oil being needed (adding $400 to the first service). 

The costs for the first three services are: $799 (12 months/20,000km); $299 (24 months/40,000km); $399 (36 months/60,000km). Consumables beyond those service intervals include: every 24 months or 20,000km - air filter replacement ($49) and pollen filter replacement ($63); every 48 months or 60,000km - accessory belt replacement ($306). Spark plugs are included at no cost, due every 36 months/60,000km.

The car is backed for up to four years of roadside assistance when serviced within the Renault dealership/service network.