Renault Megane E-Tech vs Tesla Model 3

What's the difference?

The hotly anticipated Renault Megane E-Tech has arrived on our shores but we're only getting the mid-spec variant for now.

Renault's newest EV is related to the well-known Megane in name only because it has been built from the ground up as an EV. It’s not a hatchback, like its namesake, either, rather a crossover, which means it’s a bit lower than some of its small SUV rivals.

It faces firm competition in the likes of the Hyundai Kona Electric, Volvo C40 and newcomer bZ4X from Toyota. In this review we'll see how Renault's cutest EV handles life with my family of three.

It’s been in Australia since 2019 and despite the arrival of a comprehensively upgraded version in late 2023, the Tesla Model 3’s once gargantuan popularity has been declining in recent years.

A seemingly never-ending influx of pure-electric alternatives, primarily from China, has eroded the mid-size sedan’s positioning as the go-to, best-value EV choice. 

But to its credit Tesla has again evolved the Model 3 proposition with the introduction of this Long Range Rear-Wheel Drive grade in October last year, at the time positioning it as “the longest-range EV in Australia”.

Since then, Tesla has adjusted the model grade name to Premium Long Range Rear-Wheel Drive.

Some additional tweaks, made in response to customer feedback, also illustrates the EV pioneer’s determination to step up in the face of increasingly fierce competition.

So, does this latest Model 3 do enough to earn a spot on your electric vehicle shopping list? We spent a week behind the wheel to find out.