Renault Megane vs Kia EV4: which electric hatchback is fit for all the family?

Is the hatchback making a comeback? After years of SUVs being the most fashionable bodystyle among buyers, there’s a sense that things are switching back. The drive for extra efficiency from car makers – especially among their fully electric models – is no doubt playing its part. The smaller, lower and sleeker shape cuts through the air a little better than bulky SUVs, and this helps overall range.

The latest all-new hatchback to arrive is the Kia EV4. It’ll have a petrol sibling in the form of Kia’s K4, but this is the cutting-edge electric model. It’s a striking-looking car, which is helped by the fact that its much lower roofline makes it become the rarer, more interesting shape on our roads.

We’ve faced the EV4 off against the Renault Megane E-Tech. The firm has hit a rich vein of form with its smallest EVs, and that’s stolen the limelight somewhat from this very sharp-suited five-door car. But how do they compare on the road? Can the Kia compete with the talented Renault? And are they good and smart enough to make an SUV alternative a bit redundant?

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Kia EV4

Kia has long offered the petrol Ceed – which is about to be replaced by the K4 – in this class, but the EV4 moves things onto the fully electric generation. It’s also a little larger than the Ceed – and many of its more traditional hatchback rivals – but is still priced fairly keenly against the rest of the electric hatchback crowd.

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The model we’re driving here is in GT Line trim, which is priced just below the £40,000 ‘luxury car’ VED levy, at £39,395, while the range starts at £34,695.

Tester’s notes

As well as this hatchback EV4, Kia is also offering buyers the saloon-shaped Fastback model. Its rear end grows a full 300mm and the boot capacity increases to 490 litres, but the smaller opening makes that generous volume less useful in reality. 

It’s based on the EV4 concept that we first saw in 2023, but that car’s razor-sharp creases and huge alloy wheels have been toned down for the road car. The end result is something that certainly looks distinctive, but to my eyes is a little gawky from some angles, too.

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Renault Megane

Sitting beside the show-stopping Renault 5 and 4, the Megane E-Tech is easy to overlook, but that would be a shame, because the more spacious, practical hatchback has lots to offer. 

Much like its smaller rangemates, competitive pricing is one of its strengths, with the range starting from £31,295 – including the £1,500 Government electric car grant that the Kia is not eligible for. The top-spec Iconic Esprit Alpine we’re testing here costs £35,495, including the grant.

Tester’s notes

It might be a little superficial to moan about colours, but, base Techno trim aside, the Megane’s palette is depressingly monotone. Go for any of the Alpine-badged trims, and the choices boil down to four shades: three are grey, and the fourth is black. 

Given the inclusion of jazzy blue carpets, we’d love it if there was the option of Alpine Blue (the launch colour for the A110 Coupé) for the outside. Even the Renault 5’s “Pop Yellow!” would work – mixed with the blue it would give off early nineties Williams Formula One vibes.

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Head-to-head

On the road

For two cars competing at a similar price point, the way they drive feels starkly different. While the Megane feels sharp through turns, with suspension that’s a touch on the firm side, the Kia is softer and more laid back  – but at times still a little fidgety over bumps. Neither model will trouble the quickest cars in the class, but they offer decent punch, with the Megane feeling marginally more sprightly than the Kia.

Tech highlights

These two are closely matched in terms of motor specs, with the Megane’s 215bhp/300Nm unit just outpunching the Kia’s 201bhp and 283Nm. But the Kia’s 81.4kWh battery is significantly larger than the Renault’s 60kWh unit, so it has the potential for a much greater range than its French rival. That large battery comes with faster charging, too, with the Kia’s 150kW peak speed pipping the Renault’s 130kW.

Price and running 

There wasn’t much to separate this pair on efficiency, but the EV4’s larger battery means that the similar energy usage translates into a greater real-world range. Our test figure of 3.9 miles/kWh test means that the EV4 can cover 319 miles, a brilliant figure even for long-distance drivers. The Megane’s 3.8mi/kWh, combined with the 60kWh battery, is less convincing, working out at 228 miles of real-world range.

Practicality

Although these two cars sit in the same segment, the Kia is larger by some margin – a full 250mm longer. That allows the Megane to squeeze into smaller parking spots, but the EV4 has put that extra size to good use inside. It’s most noticeable in the back, where the Kia has more space than its rival – especially in terms of knee room. However, its 435-litre boot is only slightly up on the Megane’s 389 litres.

Safety

Strong safety equipment levels are standard on the EV4, with even advanced assistance tech such as adaptive cruise control fitted on every trim level. While it hasn’t yet been tested by Euro NCAP, we predict that the Kia will scoop the maximum five-star rating when it is. The Megane E-Tech achieved strong marks across the board when it was tested in 2022, and as such it was awarded a five-star rating.

Ownership

Renault performed strongly in our 2025 Driver Power owner satisfaction survey, scooping sixth place out of 31 manufacturers. That put it well above Kia, which only managed an underwhelming 18th. At least the Korean brand still maintains its superb warranty package, which runs for seven years. The Megane can match the Kia’s cover for mileage but not duration; it comes with a three-year/100,000-mile plan.

Verdict

Which electric hatch comes out on top?

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Winner: Kia EV4

The Kia EV4 is one of those cars that really hammers home the point that SUVs are often providing the answer to a question that nobody asked. Here’s a model that’s truly spacious, comfortable and loaded with kit, but one that thanks to its lower, sleeker hatchback bodystyle, also manages to offer a brilliant real-world range – especially when you bear in mind that in warmer conditions our mileage would have been even better. 

It’s not quite perfect: it’s a little dull to drive and the driver-assist systems are irritating, but those things aside it’s a do-it-all family car.

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Runner-up: Renault Megane E-Tech

Handling as sharp as its looks, a class-leading infotainment system and a cabin that’s as functional as it is well finished all very much work in the Megane’s favour, and are all areas where it has an edge over the Kia. It’s cheaper to buy and has become even more appealing thanks to the £1,500 Government grant. 

However, the Megane is hobbled by a firm ride, road noise and a lack of flexibility due to its real-world range. With a larger battery (or ideally a more efficient use of the energy it has) then the Megane would have given the EV4 a much harder time.

Prices and specs:

What we would choose

Kia EV4

Kia isn’t a brand to go into optional extras, but the one exception for the EV4 is the heat pump – an option exclusive to the GT-Line S. It improves efficiency in cold weather, although it’ll take a while to recoup the £900 it costs.

Renault Megane

Options aren’t really a thing in the Renault price lists either, so once again, it comes down to spec. We think the base Techno trim has more than enough equipment for most buyers, and it’s the cheapest, too.

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