FAMILY FORTUNES

Skoda's all-new Elroq and Renault's Megane aim to make it big in the family-car market. Which is best in our test?

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SKODA ELROQ vs RENAULT MEGANE

Rivals line up to take over from the soon-to-be-defunct Focus in UK

THERE aren't many areas of the newcar market that have changed more dramatically than the family-car segment over the past couple of years. The changes are still happening, too; with Ford announcing the end of Focus production, many of the cars lining up to take its place are increasingly becoming fully electrified - and even swelling up to semi-SUV-sized proportions.

With the imminent passing of the Focus, there will be a very significant hole to fill, and Skoda is hoping that its all-new Elroq might fit the bill perfectly. This is a fully electric family car whose high-riding proportions give more than a whiff of SUV style and whose starting price is little more than a mid-range Volkswagen Golf with a petrol engine.

Against it is a car that proves the electric transformation needn't mean resorting to an SUV-shaped model - and that alone will be enough to tempt some buyers. The Megane E-Tech was the first in a new generation of electric Renaults to hit the market that, without fail, have all nailed their brief. There are few cars on the road that will offer up a more difficult test for the Elroq, in other words. So which is best? Read on to find out.

CONTENDERS

Skoda Elroq

ON paper, the Elroq is off to a great start, with its range costing from £31,500 for the base SE model and climbing to £41,600 for the most powerful Sportline 85 trim.