Is there a difference between 近几年 and 这几年？ Does anyone have an idea whether there is a difference in meaning between  近几年  and 这几年？  I have the feeling that  近几年 is more formal - but correct me if I'm wrong!
As a native Chinese speaker, I would say that your feeling is correct.
Usually, "近几年" is used in the news - like in newspapers and on the news on TV or  in broadcasts.
Anyway, they are interchangeable, so don't worry about the usage of them. They have the complete same meaning.