New Renault 5 2024 review: a successful all-electric homage to a classic

Verdict

Early signs suggest the new Renault 5 E-Tech is a successful homage to its historic predecessor. The classic R5 and its era are referenced with many stylish details, and the car is good fun to drive. That said, interior space, range and charging times aren’t its strongest suits, and we’ll need to wait on UK prices and a proper drive on normal roads for a full verdict.

The excitement surrounding a new car has rarely been greater than it is for the reborn Renault 5. But the retro-inspired electric supermini is here, and after what feels like an awfully long wait, we’ve finally driven it. 

Shying away from new names, the seventies cult classic has been revived – and instead of a combustion engine under the bonnet, there’s a choice of 40kWh or 52kWh batteries powering a single electric motor on the front axle.

These are relatively small cells, meaning the range even of the pricier 148bhp car that we drove is only 252 miles according to official WLTP tests. Furthermore, our drive around the Lausitzring circuit in Germany – although admittedly not that representative of real-world use – showed how that range can drop dramatically during dynamic driving.

The R5 E-Tech is not intended as a track car, but it showed the supermini in a strong light, proving it’s decent fun to drive quickly. The new architecture combines the front suspension adopted from the Clio and Captur, with the direct steering from the latest Megane, as well as well-tuned springs and dampers.

It's a shame the front-wheel drive Renault 5 car isn't faster, because from a chassis perspective we could see it standing proud as one of the best-handling small cars on sale. It delights with decent stability and astonishing agility, which is also due to the low weight of just 1,524kg. The brakes bring the vehicle to a stop with good control, and the ESC system ensures the car behaves predictably and doesn’t end up in the gravel.

As hinted, the R5 E-Tech is reserved when it comes to top speed. On the circuit, it manages the regulated 93mph, with the top speed limited by battery management considerations.

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And here we would have hoped for a little more. The small battery can be charged at a maximum rate of 80kW, while the large one maxes out at 100kW. Few rivals top up significantly faster, but such speeds won’t impress those looking to fast-charge on a regular basis.

Regardless, in both cases, the battery can be charged from 15 to 80 per cent in 30 minutes. If you connect to the AC charger, you’ll need to allow around five hours at the standard 11kW – but that requires three-phase electrics, which are still relatively uncommon in UK homes. Via a regular 7kW wallbox, you’ll be able to top up overnight.

Anyone who spends the waiting time in the car does so in an environment that even Andy Warhol could not have improved on. In addition to the colourful speedometer numbers on the 10-inch driver display, which are reminiscent of the popular line-art design of the seventies, the candy-coloured elements also catch the eye – from the seat fabric to the inlays on the dashboard.

Behind the central display, which also measures 10 inches, is a system running Google’s Android Automotive, which has proven itself elsewhere in Renault’s range, as well as the wider industry. This means that the navigation system is provided via Google Maps, and more than 50 apps provided can be purchased via the Play Store. A specially-generated AI, which goes by the name of Reno, provides entertainment as well as directions to the nearest charging station, or gives tips on how to optimise the range.

Admittedly, that sounds very charming, and Reno is present every time the vehicle is started – ready to offer his services. Yet he did not respond to our increasingly desperate calls. It may be that our French accent wasn’t good enough, or that the pre-production version simply got lost in digital nirvana. But in short, nothing seemed to work.

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There are challenges in the back, too. Although the new version of the R5 is 40cm longer than its predecessor (at 3.92 metres), even an average-sized adult will struggle to get comfortable. The front seats are too low to the ground to put your feet under them, and even if the seats are adjusted for a driver who is well under six-feet tall, there is no room for your knees behind them. 

The boot, on the other hand, is pretty good for a vehicle in this class, with 326 litres with the rear seats in place, or 1,106 litres with everything folded down. There is a nasty lip to contend with, and a bit of a drop down from the bumper, but you’re unlikely to be using a car like this for carrying flat-pack furniture, so perhaps that doesn’t matter.

In line with the striking styling, Renault’s bold colour choices include the Pop Yellow seen here, plus lurid Pop Green alongside blue, white and black.

There’s also the price to consider – or at least there would be, if right-hand-drive markets like the UK weren’t six months behind the rest of Europe. Early indications are that prices will start from around £23,000 for the entry spec only available with the smaller battery, while the bigger 252-mile range battery will start from around £27,000. Top-spec cars should duck in under £30,000.

While that might sound a lot, it’s over £2k less expensive than the three-door MINI, and around the same price as a basic Peugeot E-208. Our full verdict, without the caveats surrounding our track-only test, will need to wait until we’ve been issued full pricing – and driven the car on UK roads.