Renault 5 - Interior, design & technology

It’s fair to say that Renault had a lot to work with when it came to reinterpreting the iconic R5. It sold in the millions over the course of more than a decade, born from the brilliant and esoteric designer Michel Boué. It was one of the cars that embodied his brilliance, with a simplicity of form and efficiency of space that underpinned its success over the decades. 

To reimagine it for the modern age, though, could have been a total minefield; appropriating something so iconic into something modern can easily take a wrong turn into the world of pastiche. This is something that Renault’s design team, under the leadership of Laurens van den Acker, have largely managed to avoid, creating the next great retro-rehash after the MINI and Fiat 500, and arguably the first successful reinterpretation of an eighties icon. 

The design has plenty of references to the old car, but thanks to clever detailing and the use of contrasting colours and shapes, it hides a very different set of proportions. The R5 is a relatively wide car for the class, something that Renault has emphasised with the bulky flared arches that take inspiration from the R5 Turbo. Other elements, such as the square headlights, upright rear lamps and sloping C-pillar, all take the basic shape of the original concept and modernise it through contemporary graphics and detailing. 

There are a few concessions to modern trends – the bi-colour body colour options and framed wheelarches, for example – but these don’t take away from the originality that has been applied where appropriate. Available in a blindingly bright metallic green or yellow, plus a more subdued range of white, black and navy blue, these can be highlighted with coloured trim strips and optional graphics where applicable. 

All models run on 18-inch wheels, which just about fill the arches, leaving space for larger and more aggressive options down the line. On the bonnet is a rather large oblong feature which on the original housed an air vent, but here acts as a state of charge indicator.

What is the Renault 5 like inside?

Inside the cabin, there is less obvious inspiration from the original, but it still offers a rich mix of colours, shapes and materials to keep you occupied. A minimalist cabin this is not. This starts with the basic dash layout, which has a normal pair of displays for the driver’s information panel and touchscreen infotainment system. 

Below this is a set of physical buttons for the main air-conditioning functions – a welcome addition – and those looking for a volume control will find it on the top of the screen’s housing, similar in principle to a portable Bluetooth speaker. The passenger side of the dash features an upholstered section that varies in material depending on spec, but all are soft to the touch and bring welcome texture to the cabin. 

Beyond this, other highlights include the funky, R5 Turbo-inspired seats, which are also very comfortable, plus a clever little square opening next to the handbrake that perfectly fits a set of Airpods – perfectly signalling Renault’s target audience. There are other cool touches like the textured headliner, and Renault is also at pains to emphasise how much of the interior materials and fabrics are either recycled, or easily recyclable. 

But there are a few ergonomic quirks we did come across in our time with the 5, starting with the stalk. There are four (yes, four) stalks behind the steering wheel, which itself is fairly heavily laden. Two operate the wipers and indicators, as per normal, while Renault’s stereo control stalk is fitted on the lower right side. 

A fourth stalk, also on the right-hand side, has been added as a drive selector. And while we do admire a physical lever, as opposed to buttons or a small toggle, it fights for space in the limited room available. Add to this that there isn’t an obvious Park mode, and the fact you have to have your foot depressed on the brake with relative force to change gear, doing three-point turns can become a frustrating mess of wipers and swearing – or it was in our case anyway.

What is the interior quality like?

The materials in use across the cabin are on point, though, feeling equivalent to MINI’s more expensive Cooper E. This means that the important elements, such as the dash front, door cards, seat controls and steering wheel all feel sturdy, well made, and even a little plush in some cases. Look a little deeper, though, and you’ll find scratchier materials on the lower dash and doors, plus some flimsy plastics on parts like the boot grab handle and rear doors. 

Iconic Five models at the top end of the range feature a modern-feeling yellow and grey fabric across the seats, which look like they should wear well, with a contrasting black vinyl on the dash with yellow stitching. This definitely gives a sense of quality to the cabin, and is a nice reference to the original, but the slightly shiny leather-like material did make it look a little like a rolled and trussed loin of pork ready for the oven.

Lesser models come with denim-like fabric across the dash, and the seats look a little more modern and less like the inside of a butcher shop in greyscale.

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Sat-nav, stereo and infotainment

Renault’s reliance on Google to underpin its digital interfaces is on full display in the R5, because despite having a relatively common dual-screen layout, the set-up feels different to the systems in most rivals – which is a compliment. 

Starting with the driver’s display, all elements of information are highly stylised and vary depending on your chosen drive mode. Fundamentally, your speed and main information hub are static and sit either at the centre of the screen or to the right, with a central section that can be brought up to show active driver aids, efficiency info or fully embedded Google Maps navigation. 

The system works brilliantly, and unless you’re entering a particularly complicated urban environment, offers more than enough space and information to be used as the main navigation display. A third, more compact window can be brought up on the extreme right-hand side to show yet more info, but in all cases the display is variable enough to be perfectly customised to your preferences, without offering too many needless options. 

The central screen is just as impressive, and comes with a simple menu structure and easy inputting for navigation or setting functions. Google’s embedded Maps app acts as the car’s sole navigation system, and comes with all the advantages you’ll find on the desktop or smartphone app. It’ll even allow you to log in to your Google account and access all the options that come with it, such as starred places, built-in contact addresses, and more. 

Bluetooth is quick and simple to set up, and we had no problems with connection or sound quality. Speaking of which, the Beats sound system is very good for the class, easily rivalling the Bowers and Wilkins system found in an equivalent MINI.