Renault 5 - Interior, design & technology

It’s fair to say that Renault has done a lot of work to reinterpret the iconic R5. The original 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 of versions of R5 in mid-range Techno trim and above, 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?

It’s up front where things start to feel really special, because like the outside, Renault has created something distinctive. The dashboard design manages to look thoroughly modern while still slipping in a few references to the classic model; for example, the shape of the protruding shelf along the passenger side of the dash makes a nod to the Mk2 5’s dashboard, while its soft, fabric-trimmed covering is very Mk1. These design features blend well with a pair of digital displays for the driver’s information panel and touchscreen infotainment system.

Below the central touchscreen 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 in different materials 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 R5, 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. While we admire a physical lever as opposed to buttons or a small toggle, it fights for space in the limited room available. Added to this that there isn’t an obvious Park mode, and the fact you have to depress your foot on the brake with relative force to change gear means doing three-point turns can become a frustrating mess of wipers and swearing – or it was in our case anyway.

The drive mode switch also causes some consternation. The big round dial looks like the rotary controls in various Audis and Porsches, but here it's a button, so you have to scroll through every driving mode again if you miss the one you were aiming for.

What is the interior quality like?

The overall build quality is solid enough for a small car. It’s not quite as posh-feeling as the latest MINI’s fantastic cabin, but the few hard plastics that can be found inside tend to be low down, with fabric pieces covering the bits closer to hand.

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 high 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’s shop in greyscale.

On the whole,  the important elements, such as the dash front, door cards, seat controls and steering wheel feel sturdy and well made, but there are some flimsy plastics used on parts like the boot grab handle and rear doors. 

26

Sat-nav, stereo and infotainment

Renault was one of the first brands to accept that Google is far better placed to develop a slick navigation system than a car maker, which is why from Techno trim and above, Google Maps is integrated in the R5. It’s exactly like the set-up you’ll find on a smartphone, which is so good that we don’t feel you’ll need to connect your own device to the car for every drive – although you still can if you prefer.

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 the 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 that facilitates the easy inputting for navigation or setting functions. Techno trim and above come with Google’s embedded Maps app, and this acts as the car’s sole navigation system, 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. If we have one gripe with the system, it’s with the Renault personal assistant. Called ‘Reno’ (pronounced ree-no) it reminded us of the Microsoft paperclip in both appearance and general irritation. 

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