Renault Twingo: latest on funky A-segment EV

Renault has given us another update on its stylish new Twingo city car following the recent reveal of the interior at the Brussels Motor Show.

Brand CEO Fabrice Cambolive said that the French firm “will fight to get Twingo to the UK”, as no decision has yet been made on whether the EV would be a viable product here.

If it does come here, we expect it would be one of the cheapest electric cars on sale, with prices likely to start at under 20,000 Euros (£16,700). 

Cambolive said he believed the Twingo “has potential to grab the loyalty from ex-Renault Zoe and Twingo buyers”. Renault stopped selling the Zoe in 2024 after 11 years in showrooms, and while the current, third-generation Twingo was available as an EV until 2024, this was never offered in the UK. 

Renault revealed the Twingo E-Tech Electric concept in November 2023, showcasing the exterior design of the new model, while the interior that was on display in Belgium previews the “future Twingo set to arrive on the market in 2026”.

Inside, Renault’s new model betrays its promised budget billing with a smart-looking dashboard dominated by a pair of big digital displays, which sit above a row of rotary climate-control dials. 

Renault says the 10.1-inch central infotainment screen and seven-inch digital instrument cluster feature “original graphics”, although the fonts and layouts will look familiar to anyone who’s sat in one of the firm’s latest electric cars. Likewise, the column-mounted gear selector appears identical to the one found in the new Renault 5.

This blend of modern and retro continues throughout; the switch for the hazard warning light is a nod to the original Twingo, while the cylindrical fascia has been reimagined for this modern prototype. The versatility of the first-generation car has also been replicated for 2025, with space under the dashboard for bags and luggage, plus storage running the width of the cabin – providing a ledge for phones, wallets and sunglasses.

Sticking with the theme of versatility and practicality, these new images also show the prototype’s sliding and folding rear seats, which split 50:50 and go completely flat. Renault claims the car is “designed for intuitive operation and optimum flexibility, with five doors for easy access.”

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Colour will play a big part in the Twingo’s appeal – just as it did with the original. The interior patterns match the outside of the car, while the ‘tinted cork’ floor gets bright flecks to lift the ambience. Renault says it used the show car as an “opportunity to explore and test new ideas” but insists the material is both “resistant and durable”.

Clever interior features include magnetic panels on the back of the front headrests for passengers to fix their phones or tablets to, plus elastic straps that can hold things such as maps or water bottles.

In addition to the new cabin, several changes have been made to the exterior of the Twingo since it was first shown in the metal at the Paris Motor Show last year, with Renault saying the model serves a “practical purpose in allowing engineers to test and optimise various features”. There’s a new air intake at the front, for example, and the rear wheelarch extensions have been made smaller. The black bumpers inserts are now 3D printed, too.

Other nods and improvements to make the car more production-ready include door handles without the original show car’s expensive illuminated trim, extra glass by the door mirrors to improve visibility, and tweaked rear light clusters with extra LED elements.

It’s not known whether we’ll see more updates to the Twingo before the production car’s unveiling next year, although Renault’s “commitment to continuously fine-tuning the design and features of its vehicles” may mean further developments are revealed in time.

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