Is the new Renault 5 E-Tech the ultimate electric car from Renault?
Exterior – Front
So, starting with the design at the front, the new Renault 5 E-tech has a cute and happy look. We get these square but curvy LED headlights that have a cutout at the bottom which gives it a smiling look. They also have a Floating Daytime Running Light in them too which is very clever. Lower down we get some more square LED Daytime running lights in front of some rectangular side vents and in the middle lower down we get a respectable central air vent. Up top we also get the Renault logo, and the overall design looks very modern and retro at the same time.
Exterior – Side
Moving round to the side and we get a few nice touches to talk about. To start with we get black cladding around the wheel arches and on the lower sill which harks back to the retro 5. We also get blocky wheel arch extensions too again giving it a retro look. We also get this band above the window line, and this goes all the way around the back and to the other side of the car. This can be had in multiple colours, so this car is really customisable. We also get a little 5 sticker on the front door and the rear door has a hidden door handle to make it look like the old Renault 5 3 door. The wheel is also modern looking and only come in 18 inches which to be honest is just the right size for this car.
Exterior – Rear
Moving round to the back and this is where the retro 5 really shines through. To start with we get the red band up top like I talked about on the side and lower down we have got taillights similar to what the 80s model had but on this car, they are all LED and have this 3D look and feel which makes this car look very modern. Connecting the taillights we get this black bar which houses the Renault lettering and 5 logo. Lower down on the bumper we get a clean but modern and functional design, and this houses the bumper black and a few other lights. It also has some more black cladding too. right, lets have a look and see what the battery and motor options are like on the new Renault 5 E-Tech.
Car and engine specs and price
So, from launch the new Renault 5 E-Tech will have 2 options. Lets start with the base model. This uses a 40-kWh battery pack mated to a single motor setup powering the front wheel. This has 118 bhp and has a range of about 190 miles which isn’t that bad to be honest. The 0-62 time hasn’t been announced yet, but I will update you in the review that you can read on the Everything Cars and More Website. The final version of the Renault 5 E-Tech uses a 52-kWh battery pack, and this also bumps the power up to 148 bhp. this has a 0-62 time of just 8 seconds and the power is sent to the front wheels. Range is also better on this model and is quoted at about 249 miles. If you want a sportier Renault 5 E-Tech, then you will have to wait for the Alpine A290 which will follow suit very soon. Watch out for a review on that one. The price of the new Renault 5 E-Tech has not been announced yet, but it is expected to start between £23,000 for the base model and for the top of the range model with all of the options it should end at about £29,000. Right, lets have a look at the interior.
Interior – Design
So, climbing inside the new Renault 5 E-Tech and we get a very modern but retro feel to what we are usually used to with Renault. To start with the dashboard has this 3-part design. We have the top part of the dashboard then lower down we have this black bar running along the dashboard. On some models you can have a graphic on this. Lower down on the third part you get a premium and soft cloth material which makes the interior feel very modern. The cockpit is driver orientated which makes the car feel sporty and we get this 2-block design around the instrument cluster and infotainment system just like the old 5. This infotainment system runs Android Automotive and personally it is one of the best and intuitive infotainment systems out there. It is easy to use, and it has Google Assistant, Google Maps and Google Play Store. The instrument cluster is also clear and very customizable which is also nice. Lower down the centre console we have some rectangular air vents which mimic the square LED Daytime running lights and below them we have a row of climate control buttons. We also get a decent amount of storage too which is very nice. In front of the driver, we get 4 stalks which I am not a fan of. We get the usual indicator and wiper stalk, but we also get the media stalk like other Renaults, but we now also get the gear selector which I can see why Renault has done this, but it does look like it is an afterthought, and it would look cleaner if the wiper and indicator stalk were integrated together. We get a nice and premium steering wheel with a flat bottom and top and we also get these retro looking front seats that are comfy and supportive, and I just want to mention the textured headliner that you get with the 5. It looks very cool, and I wish other cars had it. Right, lets have a look at the rear seats.
Practicality
So, climbing into the back of the Renault 5 E-Tch and thanks to the boxy proportions, headroom isn’t that bad, and legroom is also decent. If you are over 6 foot though you may struggle. Also, there are a few plastics around the place and there aren’t any rear USB C ports, air vents or an arm rest which is a shame but then it is a small car, so we can’t complain too much. Let’s have a look and see what the boot space is like.
Boot Size
So, opening the boot to the Renault 5 E-Tech and you are welcomed with a generous 326 litres with the seats up. This increases to 1,106 litres with the seats folding down. Whilst we do get a wide boot opening though there is a very high loading lip so it will be harder to lift things in. Also, there is no storage under the bonnet so there is no separate space to store the charging cables which is a shame too.
Summary
So, in summary then what do I think of the new Renault 5 E-Tech. well it is a good-looking car that I can see lasting for quite some time and most likely over the standard 8-year life cycle. The interior is also decent with high end technology and a good-looking design and feel. I would wish that there was a better selection of battery and motor options but there may be more to come so stay tuned. Practicality is also quite decent too and I also like the accessories you can buy for the Renault 5 E-Tech. So, if you are in the market for a quirky car that is not the MINI or the Fiat 500 then this may be your next car.
Exterior 5/5
Interior 5/5
Practicality 4/5
Total 14/15
Model | Renault 5 |
Engine | 52kWh Battery Pack, Single Motor, 148bhp, 0-62 = 8.0 Seconds 249 Mile Range, Rear Wheel Drive |
Transmission | Single Speed Automatic |
Price | £23,000 - £29,000 |
On Sale | Q1 2025 |
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