Renault 5 review – iconic supermini reinvented as an EV
“The long-anticipated Renault 5 serves up retro charm in spades and is great to drive”
Pros
- Great handling
- Head-turning retro styling
- Big boot
Cons
- Tight rear passenger space
- Could use more power
- Small battery
Verdict – is the Renault 5 a good car?
Our time with the latest Renault 5 on UK roads has cemented it as a brilliant little EV bursting with character that goes even further than its nostalgic appeal. It’s one of the best-handling electric cars we’ve driven, and yet it’s more comfortable than a MINI Cooper, and it’s bursting with modern tech and is very well priced. Sure, we wish it was a little faster and it’s not the most spacious EV for rear-seat passengers, but there’s very little else to complain about.
Renault 5 models, specs and alternatives
The Renault 5 is an iconic small car which was conceived back in the 1970s. Now the French brand has resurrected the name for its latest electric supermini in a similar vein to the retro Fiat 500 EV. The Renault 5 EV has been in the pipeline for some time and its nostalgic looks have generated a great deal of excitement and anticipation, so there’s a lot riding on this supermini.
While beauty may be in the eye of the beholder, we think the Renault 5 EV looks absolutely fantastic, striking a great balance between retro styling and modern touches to bring the name into the 21st century. In fact, on our UK drive we were astounded by the sheer amount of passers-by that turned to get a look at the funky hatchback.
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The 5’s classic silhouette remains, and the front fascia gets LED headlights which mimic the outlines of those of the classic car’s, while the tail-lights sit high up either side of the hatchback boot like on the old Renault 5. The rear door handles are hidden in the pillars, giving the look of a three-door hatch while retaining the practicality of a five-door.
Unlike the old Renault 5, the new model is solely offered as an electric model, with a choice of 40kWh or 52kWh batteries paired with a front-mounted motor. The 118bhp version is the entry-level version paired with the smaller battery, while there’s a 148bhp motor in the battery with the larger one. While the 40kWh battery can manage up to 193 miles on a charge, the 52kWh battery boosts that up to 253 miles. A 94bhp version available in other markets won’t be making it to the UK.
The Renault 5 can be ordered in Evolution, Techno or Iconic Five trim levels starting from £23,000 from launch. You won’t get the cool ‘5’ charge level indicator adoring the bonnet on entry-level Evolution, but you do get 18-inch alloys, LED headlights and rear parking sensors as well as a 10.1-inch infotainment screen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, so it’s not spartan.
If you want the larger battery and motor setup you’ll have to go for a Techno model, so that model costs around £4,000 more, or just £2,000 if you want the extra tech but don’t mind the same battery and motor as the entry-level Evolution.
That might sound like a lot, but to put it in perspective, a three-door MINI Cooper EV will cost you over £2,000 more than the top-spec Renault 5, while the price is about on-par with the Peugeot E-208 or a high-spec petrol MINI Cooper.
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Range, charging & running costs
Unlike the original Renault 5, the modern version is a fully-electric vehicle. That means it’s free to tax until April 2025, and its zero-emissions status also puts it in a low BiK (Benefit-in-Kind) tax bracket for company car buyers. The version with the smaller battery might only offer enough range for those that need a short-distance around-town runabout, but there’s also a model with a 52kWh battery that’s good for up to 253 miles on a charge. Read more about the Renault 5’s range, charging & running costs…
Electric motor, drive & performance
The Renault 5 isn’t the most potent EV when you put your foot down, but it really handles well. You get the feeling it could take everything you throw at it but we were left craving a little more power – for that, at least, you’re catered to with the hot Alpine A290 version. The Renault 5 is a great car for around-town driving and it’s more capable on the motorway than you might expect. Read more about the Renault 5’s electric motor, drive & performance…
Interior & comfort
The Renault 5 is a very attractive car to look at from the outside, and that theme continues on the inside, too. The driver’s display speedometer features retro-styled numbering, there are pops of colour around the cabin for added interest and the 5 bucks the trend of minimalism. Read more about the Renault 5’s interior & comfort…
Boot space, practicality & boot dimensions
Practicality is probably the Renault 5’s weakest area because the rear seats are a little cramped for passengers. The boot is at least a good size and the Renault 5 beats its main competitors for capacity here. Read more about the Renault 5’s boot space, practicality & dimensions…
Reliability & safety
The Renault 5 comes with a comprehensive suite of safety assistance systems which should offer peace of mind, but as a brand Renault needs to do more to impress its customers. Read more about the Renault 5’s reliability & safety…
Renault 5 alternatives
Using an iconic retro name for a modern EV is nothing new, and the Renault 5 enters a market with a few other well-established models, such as the electric MINI Cooper and Fiat 500. There are also other EV superminis with less retro appeal worth buyers’ consideration.
Should you buy a Renault 5?
We’ve now driven the Renault 5 in the UK and can confirm it’s just as impressive as it was when we tested it in France. It’s got masses of retro appeal but doesn’t just rely on that to make an impact – it feels well finished, unique and loaded with brilliant tech. The Renault 5 isn’t the most spacious or powerful EV and its range figures aren’t astounding, but it’s great to drive and has a bigger boot and more comfortable ride than a MINI Cooper.
What’s even more attractive is that all of the Renault 5’s pluses come at a very competitive price that’s sure to worry rivals from less well-established brands from China. Those rivals aren’t quite able to offer that nostalgic appeal or ‘X factor’ that makes people buy a car with their hearts and their heads, despite their low price tags, and that’s where the 5 comes in.
What is the best Renault 5 for keen drivers?
The most powerful version of the Renault 5 that buyers can get is the 148bhp version – this handles very well, but it might prove a little underwhelming in terms of pure performance. Fortunately, Renault’s performance sub-brand Alpine has made its own hot version of the 5 called the A290, which has 217bhp and a 0-60mph time of 6.4 seconds. It’s still a little way off and expected to be significantly more expensive than the standard Renault 5, but it could be worth holding out for that one if you’re a keen driver.
How we tested the Renault 5
We tested the Renault 5 in the UK in December 2024 in cold, wintry, wet weather. We’ve also previously tested it on track in Germany in September of the same year and in France.
