Renault 5 E-Tech | Car Review

The Renault 5 e-Tech - A Classic Reborn

Do you remember Renault’s boxy little hatchback from the late 20th Century, the Renault 5? Well, it’s back, and this time it’s electric!

That’s right, Renault have revived the iconic supermini that once found itself on just about every French driveway, gave it a retro-inspired yet modern makeover and slapped in a 52kWh battery. Now known as the Renault 5 E-Tech, it plans to breathe some life into the electric car market with its quirky personality and sense of lively electronic fun!

I know what some of you may be thinking, ‘isn’t electric car and personality somewhat of an oxymoron?’ well, the Renault 5 E-Tech strives to demolish that stereotype.

The car we will be receiving early in 2025 stays, for the most part, true to the acclaimed concept that Renault revealed back in early 2021. The 5 E-Tech has an emotive design, taking inspiration from the three models of Renault 5 that came before it. It draws from the original 5 and Supercinq for the overall aesthetic and the Renault 5 Turbo for its wing extenders and the strong, squared stance it takes on the road.

Exterior

The Renault 5 E-Tech electric comes in five body colours from launch, and two of them are legendary - Pop Yellow and Pop Green. These are straight from the 1970s catalogue and just scream retro Renault 5. But that’s not all, Renault have taken the retro paints that everyone fell in love with back in the day, and given them a modern flair in the form of a sparkle effect! From a distance, it appears to be solid paint, but when you get a little closer, and the light hits, the paint comes to life and explodes with sparkles. A flamboyant and expressive paint for an equally expressive car. If that’s not your thing, don’t worry, as the other three paint options are much more low-key, those being Arctic White, Diamond Black and Midnight Blue. There will also be a two-tone option on certain trims for those extra style points.

Uniquely Renault, the 5 E-Tech sports a light signature that features two rounded rectangles right in the front bumper - just like the fog lamps on the iconic Renault 5 Turbo. It’s both new and nostalgic. There’s also a floating design etched into the glass of the full LED headlamps that adds a modern twist along with giving the car character as they will actually ‘wink’ at you as you approach! People talk about cars having personalities, and the Renault 5 E-Tech sounds as though it will be cheeky and fun.

It doesn’t stop there! The vent grille on the bonnet of the original Renault 5 has been reimagined to keep up with the times. What was once a feature to help engine cooling is now an external charge indicator, that takes its form as the iconic number 5 that appears around the car. Renault is clearly very proud of their heritage.

Renault have also given the 5 E-Tech a set of funky 18-inch alloy wheels as standard. But if there’s anything the 5 E-Tech isn’t, it’s standard. That’s why the two other wheel options are both visually striking and attention demanding. The ‘Techno’ wheels feature the same design as the show car revealed back in 2021 and swap the central Renault diamond with a red five. The ‘Chrono’ wheels on the iconic Five trim level have a fantastic design resembling a watch face – a spoke for every hour. They keep the 5-branding consistent by only showing the number 5 on the fifth spoke.

Interior

Diving into the interior, it’s clear Renault wanted to pay homage to the previous generations of the Renault 5 with the two-tier padded dashboard and rectangular instrument cluster with softened edges. On the high-spec Iconic Five trim, you’ll even spot a ‘Renault 5’ signature glowing above the padded dash, for a touch of modern suave.

The seats are inspired by the legendary R5 Turbo putting a modern spin on that iconic H-shaped detail. The Techno trim features an eco-friendly denim upholstery, fashioned from recycled plastic bottles. Meanwhile, the top-of-the-line ‘Iconic Five’ model gets a vibrant grey and yellow finish with a bold '5' printed on the upholstery, which is also recycled fabric. The tech inside is just as impressive, with a pair of 10-inch screens, powered by the slick OpenR Link system with Google built-in.

Specs and Performance

Powering the E-Tech is either s 52kWh lithium-ion battery with a power output of 110kW/150hp with a range of up to 248 miles, or the slightly smaller 40kWh battery with a range of 186 miles, putting out 120hp. Both batteries will only take 30 minutes to charge from 15% to 80%, meaning you’re spending less time charging your E-Tech and more time on the road, enjoying it.

The Renault 5 E-Tech is the first car to be built on the AmpR Small, a brand-new electric platform which allows the car to uphold its playful design without sacrificing performance. The short wheel base gives the E-Tech a turning circle of only 10.3m! This, paired with the optimised front suspension and a steering system that has a short gear ratio grants the E-Tech the nimbleness and agility it needs to thrive in a city setting. The Renault 5 E-Tech also scored highly in the passive safety test, which is nice to know.

Length: 3.92m

Width: 1.77m

Height: 1.50m

Wheelbase: 2.54m

Front overhang: 749mm

Rear overhang: 633mm

Ground clearance: 145mm

Weight: from 1,450kg (52 kWh version) and 1,350kg (40 kWh version)

Boot capacity: 326 litres

Leasing

There is currently no available information regarding prices, but Planet Leasing will be offering leasing plans upon its arrival to UK roads in early 2025! So, if you’re as excited about this playful electric supermini as we are, get in contact with us and express your interest, and we will keep you updated as more information regarding the Renault 5 E-Tech becomes available to us!

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