Renault goes back to the future, and praise be, a Star is Born… 

---

Car Reviewed: Renault R5 E-Tech 100% Electric iconic (150 hp)

---

On sale now, with prices starting at just £22,995 OTR, the Renault is keenly affordable as well as being cute to look at. That’s a great starting point.

The Renault is also highly topical in having just been voted European Car of the Year for 2025, alongside its performance EV cousin, the Alpine A290.

First deliveries for the Renault begin in the spring in the UK, but luckily I was able to get an early taster thanks to a LHD R5 E-Tech that Renault UK had stationed at its Maple Cross HQ.

This French reg R5 was finished in Pop Green! One of several vibrant colours available, along with Pop Yellow! Does it stand out? You bet.

At launch, there’s a simple three-model range: evolution, techno and iconic five.

You also get the choice of two EV powertrains: a 120 hp motor with a 40 kWh battery, giving an official 190-mile range.

Or the peppier 150 hp motor with 52 kW/h battery and longer 248-mile quoted range. ‘My’ car has this bigger battery and trim level approximately equivalent to iconic five in the UK. That would make it some £26,995 OTR.

First impressions. Well, if you remember the Zoe, the small electric hatch that Renault was presenting for a number of years, it’s safe to say the R5 E-tech is all that and more.

Actually, I always rated the Zoe, but in terms of road presence, space, driveability and sheer want-one factor, the R5 E-Tech leaves the Zoe by the side of the road.

Like the Mini, Fiat 500 and Alpine A110, models that have been fashionably reinvented for the modern age, Renault has worked the same kind of magic to create this new genre R5, which first appeared as a concept as far back as 2021.

For Millennials and/or those unfamiliar with the R5 back story, we are talking here of Renault’s seminal, huge-selling supermini of the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s before the Clio took over.

Of the two R5 generation, today’s R5 E-Tech perhaps most closely mirrors the second-gen “Super Cinq” that came out in 1984, a car penned by none other than design legend Marcello Gandini. How’s that for street cred?

Inevitably, today’s five-door R5 E-tech is much bigger, wider and heavier than that Super Cinq. But still, by general EV standards today, weighing in at a relatively trim 1449 kgs.

If the R5 E-Tech’s profile and stance are strongly reminiscent of the Super Cinq and thus coolly nostalgic, the cabin is also a welcoming place to be.

Soft, super comfortable seats were one of the standout features of French superminis of the past, yes, even in base poverty spec.

Couple that with similarly soft, lightly damped suspension, and you had a level of ride comfort for the ages.

The good news, all that is back with the R5 E-Tech even if today’s suspension is a noticeably firmer than the roly-poly days of the past and all new R5 E-Tech models wear 18-inch diamond cut alloys as standard.

The new R5 interior is smart, well laid out and the quilted dash top is another nice touch. There are dual horizontal screens: a digital instrument panel in front of you and a central multimedia display with Google built-in. Connectivity works well.

You get an excellent driving position and those fine jersey seats. Just about the only quibble is the column stalk to engage drive, or reverse. The quality on this stalk feels pretty flimsy and, whisper it, you wonder how well it will fare long term.

I’d say that rear seat space is generally OK for most adults, but there’s a practical, well-shaped 326-litre boot complete with dedicated space for charging cables. Or you can raise that to 1106 litres with both rear seats folded down.

The R5 E-Tech comes with a full suite of driver assistance systems, but mercifully there is also the ability to turn the nagging alerts off, should you wish, at the touch of a button (My Safety Switch). There are also some great design touches, such as the novel bonnet-mounted charging indicator. So simple, so clever.

Charging? Renault says the R5 E-Tech can charge up to 11 kW AC and up to 100 kW DC, meaning a 30-80% charge will take just 30 mins.

Engage D. Move off. The Renault comes easily, silently up to speed and on its all-independent suspension and new platform, feels agile and responsive through corners, with body lean well controlled. It’s good.

You get a choice of drive modes – Eco – Sport – Personal – Comfort and handling throughout is solid and predictable. Braking stability from speed is impressive, while steering, from 2.5 turns to lock, is accurate and well-weighted.

The whole car comes together well, as the saying goes, and this bigger battery version is decently quick, with Renault quoting just 7.9 secs for 0-62 mph. Select B on the column stalk for easy one-pedal driving.

There’s an old saying: nostalgia ain’t what it used to be. However, Renault is proving that nostalgia can be a really effective marketing tool in today’s new car wars, especially against capable but imageless Chinese rivals who are fast eating up market share.

So, in Renault’s new retro EV catalogue, we have this hugely appealing R5 E-Tech. Soon, a new R4 E-Tech and Twingo will also join the club. 

Personally, I hope they revive the Caravelle convertible from the ’60s and how about the new electric Espace? C’est bon! 

Here and now, the Renault R5 E-Tech has plenty going for it. I mean, just look at it…