Used Renault Twingo 2014-2019 review

The layout of a small car is usually a straightforward affair of engine in the front, powering the front wheels, and a small interior with a small boot. Deviating from this norm costs money, and that's not the done thing when making a city car.

But with the help of Smart, Renault was able to come up with an unconventional new car. The Renault Twingo shares its platform with the Smart Forfour, meaning you have a car with its engine in the rear (under the boot floor) driving the rear wheels. The idea is that this frees up space for a bigger interior without compromising crash safety.

Engines: The Twingo comes with a choice of three-cylinder petrol engines: an entry-level 69bhp 1.0 SCe, an 89bhp turbocharged 0.9 TCe and a 108bhp version of the 0.9-litre engine that's used exclusively in the range-topping GT model.

Ride & handling: Out on the road, the Twingo isn’t very refined; there's a bit too much wind and road noise at speed and the ride isn’t particularly smooth. The Hyundai i10 has quieter road manners and is better suited to the odd motorway journey. The manual gearbox in the Twingo is a bit notchy, too, and isn’t as slick as the one in the Volkswagen Up.

The steering isn’t the Twingo’s best feature, either. The 1.0 SCe has rather vague steering, and although the more powerful 0.9 TCe and GT models get variable-ratio steering (the aim of which is to make the car feel more agile at town speeds and more stable on the motorway), it still doesn’t inspire much confidence at higher speeds.

On the upside, body control is reasonably good and there is plenty of grip. The GT has firmer sports suspension that doesn’t help the Twingo's ride quality and is best avoided.

Trims & equipment: As far as trim levels are concerned, the range begins with Expression. This gets the basics and nothing more: daytime running lights, DAB radio, Bluetooth, hill start assist, electronic stability control, remote central locking and front electric windows. Play trim adds to this with driver’s seat height adjustment, air conditioning and 15in alloy wheels.

Dynamique adds cruise control, front foglights and a leather steering wheel. Dynamique S goes even further upmarket by fitting part-leather seats, 16in diamond-cut alloy wheels, aluminium pedals and stripes for the grille, doors and door mirrors in either red, white or blue.

The top-of-the-range GT comes with 17in alloy wheels, twin exhausts, doorsills with 'Renault Sport' written on them and, to top it all off, a metal gearknob. GT cars are only worth seeking out if you really want the most powerful engine.

Interior & practicality: The boot floor is much higher than it is in most small cars because of where the engine is. This offers some benefits, though, because you don't have to deal with a loading lip, so slotting heavy bags or a suitcase into the Twingo is a breeze.

When you fold the rear seatbacks down, they lie flat. Even the front passenger seatback can fold down onto its base to enable much longer items to be transported. The downside is that when all the seats are up, the boot is smaller than those of the Seat Mii, Volkswagen Up and Skoda Citigo, even when the rear seatbacks are put in a more upright position to increase overall capacity.

Four adults can fit in the Twingo easily – quite a feat in a small car. There are plenty of pockets dotted around the interior, and some models could even be specified with a couple of storage areas under the rear seat – a good place to hide items away from prying eyes.

Prices for an early Renault Twingo that has been previously written off and repaired begin at just over £2000. However, you’ll probably want to bump up your budget in order to buy a car with better provenance; a Twingo with the 0.9 TCe turbo engine will set you back £3000.

If you need an automatic gearbox, your choice is limited to the 0.9 TCe, on which a dual-clutch auto was optional. It became available from late 2015, with examples starting at £4000.

The Twingo GT is rare and will also set you back around £4000.

Check the value of a used Renault Twingo with What Car? Valuations

MPG

The entry-level 1.0 SCe isn’t the most efficient engine in the range, with a combined average of 56.5mpg and CO2 emissions of 105g/km. The stop-start (S&S) version of this engine is noticeably more economical at 67.3mpg combined and just 95g/km.

The turbocharged 0.9 TCe isn't much more expensive to run, with a combined figure of 65.7mpg and 99g/km of CO2.

The automatic gearbox will put a dent in the running costs of the 0.9 TCe, pushing economy down to 58.9mpg and CO2 output up to 108g/km.

The Twingo GT is the most expensive to run. This warm hatch has an economy figure of 54.3mpg and churns out 115g/km.

Road tax

Any Twingo registered after 1 April 2017 will be charged a flat-rate fee every year under the current system. The current VED rate is £190 a year. Find out more about road tax costs here.

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The entry-level 1.0 SCe model isn't particularly quick, but it's the one to go for, because it's cheaper to buy than the turbocharged 0.9 TCe and will cost you less to run, particularly when you go for an example equipped with stop-start technology.

The more powerful 0.9 TCe is much more usable when venturing out of town, but you'll need to pay extra for that privilege and there are fewer of them available to buy. The same is true of the 108bhp GT version. It isn’t that much fun to drive anyway, so we can't recommend this particular Twingo unless you can get a really good deal on it.

Our favourite trim is Dynamique, because of the extra kit you get over the cheaper models.

Our favourite Renault Twingo: 1.0 SCe 70 S&S Dynamique

If you like your cars boxy, find yourself a Fiat Panda. While the Fiat 500 (upon which the Panda is based) is all about its cute styling, the Panda is more practical. The 1.2-litre petrol is refined, but the 0.9-litre two-cylinder engine is more characterful.

The Smart Forfour is more expensive than the Twingo, but it has a more stylish interior.

If you want the most dependable car in the city car class, look for a Toyota Aygo. This is cheap to run, thanks to its 1.0-litre three-cylinder engine.

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