New Renault 5 review

The Renault 5 isn’t the first car from a bygone era to make a comeback, but we reckon it could prove just as successful as other efforts (including the reimagined Fiat 500 and Mini).  

Indeed, the car that took the small car market by storm in the early 70s has been completely reinvented for the modern era – although just like the original, the new 5 aims to offer stylish, versatile and affordable motoring for the masses.

The biggest change, other than perhaps the increase in size and safety provisions, is what powers the latest Renault 5. The original was designed to sip fuel during the first oil crisis but this latest model doesn’t use any petrol at all – it’s a fully electric car.

The 5 isn’t the only small electric car with lofty ambitions of course. As well as the Fiat 500 Electric and Mini Cooper Electric it also has to contend with more modern-looking alternatives, including the Citroen e-C3, Hyundai Inster and Peugeot e-208.

So, does the Renault 5 have the range, charging capability and driving manners to compete with the best electric cars? Or is it a classic case of style over substance? Read on to find out…

The cheapest (E-Tech 120) version of the Renault 5 has a 119bhp electric motor driving its front wheels. We haven’t tried it yet but acceleration is likely to be adequate rather than eye-widening because the official 0-62mph time is 9.0 seconds.

Even the more powerful (E-Tech 150) version, which has a 148bhp motor and can do 0-62mph in 7.9 seconds, is no match for a Mini Cooper SE in a drag race. It’s far nipper than any Citroen e-C3 or Hyundai Inster, though.

Aside from the extra oomph, going for the 150 version also gets you a larger battery. The 120 comes with the appropriated named Urban Range battery, which has a usable capacity of 40kWh and an official range of 186 miles. 

Meanwhile, the 150 Comfort Range gets a 52kWh battery boosting its official range to 248 miles. Don’t expect to achieve those distances in normal driving, though. As is the case with all electric cars, the official WLTP ranges are almost impossible to replicate in the real world, especially in lower temperatures.

The Renault 5 is designed primarily as an urban and suburban runaround, and it’s really well suited to town driving. The tight turning circle of just 10.3 metres certainly helps, but the light, accurate steering also helps.

The 5’s brakes deserve a special mention, because there’s no mechanical connection between the pedal and the braking system. This "brake by wire" approach might sound a bit scary, but it’s easier to slow down smoothly than it is in some of Renault’s other electric cars, including the Renault Megane and Renault Scenic. Those cars have a decidedly grabby brake pedals, and while the 5's isn't perfect, it's easy enough to slow down smoothly without your passengers thinking you've only just passed your driving test.

All versions have fairly big 18in wheels, but the ride is still very comfortable by small electric car standards. The 5 copes with poorly surfaced roads better than the e-C3 or Cooper Electric, for example, and there’s enough control to keep things composed along faster country roads.

The Renault 5 is also pretty quiet compared with its direct rivals; there's only a small amount of wind noise at 70mph and low levels of tyre noise. The only slightly bothersome sound is a high-pitched whine from the electric motor, which becomes more noticeable when you gently ease off and back on the accelerator pedal.

'Grown up' is probably the best way to describe the Renault 5's handling, because it's always pleasant and confidence-inspiring to drive. You can add a bit of weight to the steering by selecting Sport mode (useful for faster driving) and there's plenty of grip. The Cooper Electric is a bit more agile and leans less though corners, but the margins aren't huge.

“The Renault 5 has a fine ride and handling balance for a small car. But if you want a bit more performance and sharper handling, I'd suggest checking out the hotter Alpine A290 version.” – Will Nightingale, Reviews Editor

If you’re hoping the retro theme continues inside then you might be a little disappointed. Indeed, the Renault 5’s interior is thoroughly modern in design, with two rectangular digital displays across the driver’s side of the dashboard.

The one directly behind the steering wheel shows your speed, remaining range and other trip computer information, and it measures 7.0in if you go for entry-level Evolution trim. Techno and Iconic versions have a larger 10.0in display, and you might find your view of the top of it blocked by the rim of the steering wheel. It will depend on your height and driving position, but otherwise the set-up is comfortable.

The second screen is mounted alongside towards the centre of the dashboard, although it’s angled towards the driver to make it easier to see. This second screen measures 10.1in whichever trim you go for, and that takes care of all the infotainment system functions, including navigation, music and charging.

It’s a touchscreen, so it's inevitably a bit distracting to use while you’re driving – but it’s a more intuitive interface than the one in a Fiat 500 Electric or Mini Cooper Electric. You get Android Auto and Apple CarPlay whichever trim level you go for, while Techno and Iconic trims add a Google-based sat-nav app and a surprisingly useful voice-control assistant.

Fortunately, you don’t have to use the touchscreen to control the air-conditioning (you do in a 500 Electric or Cooper Electric) – there’s a panel just below the touchscreen with proper buttons, making it a doddle to tweak the temperature or adjust the fan speed while you’re driving.

As for interior quality, there is unsurprisingly some hard plastic on the dashboard and insides of the doors – the Renault 5 is one of the cheaper electric cars on sale, after all. Nothing feels too flimsy or low-rent, though, and the seats in Techno and Iconic versions are made from a denim-like material, which is actually spun from recycled plastic bottles.

“The gear selector doesn't have a Park position, to either lock the electric motor or automatically disengage a gear and apply the parking brake. It’s a strange omission and I found it took a bit of getting used to.” – Will Nightingale, Reviews Editor

The new Renault 5 is much bigger than its 70s namesake, but it’s still fairly compact by modern small car standards. Indeed, while it’s slightly longer than a Mini Cooper Electric it’s actually shorter than a Peugeot e-208.

Taller adults sitting in the front are well catered front, thanks to plenty of head room and seats that slide back a fairly long way on their runners. Storage space isn’t bad either; there’s a hidden cubby under the central armrest (Techno and Iconic trims only), a double cupholder with a removable partition, and a big tray under the infotainment system.

The door bins are quite shallow, but they are at least long so they can hold several small bottles of drink.

Space in the back is less impressive, although these things are relative. On the plus side, the Renault 5 does have rear doors (you don’t get those on a Fiat 500 Electric or Cooper Electric), and children and shorter adults will fit just fine.

However, anyone approaching six feet tall will feel rather cramped, with their knees wedged against the seat in front and their feet clamped against the floor by the base of the front seat. Head room is at least decent enough, with more than in a 500, but the larger BYD Dolphin and MG4 are altogether bigger in the back.

Those cars have bigger boots, too, but you can still fit a respectable four carry-on suitcases below the Renault 5's parcel shelf. For comparison, the Citroën e-C3 can swallow five cases, but the Cooper Electric can only take two.

There’s some extra storage under the boot floor for the charging cable, which is handy because, unlike some electric cars, the 5 has no storage under its bonnet. There's also no height-adjustable boot floor.

As with most other small cars, you can fold down the rear seatbacks in a 60/40 split when you need to carry more clobber, although this will, of course, mean turfing out any rear passengers.

“There’s a big drop down from the boot entrance on to the floor, so I’m not sure why Renault doesn’t offer a height-adjustable floor to help mitigate this.” – Will Nightingale, Reviews Editor

So far, so good for the new Renault 5 – and things get even better when you see its £22,995 starting price.

Even the most expensive version you can buy – Iconic trim with the larger Comfort Range battery and the more powerful 148bhp electric motor – costs £28,995. That's £1000 less than the cheapest Mini Cooper Electric.

Mind you, the latest Citroën ë-C3 is available for even less money, plus it has a longer official range than the entry-level Urban Range version of the Renault 5. It can also charge up faster.

Indeed, if you go for the Urban Range then the maximum charging rate is limited to 80kW. That means a 10-80% top-up, in ideal conditions, will take just over half an hour.

You’ll be waiting about the same time for a 10-80% charge in the Comfort Range version, but remember you’re filling a larger battery so will be adding miles at a faster rate. This larger-battery version can charge at a similar speed to the ë-C3, Mini Cooper SE and Peugeot e-208.

Entry-level Evolution trim isn’t exactly stingy on the equipment front because it gets you automatic air-conditioning, cruise control, keyless entry and a heat pump for more efficient warming of the interior in cooler weather.

We think mid-rung Techno trim is worth the extra. It adds the Google-based infotainment system, a charge preconditioning function for the battery (so it’s at the perfect temperature to charge quickly when you plug in), adaptive cruise control and some extra paint options for the exterior.

Don’t rule out range-topping Iconic trim, either. It brings a different alloy wheel design, a heated steering wheel, heated front seats and a blind-spot monitoring system.

On the subject of safety, all versions of the Renault 5 have automatic emergency braking (AEB) when driving forwards or reversing, driver attention monitoring and lane-keeping assistance. Euro NCAP gave the model four stars out of five for safety after crash-testing it.

We can’t give you much of a steer on reliability, other than Renault finishing in a respectable ninth (out of 31 brands) in the 2024 What Car? Reliability Survey. You get a three-year/60,000-mile warranty on most components, with eight years’ cover on the battery.

“I expect to see a big demand for the new 5 when the order books open which, for the first few years at least, should mean fairly slow depreciation.” – Will Nightingale, Reviews Editor

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