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 1970s 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 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 or 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 8.0 seconds, is no match for a Mini Cooper SE in a drag race. It’s plenty nippy enough though, even for faster A-roads and motorways.

The next decision you’ll need to make is how big a battery you want in your Renault 5. The 40kWh battery gives an official range of up to 186 miles, with the larger (and more expensive) 52kWh battery increasing that 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 steering and well-judged brakes also impress. 

The 5’s brakes deserve a special mention, actually, 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 (which has a grabby and unpredictable brake pedal).

All versions have fairly big 18in wheels, but the ride is still comfortable by small electric car standards. The 5 seems to cope with poorly surfaced roads better than the Mini Cooper Electric for example – although we haven’t yet had the chance to test it on UK roads.

The Renault 5 is also pretty quiet compared to its direct rivals, with 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.

However, while the 5 is quieter and more comfortable than many other small electric cars, it's not particularly agile or fun. Yes, you can add a bit of weight to the steering by selecting Sport mode, but it isn’t as direct or sharp as the steering in a Mini Cooper Electric. That car also leans less when you’re cornering quickly.

“In our tests in the south of France, the 52kWh version averaged 3.9 miles per kWh in 25C conditions. That suggests a real-world range of just over 200 miles in the summer.” – 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 7in if you go for entry-level Evolution trim. Techno and Iconic versions have a larger 10in display, and you might find your view of the top of it blocked by the rim of the steering wheel. It will depends on your height and driving position, but otherwise the driver position 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 is 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 times 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 Fiat 500 or Mini) – 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 quite a lot of 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 Renault 5 doesn’t have a parking brake to 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 1970s 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 slightly 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 Mini 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 or Mini.

The Renault 5 has a bigger boot than both of those rivals too. You’ll fit a few small suitcases or soft bags inside, and there’s some extra storage under the floor for the charging cable. That’s handy because, unlike some electric cars, the 5 has no storage under its bonnet.

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

UK pricing for the Renault 5 hasn’t been confirmed, but we expect it to start at around £23,000. Even the range-topping model – Iconic trim with the larger 52kWh battery and the more powerful 148bhp electric motor – is expected to cost around £29,000.

To put it another way, the most expensive version of the new Renault 5 is likely to undercut the cheapest version of the 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 40kWh version of the Renault 5 and can charge up faster.

Indeed, if you go for the 40kWh version of the Renault 5 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 52kWh 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 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 paint options for the exterior.

Don’t rule out range-topping Iconic trim though. 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 hadn’t published its full safety appraisal at the time of writing, so we can’t yet tell you how well the new 5 is likely to protect you and your family if an accident can’t be avoided.

We can’t give you much of a steer on reliability either, other than to say Renault came 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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