Renault 5 review: the best electric car in the world?

It’s won the European Car of the Year, it’s won WhatCar? Car of the Year.

It seems like an unstoppable wave of retro-futurism. But, just what makes the new Renault 5 quite so good?

It’s been almost four years since Renault boss Luca de Meo outlined his 'Renaulution' plan to lift the brand's desirability (and profitability) with a range of new models reimagining some of its much-loved icons from the past.

At the heart of it all was a stunning remake of the Renault 5. The brand hopes this returning supermini can do what the original R5 did by bringing affordable mobility to France, but this time using electric power. Impressively, a starting price of around 25,000 euros (£23,000) has actually been achieved. In business and style terms, the idea is that the new R5 does for Renault what the 500 did for Fiat and Mini did for BMW.

The concept version of the 5 looked incredible, and thankfully the production car has fully retained that ‘want’ factor in visual terms despite an expedited development. When something looks that good, you really want it to drive well – and now is a good time to say the reborn 5 truly has been worth the wait.

The 5 is a bit narrower and shorter than a Renault Clio and marginally taller due to that battery being in the floor, but it doesn't look like a mini crossover like many electric cars do.

It essentially replaces the Renault Zoe in the Renault line-up, but it's a very different proposition than that rather boring offering. In the more vibrant colour options, the 5 screams Mini in its sense of fun and character, while making several unashamed nods to the original R5 and R5 Turbo not only in its shape but in the detail.

Yet for something that looks so remarkable, the 5 is actually rather unremarkable under the skin. It mixes various parts of other small Renault Group models to create what is nominally a bespoke electric car architecture called Ampr Small.

Does that prevent it from living up to the hype? No, not at all.

The front suspension is from a Renault Captur, the rear a multi-link from a Dacia Duster 4x4. Such sophisticated rear suspension is uncommon for small cars, yet the need to package the battery in the floor necessitated it. It brings obvious ride and handling benefits along, too.

There is an excellent driving position with a comfortable seat that has ample support. You sit low and deep, in the car rather than on it, but a relaxing front cabin comes at the expense of rear leg room, which is almost non-existent for those in the back if the front passengers are even an average height. Still, the fact the 5 has five doors is a boon. 

The boot is a good size, its 277-litre capacity up on the 210-litre Mini.

The interior colour and style is a world away from the more traditional Clio and there are plenty of nods to the original R5 in its design and trim. The blue denim trim on the dashboard really lifts the mood in particular (this padded trim is another nod to the original R5, and there is a yellow option, too) and for once ensures that a large touchscreen isn't the dominant feature of an interior.

There is one of those still, of course, 10in in diameter and running the slick Google system, while there is a crisp display of the same size for the driver. 

The touchscreen is slick and quick to respond to inputs. It is one of the better systems on the market, and doesn’t get bogged down in overcomplicating menus. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto both feature. 

The screen is backed up by a substantial amount of physical switchgear for features like the heating and all major safety controls. It’s a good balance that works well. Elsewhere, you can spot Clio switchgear with some of the stalks and the window controls, but that’s no bad thing and Renault has chosen to spend the money on things that matter and make a difference.

Drivetrain options are a 90kW (120hp) front-mounted motor with a 40kWh battery and 306km (190 miles) of range or a 112kW (150hp) motor with a 52kWh battery and a 400km (250-mile) range, the former getting to that eye-catching headline price (a Mini Cooper E starts from more than 30,000 euros/£30,000 and has less range).

When you look at the new 5, you are expecting a full hot hatch driving experience, but the reality is quite different. That's no bad thing, as rather than being firm and raucous it surprises you in how pleasant and rewarding it is to drive at normal speeds and in a normal way. 

Performance-wise, it is a toss-up between just enough and just right: the 5 doesn't have the immediate shove of many small electric cars, and it never feels like the front tyres are going to start peeling up the asphalt beneath them. Still, it would be wrong to call it a slouch – 0-100km/h (0-62mph) is still 8.0sec - yet beyond about 90km/h / 50mph responses are noticeably dulled.

There is certainly room for the Alpine version that is coming (the new Alpine A290), both in performance terms and in the potential to stiffen up the chassis and push the car in a different direction.

The brakes are excellent, with feel as good as any electric car I've tested. This is thanks to a new 'One Box' decoupled system that gets the friction brakes and regeneration from the motor working together more seamlessly and ensuring a constant feel and response no matter the battery capacity or level of regen.

The supple ride quality is a real high point in particular: it’s smooth around town over speed bumps and potholes, yet it remains settled at higher speeds on the open road.

It's much like the Clio – Move Electric’s Best Small Car of 2024 - in that regard as a very comfortable car, which is no surprise given the underpinnings and Renault's recent track record here. 

The 5 is agile and darts around town, with quick, progressive steering. A Mini is still more fun when you're pushing on, and the 5 will eventually understeer and feel more numb as the speeds rise.

But with the trade-off being such civilised yet in no way uninspiring road manners, that seems like a fair compromise to us.

We were seeing 325km (200 miles) of indicated range on our test route on a mild Danish day with the bigger battery pack, a slightly disappointing drop compared to the claimed figure, but that’s not really any different to any other electric car.

The Mini comparison is an obvious one again. It’s two battery packs offer similar range and slightly more performance, but cost a lot more and don’t perform any better in the real world. Plus, if it matters to you, the Renault is made in France and the Mini is made in China.

The line-up is small to begin with, reflecting the nature of cars now generally having fewer individual options but more option packs to make them easier to make.

There are three trim levels (Evolution, Techno and Iconic), five exterior colours, two different wheel designs and two different interior colours, with the latter two determined by which trim level you opt for. The denim one looks and feels great. 

Techno looks to be a sweet spot in the range with the bigger battery, costing around 30,000 euros (£27,000) and getting the Google infotainment system and the larger dual screens for the interior.

But even the most expensive 5 will cost less than the cheapest Mini Cooper E, and that’s value for money, especially when you consider the Mini is not much better in any area.

Expect lots of special editions over the 5's life cycle, starting with a Roland Garros model that’s a tie-up with the French Open tennis tournament - including carpets the colour of a clay court.

An Alpine version is also coming, equipped with 160kW (215hp), a wider track, bespoke suspension, brakes and tyres. 

The Renault 5 is a successful reinvention of a small car icon for the electric era. I really like it and its approach: a car that values comfort and good road manners but is still desirable, and without the need to be overbearingly sporty.

The way the R5 rides is a particular highlight, making it a comfortable car to drive every day. Performance levels are adequate, although in early tests the real-world range is slightly further off the official figure than we would expect.

The interior is as good to look at as the exterior, and it is a joy to sit in, too. The seats are fantastic and the technology is not overbearing; so many interiors have become minimalist and dominated by a drab screen but the Renault 5 screams fun and colour.

For the first time since its own successful relaunch a quarter of a century ago, the Mini at last has a credible rival to contend with: a car that can not only potentially out-drive it but also compete in the desirability stakes.

To summarise, no electric car on the market today offers better value for money, and as such we can safely say it is the best electric car in the world. If only for now…

Vive la Renaulution. Vive la Francais.

Move Electric verdict: 10/10