Shock Therapy: Renault’s EV Retro Revival Hits the Dales
Andrew, Chairman of the Northern Group of Motoring Writers, pulled a few strings recently and arranged with the Renault PR team for them to bring three of their most talked-about new cars – the reborn Renault 4, the funky Renault 5, and the Alpine A290 GTS, up to Skipton for members to have a play in - sorry, review.
With only three vehicles, and quite a few motoring writers wanting drives, time behind the wheels was limited to 30 minutes each car, which isn’t nearly enough to write a blow-by-blow, torque-curve-measuring, battery-chemistry-analysing review. But it’s enough to get a decent flavour of what they’re all about. Think of this as a tapas menu of future French motoring: a nibble here, a bite there, and just enough fizz to make you want more.
Renault 4 – The Friendly Utility Box
The Renault 4 is back, though not in the way your grandad remembers it. Instead of a wheezy little petrol motor and suspension that made you seasick on the way to Scarborough, the 2025 Renault 4 is an all-electric, high-riding crossover that blends nostalgia with modern sensibility.
Styling is spot on, it looks unmistakably like a Renault 4, only fed on protein shakes and clad in chunky SUV clothes. Boxy, upright and a little cheeky, it doesn’t try to be sleek, and that’s half the charm. It’s designed to be friendly, approachable, and practical, the sort of car you can chuck muddy boots and a soggy Labrador into without fear of offending its delicate sensibilities.
Slip inside and you’ll notice Renault hasn’t gone too mad with touchscreens. Yes, there’s the obligatory central slab of infotainment, but the dash design echoes the simplicity of the old 4. Plenty of headroom, decent visibility, and a big square boot – it feels more utility wagon than fashion accessory, which is refreshing in a world of swoopy crossovers with boots the size of a shoebox.
On the move, it’s pleasantly relaxed. The raised driving position and light steering make it easy to trundle around town, and although Yorkshire isn’t exactly the Côte d’Azur, it handled the undulating Dales roads with a calmness that suggests it’ll make an excellent family hack. The suspension is tuned more for comfort than corner-carving, which feels right – this is a car that should prioritise ease over excitement.
As for the battery, Renault reckons around 250–280 miles depending on spec. I didn’t spend long enough behind the wheel to see if that’s realistic, but the consumption figures we glimpsed looked promising, nothing alarming, even when climbing a few hilly stretches. Realistically, think of it as a solid 220-mile car in everyday conditions, which should suit most lifestyles.
Overall, the new 4 feels like it knows its purpose. It’s not trying to be premium or sporty, it’s trying to be friendly, useful, and just a bit fun, and in half an hour, I’d say it nailed that brief.
Renault 5 – Retro Chic Rewired
If the 4 is Renault’s sensible shoes, then the new Renault 5 is its bright trainers. This is the one people were really buzzing about, and for good reason. The 5 takes the spirit of the 1970s/80s hatchback icon and drags it kicking and screaming into the 2020s with an all-electric powertrain, funky retro styling and an interior that feels youthful without being childish.
From the outside, it looks fantastic, a neat mix of retro cues (boxy proportions, bold colour choices, chunky wheel arches) with enough modern sharpness to avoid it being a parody. Park it next to a Fiat 500e and you can see Renault aiming squarely for that market of small-car buyers who want fun and nostalgia with their EV.
Inside, the dash is pretty much identical to the 4 - just smaller, therefore it feels tighter, sportier and designed to make you smile rather than just haul stuff about. There’s a digital dash that nods to old-school Renault graphics, some quirky trim options, and seating that hugs you a little more than you’d expect in a city hatch.
Out on the road, the 5 is immediately more playful than the 4. It’s not hot-hatch-mad, but it corners with enthusiasm and the steering feels sharper. On Yorkshire’s winding B-roads, it darted around like a puppy let off the lead. The ride is a little firmer than the 4’s, but still comfortable enough – Renault has struck a nice balance between fun and livable.
Battery efficiency? Renault is quoting between 200–250 miles depending on the version, and again, that feels plausible. The consumption figures we saw during our short drive suggested it won’t be a power-hungry diva, though obviously sustained motorway runs will eat into the range quicker than pottering around town.
The biggest takeaway from the 5 is character. It has loads of it. Where some EVs feel like white goods with a steering wheel, the 5 feels like a car you’d bond with. It makes you want to drive, even if it’s just to the shops. And in today’s motoring world, that’s a rare and welcome quality.
Alpine A290 GTS – French Firecracker
If the Renault 4 is a sensible mug of Yorkshire tea and the Renault 5 is a frothy cappuccino, then the Alpine A290 GTS is an espresso with a shot of chilli in it. Renault’s sporty brand has taken the bones of the 5 and turned it into a hot hatch EV with enough fizz to make you grin like an idiot.
Visually, it’s meaner – lower stance, wider track, aggressive detailing. It looks like it’s squatting on the road, ready to pounce, and that sense of readiness carries through when you drive it.
The cabin is sportier still – the same dash but with bolstered seats, performance-themed graphics, and a general sense that this car is here to play. It’s still small and relatively practical, but you wouldn’t mistake it for anything other than a hot hatch. Wondering what the red button is on the steering wheel? That’s the overtaking button. Press that and you get 5-seconds extra power.
On the road, it’s a riot. Instant electric shove makes it feel nippy, and Alpine has worked hard to inject some fun into the handling. The steering has weight and feel, the suspension is firm but not crashy, and the whole car just eggs you on to push harder. I didn’t get anywhere near its limits in half an hour, but even at brisk B-road speeds it had that lovely balance of grip and agility that makes a hot hatch grin-inducing.
Battery range is quoted at around 220 miles, but let’s be honest: nobody buys a car like this for its eco credentials. Drive it enthusiastically and you’ll knock that figure down quickly, but that’s the price you pay for fun. What impressed me was that, even when driven with a heavy right foot, it didn’t seem outrageously inefficient – Alpine has clearly worked to balance performance with a degree of everyday usability.
The A290 GTS feels like a statement: proof that EVs don’t have to be dull, that they can make you laugh, that the hot hatch isn’t dead, it’s just electric now. And on that basis, it’s a proper little cracker.
Final Thoughts
Half an hour each is just enough to whet the appetite, but what a trio. The Renault 4 feels like the practical heart of the range, the Renault 5 is the cheeky spirit, and the Alpine A290 GTS is the mad uncle who spikes the punch at family gatherings.
Together, they show Renault is serious about making EVs with personality – and after a day in Yorkshire, I’m convinced the French are onto something.