The electric Renault 5 is a car that creates just a little more commotion than average. Its design, a modern interpretation of the 1972 R5, was widely praised. This creates high expectations for its driving characteristics. Can the ‘Cinq’ withstand the pressure?
For designers, there is hardly a more difficult job than creating a modern design based on a famous model from the past. It can go well (Mini, Fiat 500), but you can also choke badly (Volkswagen Beetle). The Renault team deserves a glass of Chablis with a madeleine biscuit, because the new electric Renault 5 has already received a lot of praise for its appearance.
A real Frenchman
The development revolved Renault the tables are turned. The design was already practically fixed, Renault has adapted the electric platform accordingly. Only three years instead of the usual five passed from the first sketch to the showroom launch – work on the new Renault 5 was carried out in France at Chinese pace. The new Vijfje is also a real Frenchman, it is built in France (Douai) and its batteries also come from there.
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Specs Renault 5 E-Tech Techno
- electromotor, 150 pk, 245 Nm
- 0-100 km/h in 8,0 s, 150 km/h
- 52 kWh (410 km) / 14,9 kWh/100 km
- 3922 / 1808 / 1498 mm, 326 – 1000 l, 1424 kg
- price Netherlands: 32,990 euros, price Belgium: 32,900 euros
Externally, the R5 looks ultra-modern. Yet you immediately see the similarities with the original model in the shape of the body, the elongated rear lights and the fenders. But there are also differences; the new 5 is 40 centimeters longer and has gained a lot of weight. The first 5 weighed 720 kilos, the current one almost 1500 kilos. The size of the wheels also grew; all versions of the electric 5 get 18 inches.
An entertaining car requires fun gadgets. For example, the left headlight ‘winks’ when you unlock it and you can attach a custom-made wicker basket to the center tunnel, into which a baguette fits exactly. The charging indicator is on the hood, which allows you to read how much the battery is charged.
Renault 5 range
There is also another similarity between the Fives. The first came onto the market around the oil crisis, when large, gas-guzzling cars went out of fashion. Small and economical was the motto and the Renault 5 offered exactly what customers wanted at the time. The new Renault 5 must complete the emancipation of the electric car and comes onto the market in a climate crisis. Electric driving must become accessible and common for everyone. Renault hopes so egg of Columbus by giving the R5 a relatively low price, a nice appearance and an acceptable range.
Two battery packs are available: the 40 kWh battery is good for a range of 312 kilometers. The larger battery measures 52 kWh, allowing you to drive 410 kilometers until the battery is empty. There are also three engine variants with 95, 120 or 150 hp. A heat pump is standard. Renault keeps its word with the (relatively) low price. The basic version will cost less than 25,000 euros, but will not be launched until next year. The cheapest 5 that is already in the showroom is the Evolution (120 hp, 27,990 euros).
Toyota Yaris Cross ends up in bushes
That the Renault 5 has been looked forward to is evident during our test drives around Nice. There is no such thing as inconspicuous steering. The Renault 5 has everyone wrapped around its fingers; a man suddenly drives into the bushes on his scooter as he stares after our car, another gets out of his Toyota Yaris Cross specifically to take a closer look at the car. Thumbs are raised and photos are taken. It looks like July 14, France’s national holiday.
We too share in the joy, because the charm of the Renault 5 is not limited to its appearance. It drives excellently both in the city and on the highway. It is fast, agile and steers accurately and with feeling. The comfort is also excellent, you even get the feeling of driving a car from a higher class. The chassis – with multi-link rear suspension instead of a simple torsion beam – copes surprisingly smoothly with poor road surfaces.
Top speed Renault 5 (2024)
The sound insulation is excellent; Only at 120 km/h you hear the wind whistling more loudly, but not so annoying that a highway ride spoils your mood. The Renault 5 carelessly makes the split between comfort and sportiness; our 150 hp test sample drives to 100 km/h in 8 seconds and has a top speed of 150 km/h. There is an Eco, a Comfort and a Sport mode, where depending on your choice the ‘throttle response’ changes and the steering becomes lighter or heavier.
Renault has also done its best inside. The seats with fixed headrests are derived from the Renault 5 Turbo, while the upholstery on the dashboard and the shape of the instruments also beckon to the original model from the 1970s. Although the center console simply contains a large multimedia screen with touchscreen; that was still science fiction in the 70s. The flattened steering wheel was not there fifty years ago either, and you also have to work less hard when maneuvering. You only have to turn the steering wheel 2.6 times to move the wheels from left to right (lock to lock). The turning circle of 10.3 meters is nice and short.
Renault 5 minuses
Is there nothing wrong with the Five at all? Of course. For example, the automatic transmission on the steering column does not have a P position, so you must always use the handbrake. One pedal drive is also not possible, although it does have a B position where the car brakes more powerfully when you release the right pedal. Driving with one pedal will become possible in the course of 2025.
Cheap Renault 5 2025
Furthermore, the automatic lever on the steering column is very close to the lever for the windshield wipers and they turn on when you want to drive away. Tall people don’t sit comfortably in the back, but compared to an electric Mini Cooper or Fiat 500, it is a bit better. Four people is the maximum, because you can’t blame anyone for sitting in the middle seat. We drive the most luxurious Renault 5, equipped with beautiful options. The question is what will remain of the basic version of 25,000 euros, which will be released in 2025.
But the disadvantages do not outweigh the advantages. The stars are favorable for the Renault 5, which may well join the iconic list with the Mini Cooper and the Fiat 500. More importantly for all car buyers, the affordable Renault is not alone. The Citroën e-C3 is also finally available and the Hyundai Inster elsewhere in this magazine is a formidable competitor for the Five.
For European brands, the car collection from the past is a valuable source to draw from. The Renault 5 convincingly shows that you can do a lot of cool things with it without going too ostentatiously on the retro tour. The Chinese brands do have a price advantage, but in terms of emotion they are still losing out to the brands from the Old World.
Conclusion
The Renault 5 lives up to the high expectations. The driving behavior is just as great as the appearance, the price is quite modest. After difficult years, Renault is again brimming with self-confidence. And then the electric Renault 4 (2025) and Twingo (2026) are yet to come.
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Source: www.autoreview.nl
