Renault 4 review

Our opinion on the Renault 4

Our chief criticism of Renault's R5 EV, namely the relative lack of rear-seat space, is one that has largely been rectified by the Renault 4. The fact that the company has managed to achieve this while wrapping the R4 in its own unique retro-inspired bodywork is even more impressive, especially when the rest of the R5’s driving experience has been carried over largely intact. The R4’s balance between comfort and handling is great, and standard equipment is generous, especially when you factor in great-value pricing that makes the R4’s closest rivals look expensive in comparison.

About the Renault 4

With the arrival of the Renault 4 E-Tech, the French firm has produced a small electric car that’s packed with retro charm. In a way, the R4 is to the Renault 5 E-Tech what the Renault Captur is to the Renault Clio - essentially the same platform and powertrain, but with a unique style and a bit more practicality courtesy of a small SUV-style body.

Of course there’s much more to the new R4 than that, with chunky lines and details that draw their inspiration from Renault’s famous budget hatchback introduced in the sixties. The side profile features the same window shape as that original model, and the lines moulded into the doors are another nod to the old R4, while the LED lighting features an illuminated surround and round daytime running lights up front, plus vertical tail-lights inspired by the first R4. These touches are combined with more modern, SUV-derived cues, such as the roof rails and squared-off black wheelarches.

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Under the skin, the R4 shares its AmpR Small platform with the R5, although only the larger battery is offered. The R4 is 222mm longer than the R5, while its wheelbase is 83mm longer, too, so space in the back seats and boot is better than in the supermini.

The sole powertrain option is a 148bhp electric motor connected to a 52kWh battery that drives the front wheels, while the maximum claimed range for the R4 is 250 miles, which is only a couple of miles short of what the R5 with the same battery can achieve. 

As with the R5, there are three trim levels to choose from – Evolution, Techno and Iconic – and kit levels are generous from the bottom up. All cars get the 10.1-inch touchscreen, a reversing camera and rear parking sensors, keyless entry and a heat pump. 

The Techno builds on that with wireless smartphone charging, adaptive cruise control, front parking sensors and those steering-wheel paddles with the one-pedal driving mode. The range-topping Iconic gets a heated steering wheel and front seats, a powered tailgate plus extra driver-assistance tech such as blind-spot warning and rear cross-traffic alert. Prices are reasonable, too, with the entry point coming in at £27,000, then a £2,000 walk up to the other trim levels.

We’ve only tried the Renault 4 on European roads so far, but it feels very similar to the R5 – not surprising given that both cars are based on Renault’s AmpR Small platform. The 4 gets some subtle changes beyond that extended wheelbase; slightly softer springs are also taller, allowing for both a subtly raised ride height and a little more suspension travel, but the end result isn’t hugely different. Much like the cabin similarities, that’s no bad thing. 

The mix of extra ride height and softer setup introduces a little pitch and dive into the springs, though through that slight softness there are still some smaller bumps that are transmitted into the cabin. We’d still like a little more softness – it would feel appropriate given the way the original 4 wafted over bumps – but it’s much more compliant than, for example, the needlessly stiff MINI Aceman. Thanks to its fairly modest 1,462kg kerbweight (by EV standards), the 4 feels fairly agile through turns, helped by fairly darty steering and a modest amount of body roll.

We’d steer away from Eco mode – it makes the throttle response very soft and lethargic – but otherwise the acceleration feels lively and responsive. The 4 is the first Renault to feature one-pedal driving, which is the strongest of four motor regen levels that can be easily selected on the move through paddles on the steering wheel. It’s not as strong as some systems of its type, but it brings the car to a very smooth stop. 

Electric motors, 0-60mph acceleration and top speed

While the 5 comes with two motor options, the 4 just takes the more powerful of the pair. The lone offering sends its 148bhp and 245Nm to the front wheels, and delivers decent performance; 0-62mph takes 8.2 seconds, which is plenty for a car in this class. 

One crucial selling point of the Renault 4 is its starting price; at £27,000, it’s £4,000 more than the Renault 5’s, but matches the version powered by the same 52kWh battery. That means the R4 undercuts many similar rivals, while Renault often delivers competitive finance incentives to get buyers behind the wheel, too.

Electric range, battery life and charge time

The Renault 4’s extra size relative to the R5 has only slightly dented the overall range. Officially, the R4 can cover up to 247 miles between charges – just five miles short of what the R5 can achieve. Our Portuguese test route couldn’t have been more flattering for an electric car; temperatures were warm and there was little to no motorway driving, so the 5.6 miles/kWh we achieved is very much a best-case scenario. It largely tallies with what the R5 can achieve in similar conditions, and in our hands, that car managed 4.1miles/kWh in more mixed conditions. 

At 100kW, the Renault 4’s charging speeds are comparable to its closest rivals – identical to those of the Ford Puma Gen-E and the various Stellantis compact SUVs, plus marginally quicker than the MINI Aceman’s. 

One feature that the Renault 4 has is vehicle-to-load capability. This means you can plug an adaptor into the car that allows you to charge external devices. The power source is rated at 3.7kW.

Insurance groups

There are three versions of the Renault 4, but they only fall into two insurance groups. The Evolution model is in group 28, while the higher-spec Techno is in 27 (likely to be a group lower because front parking sensors are added) and the range-topping Iconic is also in group 28. These groups are all a little high, especially when you consider the Puma Gen-E is in groups 18 and 19.

Tax

The all-electric powertrain helps keep running costs low for business users, while road tax isn’t affected by the £40,000 luxury car tax premium. You will still have to pay the standard rate of annual vehicle excise duty (VED), as EVs are no longer exempt from it.

Depreciation

Residuals in the mid-50 per cent range are pretty good for a small electric SUV. In comparison, the Puma Gen-E and Aceman are slightly lower in the 48-51 per cent ballpark, depending on spec, while the Renault 5 has residuals of just under 50 per cent.

Renault is on a bit of a roll at the moment with its designs. From the modern looking Renault Scenic and the neat facelifts of the Clio and Captur, to the retro-modern charm of the Renault 5, there is plenty of good styling coming out of the French firm. The Renault 4 is no different, and judging by the sideways glances and looks of admiration we received when driving the car on its European launch, this reimagination of one of the French brand’s most famous past hits looks set to be a popular one. 

Interior and dashboard design

Step inside, and things start to look very familiar, because while the Renault 4’s exterior looks unique, the interior design is lifted wholesale from the Renault 5. While we’d often cry out for a little more individuality between two models which look so different on the outside, the R5’s fantastic cabin is a pretty strong starting point. There are some new materials – we’re fans of the denim-like one offered in mid-spec Techno trim – and the seats themselves are slightly softer thanks to different padding.

Materials and build quality 

Drivers get a funky-looking dash, which feels as expensive as anything else in the class, and has been designed with some genuine thought to usability. The climate controls take the form of a bank of physical switches, while those who find modern driver-assist features a little irritating can engage as few or as many as they choose with a double press of a programmable button to the side of the steering wheel – still among the most intuitive workarounds of the regulations that mandate these systems must always turn on when the car is started. 

Infotainment, sat-nav and stereo

The R4 and R5 get the same infotainment set-up, and it’s comfortably the best in this segment. The Google-based operating system looks great, loads quickly and is easy to figure out. Route planning displays the estimated battery percentage left at the end of a journey, and can pre-condition the battery if you’re navigating to a charging station – ensuring the charge speeds are at their best when the car arrives.   

“The Renault 4 draws inspiration from the company’s back catalogue, but the E-Tech model is light years ahead in terms of quality. While the dashboard layout is identical to the R5’s, the separate climate controls and stubby infotainment control stalk on the steering column will also be familiar to anyone who’s driven a modern Renault.” – Alex Ingram, chief reviewer 

Much like the Renault Clio and Captur, the Renault 4 takes the basic formula of the R5 and delivers more space in an SUV-style body.

Dimensions and size

At 4.1 metres long, the R4 is no giant SUV – its dimensions are within millimetres of the Ford Puma in every direction – but that also means it’s 222mm longer than the Renault 5, and 83mm of that increase sits between the front and rear axles, so interior space is boosted.

Driving position, seats & space in the front

Overall, the Renault 4’s interior is a pleasant place to be. The seats are comfortable and the layout is easy to get along with, while there’s a wide range of wheel and seat adjustment on offer, too.

We have one or two minor gripes, though. The column-mounted gear selector is a little easy to confuse with the wiper stalk during parking manoeuvres, causing some inadvertent windscreen swipes rather than a change in direction, while the rear quarter windows are pretty much useless, so there’s a reasonable blind spot over the shoulder. On the plus side, the squared-off bonnet helps with positioning the front of the car in tight spots. 

Seats & space in the back

The Renault 4’s extra length and stretched wheelbase are enough to transform the second row from one that’s a bit of a squeeze for adults in the R5, to a space that’s quite easily usable – there’s much more room here than in a MINI Aceman or Jeep Avenger. Thanks to a soft centre seat, it’ll even hold three people fairly comfortably on short trips. 

It’s still not quite perfect, though. Headroom is merely okay, foot space under the front seats is tight and the flat floor is a little high relative to the seat base, which makes the bench slightly short on under-thigh support. Still, if the Renault 5’s tight rear quarters are a deal-breaker, then the R4 is enough of an improvement to provide an ideal alternative. 

Boot space

With a capacity of 420 litres, the boot is very spacious for a car in this class. Renault has given a genuinely practical nod to the original 4 here by making the opening as low as possible, similar to an estate’s. There’s a 55-litre space for charging cables beneath the main load area, and the false floor is split into two, so it’s a little easier to reach in there if the boot is already packed with other stuff.

“If you’re looking for more storage under the bonnet to keep a charging cable or suchlike, you’re out of luck, because that’s where the electric powertrain resides.” – Alex Ingram, chief reviewer

Since the Renault 4 shares so much with the Renault 5, it shouldn’t come as a surprise to learn that it earned the same four-star Euro NCAP rating as the supermini. As with that car, the score was pegged back by the lack of a centre airbag between the front seats, plus the fact that the dashboard couldn’t demonstrate the same level of protection for occupants of different sizes.

Get past the Euro NCAP score, and there are plenty of positives in terms of standard safety kit, with automatic emergency braking capability in both forward and reverse, lane-departure warning and emergency lane-keeping assistance included. However, you have to upgrade to the top-spec Iconic model for blind-spot warning and safe-exit assistance, the latter helping to prevent you from opening the door into the path of approaching vehicles. 

Speed-limit warning systems are now mandated to be active every time you start a car, but Renault makes it easy to disable the R4’s with the touch of a button. The My Perso mode can be set up via the touchscreen, then all you need to do to have the warning systems set up the way you like them is to press the My Safety button on the dashboard.

One area where the Renault 4 will be hoping to offer improvements is with the company’s Driver Power ranking. Existing Renault owners aren’t that happy, ranking the marque 28th out of 30 brands in 2024. Its best individual category score was 12th for running costs, with cheap servicing ninth, followed by 16th for tax and insurance, and 18th for fuel economy.

Best buy: Renault 4 E-Tech Techno

All models offer good value, but the extra front parking sensors, one-pedal driving and adaptive cruise that come with the mid-spec model make it our choice.

All of Renault’s EVs come with a four-year powertrain warranty on top of the standard three years of cover for the rest of the car, and there’s a mileage limit of 100,000 miles.

Prices for service plans are still to be announced for the R4, but a three-year/48,000-mile EasyLife service plan for the Renault Scenic costs around £10 a month if you add it to any finance package, so expect a similar cost for the R4.

Renault 4 alternatives

The pricing of the Renault 4 works out pretty favourably against its closest rivals. The Ford Puma Gen-E starts from a fiver under £30,000, while the MINI Aceman ranges from £28,905 to £36,905, and buyers of those cars have to live with compromises. The Ford’s interior ergonomics, quality and infotainment tech aren’t a patch on the Renault’s, and while the MINI has a stunning interior design, its ride is too firm, its cabin too cramped, and its range too poor to compete with the R4.