Skip advert
Advertisement

Renault Twizy: Final report

Design professionals cast an eye over our quirky Renault Twizy EV, as we look back on our time with it

Our outlandishly styled Renault Twizy has always attracted plenty of attention on the road, with motorists and pedestrians all straining to get a look at the bold pint-size runaround. So, to give the fashionable electric car a fitting send-off, we thought we’d see what some people from the world of design made of it.

Advertisement - Article continues below

I decided to take the Twizy to Design Bridge – a brand agency that specialises in creating packaging for everything from alcoholic drinks to yoghurt, tea and Dulux paint. Not only do the people working there have an eye for all things design, but many of them also represent the ideal Renault Twizy customer: young, no children and living and working in central London.

Things started well: the 10 people I grabbed from their desks seemed intrigued, excited and a little confused at what they were seeing. One of the guys’ initial reaction was to grab the Twizy’s roof in order to rock it back and forth, which was apparently a test of security. How fast is it? How many people can fit in it? Are those windows? These were just some of the opening questions asked about the car.

Then came the attempts to get two people in the Twizy. Those clambering in the back had to be flexible, but we managed to squeeze the tallest in the group into the cramped rear seat – he even claimed it was comfortable.

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement - Article continues below

Used - available now

Tiguan

2019 Volkswagen

Tiguan

62,366 milesManualDiesel2.0L

Cash £13,300
View Tiguan
RAV4 Hybrid

2024 Toyota

RAV4 Hybrid

65,991 milesAutomaticPetrol2.5L

Cash £20,000
View RAV4 Hybrid
C5 Aircross

2020 Citroen

C5 Aircross

59,749 milesManualPetrol1.2L

Cash £10,700
View C5 Aircross
3008

2022 Peugeot

3008

36,561 milesManualDiesel1.5L

Cash £15,000
View 3008

In the end, I asked them all to give their verdict with a simple Roman emperor-like thumbs up or down. And the Twizy did well, with eight out of the assembled group of 10 designers deciding to give it the thumbs up.

Advertisement - Article continues below

There were plenty of positive comments on the car, too. One said: “It’s great – a bit of a funny thing, but it looks like a lot of fun. The design is unique.” Another in the thumbs-up camp said: “It looks like a concept car. I can imagine it would be much more economical for scooting to the shops than taking a 4x4.”

On the downside, some pointed out that while the Twizy is built for city commuting, it doesn’t really benefit from its small size. “For me, the Renault is so small and open to the elements that I’d rather ride a bicycle,” said one. “A bike gives you so much more freedom when it comes to parking, security, cycle lanes and taking shortcuts in traffic.”

Yet like the majority of the designers, the Auto Express team has been mostly positive about the Twizy during its time with us. It’s certainly not perfect: the ride is too stiff and bumpy, even at low speeds, and the exposed cabin meant no-one fancied driving it in cold or wet weather. Plus, while there’s room for two, the rear seat is quite claustrophobic.

Another thing that annoyed both us and the designers was the £545 and £295 charged for the doors and windows respectively. Then there’s the asking price. At £7,495, our top-of-the-range Twizy Technic costs only £900 less than a Dacia Sandero Ambience 1.5-litre dCi hatchback. That’s a full-size car that’ll carry five adults plus their luggage for 400 miles on one tank of diesel.

But despite this, the Twizy remains huge fun to drive and always manages to be the centre of attention wherever it goes. If you live and work in a crowded and congested city centre, the Renault offers a quirky alternative to taking public transport or riding a bicycle. Yes, it’s flawed – but the most characterful vehicles always are.

Our view

“While the Twizy’s charging costs are small, don’t forget you’ll have to a pay a minimum of £600 for battery rental over 12 months.”Owen Mildenhall, Senior road tester

Your view

“The Twizy is something of an experiment and it shows that electric car technology still has some way to go before it can be considered competitive.”David Jefferis, via www.autoexpress.co.uk

Skip advert
Advertisement

New & used car deals

Dacia Spring

Dacia Spring

RRP £14,995Avg. savings £3,158 off RRP*
Hyundai Tucson

Hyundai Tucson

RRP £29,820Avg. savings £4,935 off RRP*Used from £13,144
Nissan Juke

Nissan Juke

RRP £19,785Avg. savings £4,614 off RRP*Used from £9,365
Renault Clio

Renault Clio

RRP £16,160Avg. savings £2,921 off RRP*Used from £8,826
* Average savings are calculated daily based on the best dealer prices on Auto Express vs manufacturer RRP
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

New Xiaomi YU7 2025 review: a world-beating new EV to worry the establishment
Xiaomi YU7 - front cornering

New Xiaomi YU7 2025 review: a world-beating new EV to worry the establishment

BMW or Mercedes would do anything to keep the new Xiaomi YU7 from sale in the UK and Europe, and this is why
Road tests
14 Jul 2025
The Electric Car Grant is here: Government's new £3,750 EV discount in detail
Auto Express creative director Darren Wilson charging the Lexus RZ

The Electric Car Grant is here: Government's new £3,750 EV discount in detail

The government has set out its plan to help reduce the cost of affordable EVs by introducing a new £3,750 Electric Car Grant for new EVs sold under £3…
News
16 Jul 2025
New MG IM5 has the Tesla Model 3 beaten on price and range
MG IM5 - Goodwood front

New MG IM5 has the Tesla Model 3 beaten on price and range

The all-electric IM5 brings new technology and design to the MG line-up
News
10 Jul 2025