The Renault Twingo is returning to the UK after a decade away, this time as an affordable all-electric city car. Vicki Butler-Henderson gets behind the wheel to discover whether the fourth-generation Twingo E-Tech can recapture the personality that made the original such a success.
Few small cars have managed to develop quite the personality of the original Renault Twingo. Launched in 1992, its cheerful styling, clever packaging and unmistakably French character helped turn it into a city car icon, with more than 4.1 million examples of the Twingo nameplate sold since.
Now Renault is bringing it back to the UK.
The new fourth-generation Renault Twingo E-Tech is fully electric, larger and considerably more sophisticated than its predecessors, but Renault clearly hasn’t forgotten what made the little car interesting in the first place.
Vicki Butler-Henderson puts the new Twingo through its paces to find out whether Renault has managed to combine that original character with the practicality and technology expected from a modern electric city car.
Twingo returns as an affordable EV
Developed in just 100 weeks and built in Slovenia, the latest Twingo represents another part of Renault’s rapidly expanding electric line-up.
Importantly, it also arrives with a starting price of under £20,000, putting it firmly into the increasingly competitive affordable EV market.
Power comes from a 27.5kWh battery, providing up to 163 miles of range. That might look modest alongside larger electric cars, but the Twingo has been designed primarily for urban life rather than long-distance motorway journeys.
Performance reflects that philosophy.
The Twingo can accelerate from 0-31mph in just 3.8 seconds, providing the instant response that can make a small EV particularly effective around town, while its maximum speed is 81mph.
On a suitable public charger, Renault says the battery can be replenished to 80% in around 30 minutes.
Bigger – and considerably more practical
One of the biggest changes is the Twingo’s increased practicality.
For the first time, Renault’s smallest model comes with rear passenger doors, making the fourth-generation car considerably easier to live with for families and anyone regularly carrying passengers.
The rear seats can also slide and fold independently, allowing owners to choose between passenger space and luggage capacity.
Boot capacity starts at an impressive 360 litres and can expand to as much as 1,010 litres with the seats folded.
Renault has even thought about one of those irritating little EV problems – getting to the charging cable when the boot is full.
Removable floor panels provide access to the cables without requiring owners to unload their luggage first.
Original Twingo character lives on
Despite becoming a more practical proposition, Renault hasn’t abandoned the playful character associated with the original.
Inside, the cabin includes shapes inspired by Twingo’s own alphabet, while splashes of colour break up the recycled materials used throughout the interior.
There’s also Renault’s increasingly useful YouClip system, with up to six attachment points allowing accessories to be fitted around the cabin.
Technology includes Apple CarPlay, while Renault’s Reno virtual avatar brings another element of the company’s latest digital technology into its smallest EV.
It is all intended to make the Twingo feel a little less conventional than the average small hatchback – something its predecessors generally managed rather well.
Built for the city
The Twingo’s natural habitat becomes obvious once Vicki takes it onto the road.
Light steering and a tight turning circle make manoeuvring through busy streets and confined spaces straightforward, while the immediate response from the electric motor gives it the sort of low-speed performance that matters far more in town than a headline 0-62mph figure.
Its relatively compact battery should also help keep weight under control while providing enough range for most everyday urban and suburban journeys.
The question is whether that deliberately city-focused approach makes the Twingo too compromised once the road opens up.
Plenty of small EV competition
The affordable electric car market is becoming increasingly crowded, meaning the new Twingo won’t have things entirely its own way.
Vicki considers how it compares with Renault’s own Renault 5 E-Tech and Renault 4 E-Tech, as well as alternatives including the Fiat Grande Panda and Hyundai Inster.
That creates an interesting dilemma.
The Twingo needs to be affordable enough to justify choosing it over Renault’s larger electric models, while retaining enough personality and practicality to stand apart from increasingly capable rivals.
Motoring Echo Verdict
The Renault Twingo E-Tech appears to understand exactly what a modern city car needs to be.
It’s compact, manoeuvrable and relatively affordable, yet Renault has added considerably more practicality through its five-door layout, sliding rear seats and clever luggage space. A range of up to 163 miles won’t suit every driver, but for the urban environment the Twingo has been designed around, it could be more than enough.
Perhaps most importantly, Renault hasn’t attempted to turn the Twingo into simply another anonymous small electric hatchback.
The colourful cabin, distinctive design touches and clever details suggest some of the playful personality of the original has survived the transition to electric power.
Watch Vicki Butler-Henderson’s full review to discover whether the new Renault Twingo E-Tech really can recapture the magic of the original – and whether it deserves a place alongside the Renault 5, Renault 4 and a new generation of affordable electric city cars.
