The Classic Renault 4 Just Got a MASSIVE Electric Upgrade
The new 4 uses much of the same tech as the fabulously fun new Renault 5 – including pretty much the same interior – so the 4 is as great to drive as it is to look at.
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Top Gear
an hour ago
- Top Gear
Renault 4 Interior Layout & Technology
Interior What is it like on the inside? It hardly takes an automotive Inspector Clouseau to figure out this car is an extremely close relative of today's R5. The whole of Renault's excellent screen and physical control system is here. The driver's screen is seven inches in the entry spec and 10.1 inches above that. Another full-size one sits alongside it as the touchscreen. The layout and definition is solidly competitive. In Techno spec it has a Google navigation with an effective EV route planner that calculates the shortest charging time for your trip by figuring out their power and availability. In Evolution spec you're using phone mirroring. Advertisement - Page continues below We love the number of physical controls. That includes metallic switches for climate control and stereo volume, and the shortcut switch for ADAS. The driver gets lots of steering-wheel buttons for cruise and display configuration, and because they're not haptic they actually work. The left-hand stalk is lights and indicators. On the right there are three stalks: one is the drive selector, which needs a long push/pull and often needs a second attempt. Annoying. Another the wipers and the third controls the stereo. Yes, it can take your right fingers a few attempts to tickle the correct one. Still quicker than screen-diving though. The material quality and fit 'n' finish are both very good. Entry cars get upholstery across the dash and while there are some cheap plastics (notably on the centre console) you'll forgive it for that quickly. Some surfaces are vulnerable to smudge marks, we must admit, and the various cubbies aren't that large. Best make it a can rather than a bottle of Lilt. Speaking of space, will my family fit in it? If it's small, sure. The R4 is nicely sized, thanks to an extra slice of wheelbase versus the R5. Provided the driver raises their seat a little, there's enough room for the extremities (toes, kneecaps, scalps) of an adult behind them. Advertisement - Page continues below There's not much elbow or shoulder room back here though, so longer journeys will be a bit taxing, and the rear bench is squishy but flat. At least there are a couple of USB-C ports to keep devices alive and pass the time. The boot is a deep 420 litres and the front passenger seat folds forward to take your DIY planks or cello. Knock the seats flat and space rises to 1,405 litres. The flat floor has a dual-split entry (check out the gallery up top), so you can still get at charging cables and whatnot while carrying something bulky. Very sensible. A section of the bumper lifts with the tailgate, so the floor is quite low. Good for loading dogs and white goods. Though not at the same time.
Top Gear
an hour ago
- Top Gear
Renault 4 Driving, Engines & Performance
Driving What is it like to drive? It doesn't drive quite like the Renault 5, but its character is similar. The suspension is a little calmer than the 5's, while the steering remains quickish and accurate, working in harmony with the suspension to feed you smoothly into and through a bend. To begin with that steering feels remote, but push the cornering effort harder and sensory messages start to come up from the tyres. Messages of the sophisticated multi-link rear suspension keeping everything nicely precise and balanced front to rear. It's properly enjoyable and serves you with a smile. Advertisement - Page continues below In town or on tight rural lanes, you might want to set up a personal drive mode that softens the initial accelerator response. That makes it smoother to drive in traffic. It also lets you meter out the torque gently from a corner, not that you'll be wheelspinning much. Is it comfy? Not unexpectedly, that firm-ish setup translates into a somewhat busy ride. But it's not harsh or distracting, and shrugs off big bumps and dips extremely well. The tyres and suspension are also quiet, which helps you ignore the road-level perturbations and wind noise at higher speeds. And bumps don't knock you off line. You just point and steer. Power is more than enough for suburbs and B-roads, and there's just enough to avoid being bullied on the motorway. The 0-62mph time of 8.2 seconds is the sort of thing that'd be considered lively in a sub-£30k petrol family car: there's no particular need for it to be quicker. The brakes are pretty sensitive at low speed, but in solid stops they're reassuring and consistent. There are four levels of regen – including a one-pedal mode – and you'll quickly get into the habit of flicking away at the paddles to gently slow the car without the brake pedal. Advertisement - Page continues below The R4 is just 1.8 metres across the body and under 4.2m long, and sure enough feels handy when threading down narrow streets and lanes. It'll even tow a 750kg trailer. Good news if you only want to holiday within an hour's radius of your own bed. Does the range hold up? Expect 200-220 miles range; around 4.0 mi/kWh, obscure stats fans. And when we tested the car mid-heatwave we got close to the magic 5.0 mi/kWh at urban speeds. Inevitably those numbers will plummet in winter, but the standard heat pump and (relatively) low weight stand the R4 in good stead. What about driver assist? The base Evolution spec is standard cruise control and just a lane-departure warning system, while the Iconic spec comes with full adaptive cruise with lane centring. Both are pretty well calibrated. Anyway, the R4 has a hardware switch for the driver-assist. Double-press it and you get your preferred setup. So you can pick that preferred setup just the once, never to return to the screen menu. Ideal. Highlights from the range the fastest 110kW Iconic 52kWh Comfort range 5dr Auto 0-62 8.2s CO2 0 BHP 147.5 MPG Price £30,930 the cheapest 110kW Evolution 52kWh Comfort range 5dr Auto 0-62 8.2s CO2 0 BHP 147.5 MPG Price £26,930 the greenest 110kW Iconic 52kWh Comfort range 5dr Auto 0-62 8.2s CO2 0 BHP 147.5 MPG Price £30,930
Top Gear
an hour ago
- Top Gear
Buy Renault 4 Price, PPC or HP
Buying What should I be paying? The most basic spec is called Evolution and it looks good value at £26,995. Externally it's much like the top spec, including 18in wheels, auto wipers, 10.1in touchscreen, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, two USB-Cs at the front, cruise control, keyless entry, rear parking sensors and (actually quite terrible) rear view camera. It also has a heat pump; good for winter efficiency. The 52kWh battery, 148bhp motor and 250-mile WLTP range are the same on all versions. We'd dearly like a bigger battery option to break that 300-mile barrier, but suspect the extra weight would undo all the good work on the suspension. Not to mention the packaging. Can't have it all. Advertisement - Page continues below The step up to the Techno trim is £2,000. It's the one we'd pick: you get the denim-style bronze-stitched upholstery, plus Google-based satnav and EV route-planner, a bigger driver's screen, Arkamys sound system, electric folding mirrors, wireless charger, fabric dashboard, ambient lighting, adaptive cruise, paddle shifters for the regen, and the driving modes. Two extra USB-Cs find their way into the back. Iconic tops the list at £30,995. It's mostly cosmetic tweaks: non-body coloured roof, black door mirrors and roof rails etc outside, plus the even fancier cloth/leather interior you can see above, inclusive of the illuminated 'Renault 4' on the dash. The tailgate becomes powered, the front seats and steering wheel heated, the cruise control gains lane centring and you get other safety gizmos like sign recognition and rear cross traffic alert. A vast fabric sunroof is coming as an option, but you can't have that and roof rails. What'll it cost me in electricity? At home? Peanuts. Depends on your tariff of course but get one of those handy overnight deals and you'll replenish the battery for as little as a fiver, maybe less. At a really dear public rapid charger the maths inevitably go south: ball park, it'll be £30 for a three-quarter top-up. Hope you're not doing those on the regular. Advertisement - Page continues below The Renault 4 doesn't boast crazy-high charge power – just 100kW – but as it's efficient and the battery is smallish, you recover a good slice of extra range in a short time without having to look for an ultra-rapid charger. In numbers, that's 15-80 per cent in half an hour, which will get you another two hours of motorway driving. It'll also accept three-phase AC charging at 11kW, for a complete charge in four and a half hours. Plus it can deliver power outward – vehicle-to-load. While some cars have hopelessly optimistic range-to-go meters next to the speedo, Renault's is pretty accurate, adjusting its prediction according to your recent driving style, and even whether you'll be gaining or losing altitude in the rest of your trip. The R4's charge system is designed for vehicle-to-grid too, so you can make money by charging when juice is cheap and sell it back to the grid at expensive times. But that takes complicated certification and isn't yet ready in the UK. Future-proofed though, right?
