Renault 4 E-Tech (2025 - )

When the Renault 5 was launch recently it was met with plenty of acclaim and references to its rich heritage. Now, on the back of that success we have the all-new Renault 4 E-Tech, a five-door family car that offers a very modern twist on the iconic 1960s model that was dubbed the ‘Blue Jeans Car’ due to its versatility.

New 2025 Renault 4 E-Tech is fully electrified and there are three trims to choose from. The entry-level evolution grade is quite basic, but move up to techno or iconic and there is a wealth of on-board tech along with additional safety features to explore.

There is a £2,000 step up between the trims with prices starting from £26,995 and, additionally, there is a canvas top version called the plein sud.

A 52kWh battery is fitted across the line-up matched to a single speed automatic transmission. We opted for the range-topping Renault 4 iconic for our test drive.

Renault is on a roll at the moment with its revival models and one glance in the direction of the Renault 4 will explain just why. It’s a car that oozes charisma and charm with plenty of design cues that are a nod to its heritage.

For example, just like its ancestor, the front grille has been crafted from a single 1.45-metre panel and, from techno grade upwards, there is illuminated edging. Additionally, the three-part tail lights resemble the original model although LED technology has been introduced, and there are three distinctive lines sculpted into the doors just like the plastic protectors seen on the 60s car.

Factor in the LED daytime running lights, roof rails, privacy glass, two-tone paintwork and 18-inch alloys and this vehicle has real kerb appeal.

Moving inside, the interior is a classy place to be with the seats and dashboard upholstered in a smart black quilted leather-look material with flashes of yellow. There is distinctive Renault 4 badging, plus plenty of hints to the vehicle’s background with red, white and blue stripes and even some tiny French flags scattered around.

The seats are manually adjusted and can be heated along with the square-ish steering wheel. Behind this wheel is a 10.3-inch driver display screen showing vital data such as the speed, battery level and driving range. And we should mention the number of physical switches to easily alter the climate control settings, which we applaud.

But the main focal point is the 10-inch infotainment screen that sits alongside the driver display behind a curved panel. This is where the on-board features are accessed, including the Arkamys sound system, Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, navigation with Google maps and many other functions, such as Reno, Renault’s virtual assistant which can help with a number of tasks.

My only gripe was the overly-busy steering wheel with three stalks on the right side for the wipers, audio volume and gear selection. It was all a tad over-the-top.

The Renault 4 E-Tech is powered by a 52kWh battery with single electric motor delivering 150hp and 245Nm of torque. Like most EVs the acceleration out the starting blocks is swift and it can reach 62mph from a standing start in 8.2 seconds with a top speed of 93mph.

The car is front-wheel drive only and has a driving range between charges of 247 miles, although this will drop considerably if lots of faster motorway journeys are planned.

However, it will sit comfortably at 70mph and that instant turn of pace makes joining faster motorways from slower slip roads less daunting. The Renault 4 displayed impressive grip and balance through twisting country lanes and a Multi Sense button located on the steering wheel offers access to the drive modes called Eco, Comfort, Sport and Perso. Sport certainly livens up both the performance and the readouts with a red glow across the displays to emphasise the added zip.

In addition, steering wheel paddles can be used to adjust the strength of the car’s regenerative braking. There are three levels to choose from and single-pedal driving is possible in the highest setting.

The Renault 4 is agile in busier town centres and is easy to manoeuvre through the traffic. And while the driver visibility is great forwards, sideways and over-the-shoulder, there are huge rear headrests that almost block out the view through the rear window. There is a reversing camera, hands-free parking and sensors to assist the driver, but smaller headrests would be preferable.

The Renault 4 E-Tech stretches 4,144mm in length, is 2,020mm wide (including side mirrors), 1,572mm tall and has a 2,624mm wheelbase. This results in a relatively spacious cabin with ample room up front for a couple of six footers to sit comfortably.

Two more adults can fit in the back, although leg room is quite tight and the trio of seats are best suited to youngsters.

A powered tailgate offers easy access to the boot which can accommodate 420 litres of luggage, increasing to 1,405 litres with the 60:40 split-folding rear seats lowered. Loading heavy or large items is made easier thanks to the low boot sill, and beneath the floor is extra space to store charging cables etc.

Despite there being no frunk under the bonnet, there are plenty of storage compartments throughout the cabin, including a compact cubby box, door bins, cup holders, trays, seat back pockets, a wireless charging pad, front and rear USB-C ports, plus a glovebox that is positioned low down in the dashboard resulting in extra leg room for the front passenger.

The Renault 4 E-Tech is compatible with 100kW fast-charging, so in 33 minutes a 15-80 per cent boost can be achieved, or a 0-100 per cent charge takes 55 minutes. Clearly it will be more economical to charge at home or in the workplace if possible rather than facing expensive motorway costs. If you have access to a 7.4kW wallbox, a 0-100 per cent charge takes 7 hours, 47 minutes or 4 hours, 51 minutes if using an 11kW charging point.

Another bonus is the car’s Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) capability. This means you can use energy stored in the battery to power up external sources such as camp lights, laptops, speakers and lots more besides.

Pricing is key in the overly-crowded electric compact SUV sector and Renault seems to have got its strategy spot on with the entry-level evolution model costing £26,995. Move up to techno and the price goes up by £2k to £28,995 and then a further £2k to our high-end iconic model, priced at £30,995. There was upgraded paint on our test car that added £650 to the final price-tag but that was the only optional extra.

This year has seen mixed blessings for would-be EV owners. From April they faced road tax bills for the first time, albeit at a reduced cost of just £10 for the first year and then increasing to the standard fee of £195 after 12 months. Additionally, they became subject to the Expensive Car Supplement which adds an extra £425 to tax bills from years two to six if the vehicle cost in excess of £40k. Thankfully, the Renault 4 E-Tech falls below that figure.

On the plus side though, the Government has recently announced the reintroduction of its EV grant. While not all manufacturers are included at the moment, Renault does qualify and that means anyone looking to purchase the Renault 4 E-Tech will be eligible for a £1,500 grant.

If considering the vehicle as a business car, it has a very attractive Benefit in Kind tax rating of just three per cent and the Renault 4 E-Tech iconic that we tested sits in insurance group 28.

The compact electric crossover sector is a very busy segment right now and there is no sign of it easing with new models landing from China at a rapid rate. However, the Renault 4 E-Tech has plenty of plus points to help it stand out from the crowd.

Firstly, its quirky nostalgic-rich design with a raft of stand-out features, along with a generous list of techno treats and creature comforts. The range is okay although not brilliant, but the driving experience is very rewarding on all counts.

If budget is key, then check out the entry-level evolution version, but this does have considerably less technology than the two grades above it.