A Twingo and a prayer - What's it like?

The new Twingo is based on the platform of the second-generation Clio (now the Clio Campus).

It has a 10-centimetre shorter wheelbase and shorter front and rear overhangs, so it measures a city-friendly 3.6 metres compared with the 3.8 metres of the Campus and the 3.99 metres of the latest Clio. It’s a much bigger car than the original Twingo, the extra length being used to improve crash protection as well as passenger space.

All versions are three-door four-seaters, with the two individual rear seats mounted on runners that allow 22 centimeters of fore-aft travel so that owners can vary passenger and luggage space. The boot volume is either 165 or 285 litres depending on the position of the rear seats, but stretches to 959 litres when both are folded flat.

The emphasis within the cabin is on simplicity and practicality, but that doesn’t mean it’s cheap looking or spartan. The driver’s seat has a memory function so that it returns to its pre-set position after letting someone into the back; six airbags are likely to be standard in the UK; and there’s plenty of storage space. Automatic climate control, automatic lights and wipers, cruise control with a speed limiter, a digital music player connection box and Bluetooth phone connectivity are among the features available.