Electric Car Awards 2025: Best electric small car
Eighty-four per cent. That’s the proportion of Renault 5 (R5) buyers who are new to the brand, apparently. It’s a very telling figure, because it shows just how squarely Renault has hit the nail on the head with this reborn – now electric – small hatchback.
As with BMW’s reinvention of the Mini, that emotional ‘I just want one’ factor no doubt plays a big part in many buyers’ decisions to sign on the dotted line for an R5; how can it not when a car looks as adorable as this?
Still, it’s gratifying to find that the R5 isn’t just a pretty face; it backs up that perfectly judged modern retro design with plenty
of substance.
When specified with our preferred Comfort Range battery (the larger of the two options available) and the more powerful (148bhp) electric motor that goes with it, the R5 delivers nippy performance and a relatively long official range of up to 253 miles. That’s farther than the Hyundai Inster Long Range and most other electric rivals promise to take you. Although you’re unlikely to be able to travel that far between charges in real-world use, the R5’s range will still be generous enough for most buyers’ needs.
However long your trip might be, the R5 has a more mature feel than you might expect of a car this size. True, it doesn’t stay as flat through corners as a Mini Cooper Electric, but the R5 handles in a secure, confidence-inspiring way and treats occupants to a mostly composed, comfy ride. What’s more, its brakes – while not perfect – are a lot less grabby than those of Renault’s larger Megane and Scenic and many other electrified models too.
With its tight turning circle, the R5 is a real urban warrior. While its compact dimensions have an impact on rear leg room, which is tight for tall adults, there’s no shortage of room up front, and the boot is a respectable size.
It’s well worth stepping up from entry-level Evolution trim to mid-range Techno, because it gains a much more attractive interior with an excellent Google-based infotainment system that’s feature-packed and user-friendly.
Even if you do, the R5 remains keenly priced when you consider the length of its range, the standard of the interior and the way it drives. If Renault keeps going with form like this, it’s not hard to imagine the percentage of conquests getting even higher in the years to come.
Best used electric small car
Peugeot e-208 Allure (2020-present)
Price from £8000
The e-208 is compact and cheap to buy used, yet it has the feel of a proper, grown-up electric car. It’s comfy and smart inside, and later versions have a 248-mile official range.
Used Peugeot e-208 buying guide >>
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