Renault 4 long-term test
The car Renault 4 Techno+ Run by Allan Muir, managing editor
Why we’re running it To see whether this keenly priced small electric SUV can prove to be better value than more expensive alternatives and offer more than just charming retro looks
Needs to Be comfortable and easy to live with, nippy around town, reasonably practical and efficient enough to deliver a respectable range for occasional longer journeys
Mileage 2580 List price £25,945 (with £3750 grant) Best price £23,250 Price as tested £26,695 Official range 245 miles Test range 213 miles
13 July 2026 – Let's stalk about it
In some ways, you couldn’t ask for a more user-friendly interior than that of my Renault 4 (R4). As I’ve mentioned previously, the R4 has proper physical switches on the dashboard and doors for turning off the advanced driver aids and operating the climate control, door mirrors and windows. These are about as conventional as they can be, but the R4 is all the better for it, because they're much easier and less distracting to use while driving than a touchscreen.
However, it’s not all good news on the ergonomic front. Like most Renaults, the R4 has a pod of media controls low down on the right-hand side of the steering column, but I’ve never been a fan of this. It’s hidden from view, so I quite often forget it’s there. And when I do remember, I struggle to operate the switches by feel; I usually end up tilting myself sideways in my seat so I can see what I’m doing. Fortunately, I can simply use the R4’s intuitive voice control system instead.
What I can’t ignore, though, is the clunkiness of the gear selector. Long, spindly and plasticky, the stalk is positioned unnaturally high to the right of the steering wheel, where it’s awkward to reach, and it can be frustratingly slow to respond at times. Mis-shifting is quite common, particularly if I try to change the direction of drive in a hurry. I can think I’ve shifted from D to R (or vice versa), having given the stalk a firm prod, only to find the car lurching the wrong way. In conjunction with the grabby brakes that I’ve mentioned before, parking and other low-speed manoeuvres can be uncomfortably jerky and flustered at times.
I recall having the same complaint about the gear selector of the Renault Scenic SUV I ran a year or two ago, but it isn’t something I’ve got used to. The gear selector in my previous car – a Volvo EX30 – was also in the form of a stalk beside the steering wheel, but it was in a more natural position, and I don’t remember having a single awkward moment with it.
The R4 may not be quite as slick as some of the other EVs I’ve run, then, but I continue to find it a very pleasant car to drive most of the time. In fact, I can’t think of many other £25k EVs that offer a better ride and handling balance.
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