New Renault 4 review

Are you a French farmer in the market for a cheap runaround? If you are, and you know your car history, then you might be drawn to this new Renault 4.

That’s because the original Renault 4 from 1961 was a rival to the legendary Citroën 2CV, with both aiming to provide affordable rural transport. It was a massive hit for the French manufacturer in the 30 years it was on sale.

The name is now back – but the car is very different. The Renault 4 is now a small electric SUV that shares a lot of its underpinnings with the fantastic Renault 5 – our 2025 Car of the Year. Expectations should be high, then, with the promise of the same fantastic qualities of the 5 but in a more practical SUV package.

It’s not short on competitors, though, with the Renault 4 up against models such as the Jeep Avenger Electric, Kia EV3, Mini Aceman, Vauxhall Mokka Electric and Volvo EX30. So how does it compare? Read on to find out...

Every Renault 4 comes with the same battery and electric motor. That means all models get a 52kWh battery with an official range of 241 to 247 miles, depending on trim level.

That range doesn’t quite match the entry-level version of the 270-mile Kia EV3 but it’s virtually the same as what’s on offer from lots of other rivals in the class, like the Jeep Avenger Electric and Vauxhall Mokka Electric.

Every Renault 4 gets a 148bhp electric motor driving the front wheels with an official 0-62mph time of 8.2 seconds, which is nippier than a lot of other competitors, if ultimately a little slower than an EV3.

The Renault 4 delivers its power in a very smooth manner, and it’s equally impressive in the way it slows itself down. While lots of electric cars suffer from grabby brake pedals that respond inconsistently to your inputs, it’s very easy to reduce your speed in a calm and controlled manner in the Renault 4.

Every version except the entry-level Evolution trim gets paddles on the steering wheel that let you adjust the level of regenerative braking (something not yet available on the Renault 5).

You can even trigger a one-pedal driving mode so that when you lift off the accelerator the car can slow to a complete stop without you having to touch the brake pedal. It’s a handy system that works very intuitively on the road.

All that – as well as a tight turning circle – makes the Renault 4 a breeze to drive in town, but it’s still impressive on faster country roads, where the well-weighted steering and tight body control offer good confidence when cornering.

On motorways there’s a little bit of wind noise, but it’s a mostly relaxing and quiet interior. The ride is both soft enough to feel plush by the standards of the electric SUV class yet still with enough control to mean you’re not bouncing around the interior on undulating roads.

The more expensive Kia EV3 is even more cosseting on the road, but the Renault 4 is still a real stand-out performer on the road in its class.

“The range on offer from the Renault 4 should be fine for lots of buyers but I think it’s a shame there isn’t the option of an even bigger battery.” – Doug Revolta, Head of Video

While elements of the exterior styling are a nod to the original Renault 4 from the 1960s, the interior of the new car is thoroughly modern. Indeed, it's virtually identical to the new Renault 5 – which is no bad thing.

It means you have two screens on the dashboard, one for the digital driver's display and the other for the infotainment. 

The driver display shows your speed, remaining range and other trip computer information on a bright and configurable screen, measuring 7in in entry-level Evolution trim. Techno and Iconic versions get a 10.3in display.

It’s housed alongside the infotainment touchscreen, which is high up towards the centre of the dashboard and angled towards the driver – which makes it easy to see and reach.

The touchscreen measures 10.1in and has Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone mirroring whichever trim you go for. The entry-level trim misses out on some built-in Google-based technology (like Google Maps), which Techno and Iconic trims will get as standard.

The screen is responsive to touch inputs and relatively intuitive to get your head around – it’s certainly better than plenty of other fiddly and distracting touchscreens in the class, like the one you’ll find in the Mini Aceman.

Plus, you’ll find the air-conditioning controls housed in a row of physical buttons just below the touchscreen. They're fantastically easy to use while driving, and far less distracting than other rivals, which force you to use the touchscreen for the air-con, as the Aceman does.

As for interior quality, the Renault 4 is expected to be one of the cheapest options in the small electric SUV class – but you wouldn’t guess that from sitting up front.

Nothing feels tacky or low-rent, and while there are some hard plastics on the dashboard, there's still enough of a mix of plush materials throughout to make it feel classy, particularly on the higher trim levels. It all feels very solid too. The Smart #1 and Volvo EX30 are even slicker inside, but also more expensive.

It’s a shame you need range-topping Iconic trim if you want adjustable lumbar support for the driver's seat, but otherwise the driving position is excellent, with lots of adjustment in the seat and the wheel. Rear parking sensors come as standard even on entry-level Evolution trim, while Techno and Iconic versions have a rear-view camera.

“There are lots of stalks on the steering column, which I find very useful. It means you’ve got things like the gear selector, media functions and windscreen wipers all close to hand.” – Doug Revolta, Head of Video

Tall adults will have no problem fitting in and getting comfortable up front in the Renault 4. And storage options aren’t bad, with a small but deep cubby under the central armrest and some more storage trays on the centre console.

In the rear seats, the Renault 4 is more spacious than the Renault 5 – but that isn’t saying much as the 5 is rather cramped back there.

In the 4, leg room is good for adults sat in the back, and while there isn’t much room to jam your feet under the seat in front of you, it’s at least good that you’ve got a flat floor in the rear.

Head room isn’t particularly impressive though – a tall adult will find their head pressed up against the roof if they want to sit up straight.

The middle seat is slightly raised compared with the outer two (both of which get Isofix mounts for child seats) so head room is even more reduced. This is not a particularly wide car so three adults side by side will be a real squeeze.

You can’t slide or recline the rear seats, and the tops of the rear windows sit rather low, meaning adults will need to duck down for a better view of the outside world. An electrically folding canvas roof will be available as an option on the higher trim levels in the future.

Ultimately, bigger cars like the Kia EV3 and Smart #3 are more comfortable for adults in the rear seats.

The Renault 4 scores better for its boot though. With 375 litres of storage, it beats what’s on offer in a Jeep Avenger Electric, Smart #1, Vauxhall Mokka Electric and Volvo EX30.

It’s not just the overall boot space that’s decent either: access to it is fantastic thanks to a very wide and tall opening, which is also very low to the ground with virtually no loading lip. It’s the easiest car in the class to lift a suitcase in and out of. An electrically powered tailgate is standard with the range-topping Iconic trim level.

There’s an additional 36 litres of storage on offer under the boot floor in a removable plastic well, which is a handy spot for the charging cables (there’s no front boot unfortunately).

For even more space, you can fold down the rear seats very easily from the boot by reaching in and pushing them down using a button on the tops of the backrests. That does leave a big step up from the bootfloor to the flattened seats though, and there’s no height-adjustable floor to mitigate it. The seats split-fold 60/40, rather than the more versatile 40/20/40.

Removing the parcel shelf is a simple process by the way, and while there isn’t a specific storage solution to keep it neatly tucked away when not in place, it does at least fit very easily into the boot itself.

“The boot is cleverly packaged, and I think it’s great that all its practical features, like the removable underfloor storage, and the hooks and straps in the load bay, come as standard.” – Doug Revolta, Head of Video

Pricing has yet to be confirmed for the new Renault 4 in the UK but it’s expected to undercut a whole host of its rival electric SUVs including the Jeep Avenger Electric and Kia EV3.

Three trim levels are expected, starting with Evolution then Techno, with Iconic topping the line-up. The equipment on offer will mostly mirror that of the Renault 5, meaning even Evolution should be available with automatic air-conditioning, cruise control, keyless entry and an EV heat pump for more efficient warming of the interior in cooler weather.

Techno adds the Google-based infotainment system and adaptive cruise control while the most expensive Iconic trim will add a different alloy wheel design, adjustable lumbar support for the front seats, a heated steering wheel and heated front seats.

A vehicle-to-load function is available as an optional extra, allowing you to power external electrical devices using the car’s battery, and in the future it will be possible to add the electrically folding canvas roof we mentioned earlier on Techno and Iconic trims.

The Renault 4’s safety equipment mirrors that of the Renault 5. That means automatic emergency braking (AEB), driver attention monitoring and lane-keeping assistance come as standard, with Iconic trim adding blind-spot monitoring. The 5 was awarded four stars out of five for safety after testing by Euro NCAP. This Renault 4 will be tested separately and while the results haven’t been announced it’s reasonable to assume a similar overall score.

When it comes to topping up the battery, you can get a 15-80% top up in ideal conditions in around half an hour from a 100kW charger, which is pretty standard for the class. A 7kW home EV charger can top up the battery from flat to full in just under eight hours.

It’s too early to have any specific reliability data for the Renault 4, but we do know that Renault finished in a very respectable ninth out of 31 brands in the 2024 What Car? Reliability Survey.

Every version of the car gets a three-year, 60,000-mile warranty on most components, which is a long way off the fantastic seven-year cover offered by Kia. The main battery gets eight years’ cover.

“It’s expected that the Renault 4 will be around £2000 more expensive than an equivalent Renault 5. Given that the 4 is a more practical car I think that seems fair." – Doug Revolta, Head of Video

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