New Renault 4 first look: a small but spacious electric car with retro styling
October 14, 2024 by Jamie Edkins
Car changing is a big deal
This is the new Renault 4, a modern reboot of the classic 60s hatch which offers decent practicality in a small, city friendly package, and it’ll cost less than £30,000.
- New Renault 4 revealed
- An all-electric reboot of the classic hatch
- Boxy exterior design
- Spacious and practical interior
- Up to 248 miles of range
- On sale next year for less than £30,000
It’s been around a year now since we first saw the new Renault 5, and now the French brand is continuing the trend of reinventing classic models with this: the new Renault 4.
Despite what the name might suggest, it’s actually slightly larger than the 5 – slotting between the retro hatch and the more futuristic-looking Megane E-Tech. Carwow has gotten hands-on with this new electric car, and on first impressions there’s a lot to like.
New Renault 4 design
Renault’s current EV lineup is a tale of two halves. At the higher end of the range you have the Scenic and Megane E-Tech, two electric SUVs which look very modern and nothing like anything we’ve seen from the brand before. Then you have the new Renault 4 and 5 which are both modern interpretations of classic models.
The first Renault 4 came out in the early 1060s, and it’s clear that this new one is heavily inspired by the original. This is most obvious from the side, where you can see this car has the same boxy dimensions and flat panels.
Up front you have very similar circular headlamps as well, although they’re encased in a sort of perspex trophy case – along with Renault’s first ever illuminated badge. You may think this would be a pain in a small front end shunt because you’d have to replace the entire front light assembly, but you can actually replace it in sections to keep repair costs low.
At the rear you have thin rectangular tail lamps just like the original 4, as well as a completely flat tailgate which follows the same shallow angle from the roof to the floor. This not only harks back to the retro hatchback, but it also provides a practical benefit.
New Renault 4 boot space and practicality
You see that unique rear end shape has allowed Renault to give the new 4 a really low loading sill, just 60cm off the ground to be precise, making it around knee height so getting heavy bags in is easy.
At 420 litres, the boot is an impressive size for a car this small. For reference, the Renault 4 is actually slightly smaller than an MG4 and yet it has over 130 litres more boot space than that car. Granted, around 35 litres of space is under the boot floor, but that still leaves you with 385 litres to play with. There are also some handy hooks for your shopping bags, and the rear seats fold completely flat to make it easy to carry bulky furniture.
Moving into the rear seats and you have a good amount of space. Legroom is fine, even for taller adults, and the boxy roofline affords decent headroom as well. The middle seat is a bit narrow, but there is a completely flat floor so there won’t be any squabbling over foot space. It’s just a shame that the floor is a bit high so you feel a bit like you’re sitting in a stress position.
There’s no rear centre armrest either which is annoying, but at least you do get decent door bins and a couple of USB-C charging points with a handy slot to hide your phone away while it charges.
Getting comfy up front is easy as well, with loads of adjustment in the seats and the steering wheel to find your ideal driving position. Hiding all your bits and bobs out the way is easy thanks to a large glovebox and a centre console cubby, and you get a couple of cup holders as well.
In front of these is a wireless charging pad for your phone, as well as some USB-C points so you’re never short on power for your devices. You can also customise the centre console with colourful accessories, such as a little divider for the cup holder to keep things like pens and lipstick. The Renault 5’s baguette holder also fits in the 4.
New Renault 5 interior design and infotainment
At a glance, the Renault 4 has a very similar interior layout to the 5. This is no surprise because the two cars are pretty much identical under the skin, and it’s also no bad thing because it’s a properly funky-looking cabin.
The multi-layered dashboard looks great, and you can get it covered in some cool-looking fabrics as well. The blue denim-effect is arguably the coolest, and it’s a throwback to the original 4’s nickname – the “blue jeans” car. The seats can also be trimmed in this fabric with brass-effect buttons on the side – just like on your favourite pair of Levis.
Quality is pretty decent on the whole as well, especially for a car in this class. There are some hard plastics on the door tops and lower dashboard, but everything in your direct eyeline and anything you touch is soft-touch, and it all feels solidly built.
The infotainment system is also the same as the Renault 5’s, meaning all cars get a 10.0-inch touchscreen with Renault’s excellent Google-based software. It’s easy to use with a bright and crisp display, and you get apps such as Google Maps and Spotify built in.
What’s slightly annoying is that Renault has stuck with its steering column-mounted audio controls which are a bit fiddly to use, and with this, the wiper stalk and your gear selector on this side there’s a bit too much going on.
This is a small fly in what is otherwise a very pleasant ointment though. All but the entry-level cars also get a 10.1-inch digital driver’s display, with basic models getting a 7.0-inch screen. You can also get a retractable fabric roof which floods the cabin with light and offers wind-in-the-hair motoring.
New Renault 4 motors, batteries and range
The new Renault 4 shares motors and batteries with the Renault 5, although it does without the entry-level 95hp unit. All cars get a single motor powering the front wheels with either 120hp or 150hp.
Official 0-60mph times haven’t been revealed yet, however Renault told Carwow that the 120hp version should crack the sprint in around 9.5 seconds, while the more powerful car will be around second quicker.
Either of these will be plenty nippy enough around town, and this is also the first Renault to offer a one-pedal driving mode – meaning you can come to a complete stop just by lifting off the accelerator. This feature will also be introduced on the Renault 5.
As for range, the lower-powered model gets a 40kWh battery pack with 186 miles of range. That’s exactly the same as the Renault 5 with the same pack, and it’s around 3 miles short of the basic Mini Cooper Electric. This will be more than adequate for most daily commutes.
If you’re looking to venture a bit further, the more powerful car has a 52kWh battery giving it up to 248 miles of range, which once again is the same as the Renault 5. It’s also almost 30 miles more than the Vauxhall Corsa Electric can manage.
Both cars will charge from 10-80% in 30 minutes from a DC fast charger, although the smaller battery will only take 80kW while the 150hp model can manage 100kW.
New Renault 4: how much is it?
Exact pricing hasn’t been announced yet, but we’re told by Renault that the new 4 will sit between the 5 and the Megane E-Tech. This means you can expect the entry-level car to start from a snip under £30,000. The car will be available to order in the spring 2025, with first deliveries starting in the third quarter.
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