Reviving an old name from your past is fraught with risk if you’re a car maker. People look back at their old cars with misty-eyed fondness, and bringing back a much-loved name risks the ‘it was better in my day’ crowd labelling it as a pastiche. It’s a risk that Renault has taken twice now, with Renault 4 and Renault 5 E-Tech electric, both of which have been smash hits. However, Renault Twingo E-Tech electric has the potential to be the biggest success of them all.
As with Renault 4 and Renault 5, Twingo has ultramodern looks that hark back to those of the original Twingo back in 1992, but shrouded in the contemporary clothing lies a cutting-edge powertrain, modern-day practicality, and an interior that gives every single journey a sense of fun. It’s small, stylish, and competitively priced.
Here are six reasons why we’re excited about Renault Twingo E-Tech electric.
1# Style, character and design
Just look at it. The new car is unmistakably Twingo. The rounded, full-LED headlights give it a wide-eyed appearance, and the smiling grille conveys a sense of happiness. It’s a car that brings a sense of joy to your daily journeys, and people can’t help but get caught up in that joy as you drive past in such a cheeky, cheerful machine. No wonder it’s been nicknamed “Le Frog” in France, such is the cartoon-amphibian nature of its front end looks.
The style doesn’t stop at the front, either, because Twingo has a proper wheel-at-each-corner stance, and there are similarly sassy arched lights at the rear. How Renault has managed to cram quite so much effervescence into a vehicle that’s just 3.79 metres long is a marvel.
2# Fun interior with tactile touches
There’s no point in having a car that shouts ‘I’m fun, drive me’ if you get inside and all the joy evaporates in a sea of blandness. There’s no such issue with Renault Twingo E-Tech electric, because the inside is just as invigorating and engaging as the outside.
The cabin features colourful elements that give it a bright, welcoming feel, while the roof lining is etched with the alphabet and symbols in the unique Twingo font.
Front and centre sits a large 10.1-inch touchscreen that has Google(1) built-in. That means you can use features like Google Maps without connecting your phone. What’s more, because it’s built-in, Google Maps knows how much range you have, and can automatically plan a charging stop on a long journey if you need it.
It also features Google Assistant, so you can talk to your Twingo, and even control elements of the car – like the temperature – with a simple voice command. The inclusion of Google’s Play Store means there’s a choice of loads of apps to download, such as Waze, Spotify and EasyPark.
The digital driver’s display screen is clear, and features fonts and graphics that are cheerful to the eye. And Renault has also made sure Twingo has physical dials and buttons for the air-conditioning, which makes it all a doddle to use on the move.
3# Unexpected practicality and sliding rear seats
When putting together the design of Twingo, Renault wanted a car that was small on the outside but which felt big on the inside. It has certainly managed that.
