Renault Twingo E-Tech (2026 - ) review

Accepting that many of the mandated safety warnings and systems in modern cars can prove more annoying than useful Renault is one of a growing number of car makers offering a quick short-cut for switching the more intrusive ones off, a double-tap on a single switch doing the job nicely. To be fair, while the speed alerts often call it wrong as all similar systems do the lane-keeping is among the less irritating of those we’ve experienced, suggesting Renault has done the hard miles on its calibrations. Something many of its rivals very obviously skimp on.

Meanwhile, no fewer than 12 sensors around the car can help you to squeeze into even the tightest of spaces, but if you’re not that confident about parking like a Parisian, Renault offers a hands-free parking function, which is a first for this segment but somewhat alarming in the speed with which it backs into spaces. Hand on heart, we didn’t entirely have faith in it when we tried it!

You’ll also get lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control and blind spot warning, so even on a busy motorway you’ll have a helping hand watching over you. We’ll just have to see which of these systems come as standard and which you’ll have to pay extra for when the UK specification is confirmed.

We don’t expect luxurious trappings in a city car, but the Twingo is mostly comfortable for its size. The front seats aren’t hugely supportive but are fine for everything other than very long journeys. There is a decent level of adjustment available for the driver’s seat, and the steering wheel can be set for reach and rake, so we expect most people will be able to find a suitable driving position, though the dashboard feels unnecessarily tall and spoils your view out.

Pushing the wheels right to the corners of the car benefits the amount of rear passenger space, which is welcomed in such a compact car. Rather than try to squeeze five people into the Twingo there are only two seats in the rear. These can slide forward and back over 170mm independently, and there’s a small amount of adjustment to the seatback angle. When moved all the way back, there’s ample legroom for two adults in the rear, while still retaining 260 litres of boot space. If you need more, sliding the rear seats all the way forward (which can also be done from the boot) can increase cargo capacity to 360 litres. Which, in real terms, isn’t all that huge but will do for the weekly shop. Ride comfort on the move is respectable for the segment, and on the Techno’s larger 18-inch wheels (16-inch wheels are standard on the entry-level Evolution trim), it doesn’t get unsettled by speed bumps or poorer road surfaces.

A classic case of the numbers only telling half the story, the Twingo’s stats not all that impressive on the spec sheet but actually fine out where it matters on the road. Without wanting to get too bogged down in all that the benchmark 0-62mph sprint takes a leisurely 12.1 seconds, so you’ll get used to seeing Teslas disappearing off into the distance when the lights go green. But that doesn’t feel a problem, the modest 82 horsepower of the motor enough given the Twingo doesn’t weigh very much and the little Renault feeling perfectly nippy about town. True, uphill motorway sliproads can be a bit heart-in-mouth but once up to speed the Twingo is delightfully chuckable and great fun to drive in the traditional small French car way.

We also appreciated the adjustable regenerative braking via the paddles behind the steering wheel, offering the option to coast along off the throttle or slow to a complete stop without touching the brake pedal as traffic conditions demand. Like all Renaults on this platform the lack of a ‘park’ setting on the transmission can be frustrating, and it’s too easy to confuse the gear selector for the wipers in hurried situations. But you get the hang of it, and neither are deal-breakers.