Renault Twingo E-Tech (2026 - ) review

While the exact pricing for the Twingo has yet to be formally announced, Renault UK has said that it will be comfortably under the £20,000 mark when it arrives around December this year. Much attention has been paid to designing the bijou Renault so that it is not only cost-effective to build but also affordable to run. Only one modest 27.5kWh battery will be available, providing enough energy for a 163-mile range. A 50kW onboard DC charger can recharge the Twingo from 10 to 80 per cent in half an hour. Its light weight also means it's frugal in how it uses its energy, and Renault UK estimates that it could save drivers almost £670 per year compared to a similarly sized petrol car.

Time will tell as to how dependable the Renault Twingo is, but all the ingredients point towards it being mostly trouble-free. The LFP (lithium-iron phosphate) battery chemistry employed in the Renault is generally regarded as one of the most reliable of EV battery types, and it can also be repeatedly fully charged to 100 per cent without any notable degradation. The motor technology is similar to what Renault already uses in its other models. As with its other models, Renault will back up the Twingo with a warranty package with unlimited mileage cover for the first two years then limited to 100,000 miles or three years, whichever comes first. Furthermore, the traction battery is covered by warranty for up to eight years or 100,000 miles.

Renault kits out the Twingo with all of the same mandated driver assistance and safety features that are standard these days, including a driver monitor and speed limit warnings. Knowing that not all drivers are big fans of such systems, Renault is one of a growing number of car makers that have found smart ways to reduce the distraction that these systems can cause, and two quick taps of a button the side of the dashboard quietens many of the alerts. No less that twelve 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. 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 don’t expect the luxurious trappings of larger cars in a city car, but the Twingo is mostly comfortable for its size. The front seats aren’t hugely supporting 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. 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, Renault opted to only put 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 amounts of 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. Folding the rear seats flat sees that capacity swell to more than 1,000 litres, and even the front passenger seat can be folded flat for loading extra-long items. 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.

Just two specification grades — Evolution and Techno — will be offered with the Renault Twingo, but both are well-equipped and use the same powertrain. The Twingo Evolution gets steel wheels with trims, but aside from those, there’s little else to differentiate the versions. With the larger wheels on the Techno fitted the car looks all but identical to the concept car. Its exterior design is more than a nod to the original Twingo, and details such as the three offset bonnet vents of the original are retained, this time serving as a cover for access to the windscreen washer bottle. Those LED daytime running lights complete the anthropomorphic nature of the Twingo, which looks just like a cute pair of eyes staring back at you. There is a similar treatment to the rear lights, and these include a small shark fin on top, which engineers added to manage airflow at the car’s rear as an alternative to installing a larger rear spoiler that designers felt would detract from its overall appearance. All versions get a 7-inch digital instrument display and a good-sized steering wheel that contains proper buttons. The same 10-inch touchscreen that features in other Renault models provides an Android-based infotainment system that runs Google Maps and has access to the Google Play Store to download additional apps. Smartphone mirroring is also possible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

In offering only one battery and motor for the Twingo, Renault has made it very easy for buyers to decide what to do. The small battery may seem below par on paper, especially by today’s standards, but the Twingo is relatively light which helps with efficiency. It also means the 82-horsepower electric motor doesn’t have its work cut out for it. The 0-62mph time of 12.1 seconds might not seem like much to write home about, but it's the 3.8 seconds to get up to 30 miles per hour from rest that’s arguably the more relevant figure here, given the car’s remit. Power delivery is predictably smooth, and you can adjust the strength of the energy recuperation via the steering wheel paddles. In the highest setting is the one-pedal mode, which is ideal for driving in heavy traffic and in town, as the reduction in speed is quite strong. This, combined with its light and direct steering, makes the Twingo a car which can put a smile on your face even on the dullest of daily commutes.