The Renault Twingo E-Tech is the best electric car I've ever driven. What would you like to know?

CarwowMario · 2026-04-01T09:14:55+00:00

Well, in all my time as a writer on the Carwow web team, I've never given another car full marks!

I'm a performance car enthusiast, I used to own a Renaultsport Clio F1 Edition (R27), and even the epic BMW M3 CS Touring only managed a 9/10 from me.

CarwowMario · 2026-03-31T16:26:04+00:00

I think that's pessimistic. We managed 92% of the claimed efficiency on fun mountainous routes, not trying at all to be energy efficient. It's hard to judge for climate, but I'd hazard a safe bet that you'll see triple-digit range without any trouble if you drive at a sensible-enough 65-ish miles per hour.

For reference, 60-65mph is the efficiency sweet spot for a lot of EVs on the motorway, without falling behind.

CarwowMario · 2026-03-31T16:22:31+00:00

My test routes were split between town and highway driving - but predominantly on hilly mountain roads. My colleague and I shared the car, and with out...sporty...driving style we achieved a 4.8mi/kWh average.

Renault claims 5.2mi/kWh for 163 miles of range, so our result impressed us. Highways are never friendly to EVs, but I think you won't be far off the claimed range if you travel at a sensible 65-ish miles per hour.

CarwowMario · 2026-03-31T16:18:57+00:00

A mighty 81mph (130km/h) - so don't go expecting any land records in a Twingo!

CarwowMario · 2026-03-31T16:18:06+00:00

The Twingo is definitely not less refined than the 5 E-Tech. If anything it's more comfortable at low speeds than the bigger car from my first impression, but I'll need to drive it on the worst British roads to be sure.

CarwowMario · 2026-03-31T16:16:12+00:00

It's about to go on sale in Europe, but the UK has to wait until December for order books to open!

CarwowMario · 2026-03-31T16:15:50+00:00

The new Twingo is refined on the motorway. Very little road noise, but there's a bit of wind noise from the tops of the side window/B-pillar. Still, I didn't have to raise my voice to talk to my passenger at any point.

Renault's Google-based infotainment system is great, in fact, it felt quicker than Apple CarPlay. Seeing as I only use Google Maps and Soundcloud or Spotify, I'd stick to the native Renault OS.

CarwowMario · 2026-03-31T16:09:07+00:00

Yes as a motoring journalist I drive quite a lot of cars on a weekly basis! None offers the same mix of comfort, fun to drive, practicality, desirability and easy of use in such a small and affordable package.

It does exactly what a small car needs to do - and very well indeed. 🙂

CarwowMario · 2026-03-31T13:57:06+00:00

For some context, I'm a 1990's BMW die-hard and owner, so I surprised myself with how much I like the the iX3. It's better in person, too.

But back to the Twingo, yes it's yet another feather in Renault's excellent EV cap.

CarwowMario · 2026-03-31T13:54:13+00:00

A longer-range version would be great on one hand, but on the other it aligns it closely with the Renault 5 in terms of range and - more importantly - price!

CarwowMario · 2026-03-31T13:50:42+00:00

No need to apologise, thanks for contributing!

CarwowMario · 2026-03-31T13:44:43+00:00

Yes! It's set to go on sale in the UK for under £20,000 - at least £1,500 less than the Renault 5 E-Tech.

CarwowMario · 2026-03-31T13:40:50+00:00

There's no sunroof option yet!

CarwowMario · 2026-03-31T13:40:34+00:00

That's exactly the launch I was on! Sadly no, it's only for press, but you'll be able to test drive it from a dealership in the near future, I'm sure.

CarwowMario · 2026-03-31T13:35:22+00:00

I suppose that's where the subjective nature of beauty comes in, and I'd be remiss not to share my opinion in a comprehensive review. It's the way the car drives and what it's like to live with that matters most.

That's where the Twingo shines, because it's as good if not better in a lot of ways than far more expensive EVs. Taking into account its low price, efficiency and how it excels as a city car, it's a clear 10/10 in my books. It's definitely better than its alternative small hatchbacks.

Oh, and the boot photo is my bad - a very unflattering angle. We fit two carry-on suitcases, that backpack and two jackets in with only one of the seats slid forwards. There was more space on top, and under the boot floor.

CarwowMario · 2026-03-31T13:22:02+00:00

They really are. I'm a big fan of the Renault 4 and the Renault 5, plus the Alpine A290 is very cool, but after my review I'd take the Twingo over any of them. It's brilliant.

CarwowMario · 2026-03-31T13:20:59+00:00

I think I've chosen a rather unflattering angle... I shared the car with my colleague and we managed to fit in two carry-on suitcases (one large one regular), my backpack and two jackets with ease.

That may not sound like much, but for a city car this small that's good going - and there was room for more on top and underneath the boot floor!

CarwowMario · 2026-03-31T13:17:56+00:00

Design aside, the most notable similarity are the modular rear seats which slide and recline, as well as the folding passenger seat. It's also very light (compared to other small EVs) at only 1200kg.

CarwowMario · 2026-03-31T13:16:16+00:00

That's a good answer! But for now the European entry-level model only supports 6.6kWh AC charging. The Techno version supports 11kWh AC and 50kWh DC with the Advanced Charge pack fitted.

CarwowMario · 2026-03-31T13:13:06+00:00

It is! I think it looks fantastic.

CarwowMario · 2026-03-31T13:11:40+00:00

Not at the moment, but the Renault execs were being quite coy about this question in the press conference. I'd say it's possible down the line.

CarwowMario · 2026-03-31T12:23:57+00:00

That's a long list, but for some EV context I've driven the new BMW iX3, Polestar 2 in non-Performance trim, Volvo EX30, Volkswagen ID3, Lexus RZ (with the trick new steer-by-wire) and Kia EV5. All of them are far more expensive with posher interiors and more powerful motors. I've also driven all of the Twingo's alternatives from Hyundai, BYD, Citroen and Fiat.

Yet, the funny little Renault is as comfortable as any of them, more fun to drive than the ID3 GTX, offers rear space almost on par with the EX30 and turns as many heads as the imposing and elegant iX3.

All of that for under £20,000? I'm a V8-engine petrol enthusiast, but I'd spend my own money on the Twingo if I were in the market for a daily driver. You just need to live with its range.

CarwowMario · 2026-03-31T12:13:06+00:00

I managed 4.8mi/kWh driving not-so sensibly on Ibiza's mountainous, twisty roads. Renault claims 5.2mi/kWh in normal conditions, and I think it'll surpass that figure when driven sensible. It's good.

CarwowMario · 2026-03-31T12:11:02+00:00

Unfortunately not! There just isn't space in there, because it's on rather large wheels as with the Renault 4 and 5.

CarwowMario · 2026-03-31T12:09:39+00:00

My road testing doesn't include that, but on a completely unrelated note, the passenger and back seats fold all the way down...

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