Renault 4 Review

Introduction

Renault has launched its all-electric Renault 4 E-Tech, a modern-day reinvention of the iconic model that was dubbed the “Blue Jeans Car” due to its versatility back in the 1960s.

Fast-forward to 2025 and we have a fully-electrified Renault 4 that, like the recently-launch Renault 5, has already been scooping awards.

Similarly to its namesake, it boasts go-anywhere practicality thanks to a raised ground clearance and customers can choose between three trims called evolution, techno and iconic. There is also a ‘plein sud’ version complete with canvas roof for added fun.

Prices start from £26,995 with £2,000 price increments as you move up through the grades with all cars featuring a 52kWh battery and single-speed automatic transmission.

We opted for the high end Renault 4 iconic for our test drive costing £30,995, but is this car the ideal follow-up to the excellent Renault 5 and does its price-tag cut it in an arena awash with bargain-basement Chinese models?

At a glance

The five-door Renault 4 has plenty of kerb appeal with a number of design cues referencing the original model, such as a front grille made from a single 1.45-metre panel. This is illuminated from techno grade upwards. There is a modern take on the three-part tail lights with neat lines and LED technology, while the three lines sculpted into the doors are a hint to the plastic protectors seen on the original car.

Other design features include 18-inch black diamond cut alloys, roof rails, LED daytime running lights, two-tone paint and privacy glass – all of which give the car a thoroughly modern twist.

Key features

Just like the recently launched Renault 5, the new all-electric Renault 4 E-Tech is offered in three trim levels.

Entry-level evolution features a seven-inch driver display with 10-inch multi-media touchscreen, wireless smartphone connectivity via Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, cruise control, automatic air conditioning, rear parking sensors, a rearview camera, cloth seats, plus 18-inch alloy wheels.

Step up to mid-grade techno and you will see a larger 10-inch driver display screen, navigation and built-in Google services, ChatGPT AI personal assistant, adaptive cruise control, a wireless smartphone charger, front, rear and side parking sensors, hands-free parking, rear privacy glass, plus upgraded upholstery and wheels. There is also the choice between solid or canvas roof.

And finally, range topping iconic, as tested, introduces a wealth of extra kit. There is heated seats and a heated steering wheel, two-tone paint, an electric handsfree tailgate, refined upholstery and upgraded alloys, the choice of a fixed or canvas roof, plus extra safety features, such as blind spot warning, rear occupant safe exit assist, and rear cross traffic alert.

Range and batteries

The Renault 4 E-Tech has a 52kWh lithium-ion battery that offers a WLTP -tested driving range of between 241 and 247 miles, dependant on the trim level and wheel size. It’s worth noting that a heat pump is fitted as standard across all models and this helps prepare the battery, especially in colder weather. Want to know more about EV car range? Check out our guide explaining electric car range.

Performance and drive

The Renault 4 E-Tech is only available with front-wheel drive and has a 52kWh battery pack and electric motor delivering 150hp and 245Nm of torque. With sharp acceleration through the single-speed automatic transmission, it can complete the 0-62mph dash in 8.2 seconds and has a top speed of 93mph.

With a driving range of up to 247 miles between charges, there will be little range anxiety concerns and the all-round performance also impresses.

The car was confident when faced with twisting country lanes offering good grip whilst cornering and no sign of body sway despite its fairly upright design. Joining faster moving motorways from a slip road will be easy thanks to the instant turn of pace and this model will happily cruise at 70mph with adaptive cruise control making longer trips more relaxing.

There are drive modes that are accessed via a Multi Sense button on the steering wheel and these are called Eco, Comfort, Sport and Perso. These alter the responses and handling considerably with Sport mode livening up the reactions and also altering the displays with extra red graphics.

Additionally, steering wheel paddles can be used to adjust the strength of the regenerative braking with three levels to select from. In its highest setting, single-pedal driving is possible. This is really beneficial in busy stop and go city or town centre driving.

While the suspension feels slightly softer than the Renault 5, it certainly isn’t spongy. It simply does a great job of smoothing out most bumps and dips along the way.

My only real gripe was the size of the rear headrests. They block out a large area of the back window making visibility quite poor. Yes, there are sensors and a reversing camera, but I would prefer better all-round visibility.

Charging

Rapid charging at a capacity of 100kW is possible and that means a 15 to 80 per cent boost can be achieved in 33 minutes or a zero to 100 per cent charge in 55 minutes. It will be more cost effective to charge the battery at home or at the workplace rather than expensive motorway hubs. If using a 7.4kW wallbox, a 0 to 100 per cent charge takes 7 hours, 47 minutes, or the same charge can be achieved in 4 hours, 51 minutes if connected to an 11kW port.

Want to learn more about EV charging? Head on over to our complete guide to electric car charging.

Running costs and emissions

The Renault 4 is a purely electric vehicle so there are no fuel efficiency or carbon emission charges to factor in when accounting for day-to-day running costs.

And despite recent reductions in the number of financial incentives afforded to EV owners, there are still very attractive savings to be made.

For example, with its zero g/km carbon emissions status, the car will feature on many company car lists thanks to its low Benefit in Kind tax rating of just three per cent.

EV owners now have to pay road tax on their cars for the first time, although the first-year fee is just £10 before increasing to the standard £195 charge after 12 months. And with all models costing less than the Government’s £40k threshold, there is no need to factor in the Expensive Car Supplement that adds a further £425 to tax bills from years two to six.

Another bonus is the Government’s recent announcement concerning the reintroduction of its EV grant which sees Renault’s line-up of E-Tech models, including the Renault 4, eligible for a £1,500 grant.

The Renault 4 E-Tech iconic, as tested, sits in insurance group 28.

Interior and tech

Drive the Renault 4 and 5 back-to-back and there are strong parallels when it comes to the interior design. But that’s not a bad thing as both cars feature stylish cabins with a wealth of tech at your disposal.

Our top-of-the-range Renault 4 E-Tech iconic model had manually adjustable seats with electric lumbar adjustment. These are upholstered in a striking quilted black leather-look material with yellow ribbon trim. The dash board is also decked out in the same upholstery with flashes of yellow and neat Renault 4 badging. There are plenty of hints to the car’s French heritage too with red, white and blue stripes and miniature flags throughout.

The main focal point is the twin-infotainment screens set-up that sit behind a curved panel and are separated by the power button. The 10-inch central touchscreen with Google is the access point to the many on-board features, including sat nav with Google maps, Android Auto and wireless Apple CarPlay, plus an Arkamys sound system.

The system is very intuitive and easy to operate on the move with clear readouts and large icons being an added bonus.

Behind the squircle-shaped steering wheel, which offers reach-only adjustment, is a 10.3-inch digital driver information display where the vital data such as speed, battery charge levels and existing driving range can be viewed.

A plus-point is the number of physical switches and panels that make altering the climate control far easier than having to navigate an over-complicated touchscreen menu. And Reno, Renault’s virtual assistant avatar can help with a number of tasks along the way, including scheduling charging, setting up Bluetooth and offering EV-specific driving tips to maximise the range.

There are two USB-C ports up front, with another two in the back, along with a wireless charging pad.

The steering wheel is very busy with stalks poking out at all angles. To the right is the gear shifter, audio controls and wipers, while the lights and indicators are controlled via another lever jutting out the left of the wheel. This could have been simplified in our opinion.

Practicality and boot space

The Renault 4 E-Tech boasts a strong road presence stretching 4,144mm in length, 2,020mm wide (including mirrors) and 1,572mm tall, including the roof rails. With a wheelbase of 2,624mm, space within the cabin is generous with ample room up front for a couple of six footers to fit comfortably.

There is space in the back for two more adults on fairly short trips, but the room is definitely best suited to youngsters.

The boot is easily accessed via a powered tailgate and it can swallow 420 litres of kit, a limit that quickly expands to 1,405 litres with the 60:40 split-folding rear seats dropped flat. A low sill makes it easier to load heavy or awkwardly-shaped goods and there is extra space beneath the boot floor to store cables.

Although there is no frunk space beneath the bonnet, there is however a wealth of practical compartments scattered throughout the cabin, including a glovebox that sits forward and low down in the dashboard to maximise front passenger leg space, narrow door bins, a small cubby box, cup holders, seat back pockets, a wireless charging pad, some trays along with front and rear USB-C ports to keep devices charged on the move.

It’s easy to get a comfortable driving position thanks to the manually adjustable driving seat and, thanks to the elevated seating, all round driver visibility impresses too (apart from through the rear screen with large headrests blocking the view).

Another notable plus point is the Renault 4 E-Tech supports Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) charging. This means you can power up external devices such as lighting, kettles, laptops and other electrical appliances from the car.

Safety

The Renault 4 E-Tech was recently tested for its Euro NCAP safety rating and was awarded four stars out of five, achieving a 79 per cent score for Adult Occupants, 85 per cent for Child Occupants, 73 per cent for Vulnerable Road Users and 68 per cent for Safety Assist.

The list of safety features and driver assistance aids is comprehensive, especially on the range-topping iconic model. It features distance warning, lane departure warning, occupant safe exit alert, lane keeping assist, blind spot warning, rear cross traffic alert, forward detection with emergency lane keep assist, rear detection with emergency lane keep assist, automatic emergency braking along with a junction warning, rear automatic emergency braking, traffic sign recognition with speed alert, plus driver fatigue.

Additionally, there are a number of parking aids, including hands-free parking and the likes of adaptive cruise control to make longer journeys more enjoyable.

Options

As is the norm with modern day vehicles competing in the crossover sector, there are all manner of ways to put your own individual stamp on the car via the extensive range of optional extras. There is even a baguette basket – only the French could carry that one off!

Some shades of paintwork are standard, but if you want to upgrade that will add £650 to the final cost. Additionally, bonnet customisation is an extra £100.

Moving inside, there are 36 accessories to choose from, including a personalised central storage compartment lid (£39), central organisers in various colours (£40), a rear tray table (£102), a headrest hanger (£82), a removable multi-use bin (£40) and that baguette basket (£120).

There is a Kenwood dashcam pack which includes fitment in the £343 price, side steps (£499), a Protection Pack (£423), mudguards (£214), an EV pack (£216), a removable towbar (£695), Touring pack (£609) and Cycle pack (£460).

Our test car featured upgraded Diamond Black paintwork, which added £650 to the final bill.

Rival cars

The all-electric Renault 4 E-Tech is competing in a very busy sector with rivals including the Ford Puma Gen-E, Jeep Avenger Electric, Vauxhall Mokka Electric, Skoda Elroq and Volvo EX30. These are just a handful of the car’s competitors – we could have chosen from at least a dozen more.

Verdict and next steps

Small electric crossover models are arriving in UK showrooms at a rapid pace with new manufacturers (mainly from China) seemingly popping up every other week.

So, the Renault 4 will face some stiff competition. But it does have a trump car and that’s the fact that the French carmaker has been selling EVs for decades now so has plenty of expertise and know-how to draw upon. Additionally, it oozes nostalgic charm and character.

While the Renault 4 is closely linked to its slightly smaller sibling, the Renault 5, it boasts its own identity and features more robust styling cues along with additional passenger and storage space.

We drove the top-of-the-range iconic version with all the bells and whistles Renault could throw at it, but if you’re looking to keep costs down, it will be worth checking out the lower trims too.

Where to next?

View latest Renault 4 E-Tech lease deals - from just £253.26 per month inc VAT**.

Call us on 0118 3048 688 or hit the green 'Enquire' button for more details.

Looking for a great leasing deal? Check out our incredible range of Special Offers and Lease Deals. 

New mid size Hatchback? Read our latest Reviews and find the right model for you.

Want to know more about leasing? Take a look at our comprehensive Leasing Guides.

Interested in everything motoring? Why not catch up on all the latest Car Leasing News.

**Score based on Select’s unique meta score analysis, taking into account the UK’s top leading independent car website reviews of the Renault 4 E-Tech

**Correct as of 21/08/2025. Based on 9 months initial payment, 5,000 miles annually, over a 36month lease. Initial payment equivalent to 9 monthly payments, or £2,279.34 (Plus admin fee) Ts and Cs apply. Credit is subject to status.