2025 Renault 4 E-Tech Electric Review | Retro Style, Modern EV Tech & 1.5K Movement EV Grant! #AD
Hi everyone and welcome back to AutoOsocial UK. Today I’m behind the wheel of the brand new Renault 4 E Tech Electric. Now this is a small SUV with big personality and an even bigger name to live up to. Anyone that knows their motoring history will know that the original Renault 4 was an absolute icon. First launched in the 1960s, it was affectionately known as the blue jeans car because it was practical, affordable, and it was just as at home in the city as it was bouncing around a country lane. And if anyone hasn’t worked out the reference yet, it basically means that it was extremely versatile and it fit in everywhere, just like your favorite pair of blue jeans. Over 8 million of them were sold worldwide before production ended in the 80s. Renault 4s that is not blue jeans. However, that means that Renault isn’t just reviving a badge here. It’s bringing back an entire ethos. Fast forward to 2025 and the new Renault 4 E Tech electric aims to channel that same go everywhere versatility, but with zero emissions. You’ve got the cuttingedge technology that we know from Renault and a design that confidently blends retro charm with modern electric SUV stance. The question is, can it really live up to its legendary name? And does it make sense against a growing list of small electric SUVs? Well, you’re going to have to keep watching to find out the answers to those questions. Oh, and if you want to test drive your very own Renault 4, then you can do that at John Banks Renault. They’ve all arrived now. Not to mention that the brand has also just announced that all of its electric products will receive the level two government electric grant. And that means there’s currently huge savings to be had across the whole range, including the Renault 4. But just before we dive into the rest of the review, we’re going to take a little bit of an ad break. I recently got to tackle two of the best mountain drives I’ve ever done. One was in the Albanian Alps and the other was snaking through the Atlas Mountains in Morocco. Both were absolutely unforgettable. The kind of roads that make you fall in love with driving all over again. But here’s the thing. Getting behind the wheel abroad isn’t always as straightforward as it seems. And that is exactly why I always travel with this. This is an international driver’s permit from today’s sponsor, the International Drivers Association. An IDP is a super handy document that translates your existing driver’s license into 12 different languages, so rental companies, but also traffic authorities abroad can instantly understand it. It’s recognized in over 150 countries. And trust me, having one of these in your glove box can really be the difference between getting waved on or getting fined at a roadside stop. The application took me less than a minute online. You get both a digital version, but also the printed version, and mine turned up in just a few days later. If you’re planning a road trip overseas, especially somewhere off of the beaten track, like Morocco or the Balcons, then I highly recommend sorting your IDP in advance. And the best bit, you can use my exclusive link down below or simply scan the barcode on the screen. Use the code autosocial UK10 at checkout and you’ll get 10% off of your application. Now, let’s get back to the video. Before we get into how it drives, let’s take a quick look at the three different trim levels which are available inside of the UK. Evolution is the entry level into the Renault 4 range. Starting from $26995, it still comes really well equipped with 18in alloy wheels. You get a 10-in centrals touchscreen. You get wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. And you also get a slightly smaller 7in digital driver’s display. Rear view camera, keyless entry, and a full suite of safety systems like lanekeeping assist and autonomous emergency braking are all standard. The interior also gets quilted fabric seats with trricolor stitching. Step into the techno, the one that I’m driving today, and the list really does grow significantly. You get the illuminated front grill. You also get a 10in digital driver’s display. Google built-in infotainment system, which gets Google Maps and also Google Assistant. You get wireless phone charging, adaptive cruise control with stop and go. You get front and side parking sensors, ambient interior lighting, and a really cool denim inspired interior made from 100% recycled textiles. That price is $2895. At the top of the range is the iconic from $13995. This trim adds heated front seats and a heated steering wheel. You also get a hands-free powered boot, blind spot warnings, rear cross traffic alert. And you also get lane centering and an upgraded interior, this time with houndstooth and quilted materials. On the outside, it also swaps for Parisian style 18in alloys. And it adds more driver assistance features, making it the most tech loaded Renault 4 that you can buy. However, unlike the Renault 5, you haven’t got two battery options to choose from. In the Renault 4, it’s very, very simple. There’s just one 52 kWh battery. So, the model that I’m driving today is the midspec Techno trim, and for me, this is the sweet spot in the Renault 4 range. Power comes from a single electric motor producing 150 brake horsepower, and that’s paired together with 245 Newton meters of torque powered by that 52 kWh battery. Now, official range is up to 247 mi on the WLTP cycle, and it’s versatile when it comes to charging. You can use 11 kW of AC charging at home and at work, and then 100 kW of DC charging on the go. And that means you get a 15 to 80% charge in about half an hour. Performance-wise, naugh to 62 takes 8.2 seconds, and it’s frontwheel drive only, which keeps things light and efficient. Out on the road, the Renault 4 is easygoing and comfortable. The suspension does a really great job over rougher UK roads, and the light steering makes it effortless to drive in town. It’s not a sporty drive. It’s more about comfort and refinement than sharp handling. But saying that, it’s still brisk enough for everyday use and confident inducing when you need to overtake. The regenerative braking is smooth and adjustable via the paddles behind the steering wheel. And you do actually have a one pedal mode which you don’t have in the Renault 5 which will bring you to a complete stop or just about. If you’re feeling a little bit confused about the size of the Renault 4, then don’t worry. So was I. But basically it’s bigger than a Renault Cleo but it’s shorter than a Renault Capture. And compared to the Renault 5, when you sit in the back you might not notice a huge amount of difference but all of the added space is all in the boot which I can’t wait to show you. I was really quite blown away. But in terms of styling, I love the styling of the Renault 4. It needed to be something special to stand aside from the really popular Renault 5, and they’ve done just that. It has a completely different personality. This to me is more retro, more cutesy, whereas the Renault 5 has a little bit more attitude about it. I love these round headlamps that remind you of the 1960s Renault 4. But this is a new generation car and that means you get a fully illuminated grill all the way around the outside and also the illuminated badge. As I mentioned, this is standard on the Techno trim and above. It has so many little design details which do remind you of that 1960s car. For instance, you’ve got the stripes down the side. You also have the details in the bottom of this bumper as well. It’s not exactly the same, but it plays on that retro history, and I really, really like that. There’s also so many little design details. Inside of the lights, you’ll find little four badges. And then on the side of the car, you have this little French flag, but then also it just tells you that it was built in the electric city in France. All versions get 18in alloy wheels, and it does have that slightly rugged look about it. You’ve got these wide plastic wheel arches, and you’ve also on this Techno trim and above got a set of roof rails as well. So, it definitely looks adventure ready. contrasting door mirrors, contrasting roof rails, and I love the color options as well. Just like lots of the Renault range, you have something a little bit different. And the retro details don’t stop around the back either. Here you have the vertically stacked 3D rear lights, just like on the 1960s car. And one of my favorite little design details, you have Renault, which is spelled out across the top of this number plate that feels so uber retro. But there’s something else which this car shares with the existing 1960s Renault 4 and it’s something which has aided massively to its practicality and it’s the way that the boot opens. So as I open the boot of the Renault 4, you will notice it comes all the way down right into the bottom of the bumper. That makes it so so practical. Inside of here you get 420 L. And that’s not where the practicality ends. It’s not just about the space. It’s about how easy it is to use. For instance, that low loading space means that you can get wheelchairs inside, push chairs, larger suitcases, which without having to haul them up over a high area. You also have this little split folding boot floor. And underneath here, you have a removable plastic section. This is amazing. So, this pops out. You can put your dirty charging cables in there. You can put muddy well boots, anything you like. And then once you’ve done rinsing that out, you can simply pop it back into the bottom of the boot. You also have elastic areas which will hold your charging cables and also your breakdown kits in place to stop them from rolling around. You have little sections just up high where you can pop smaller items. You’ve got handy things like little luggage hooks and also a 12volt charging port. It’s the perfect way of taking that DNA from the existing model and bring it into a new era and aiding with its practicality. Boot’s quite heavy, so you might want to go for the top spec. Now, whilst boot space is class leading, it’s not quite so class leading in the rear. It’s still pretty tight. A little bit bigger than the Renault 5, but it still is not going to be a large family car. It does have three individual seats, but you wouldn’t want to put three people back here. It would be a little bit too tight and you’d definitely be struggling with arm space. Leg room, however, and head room is pretty good, so it’s good to have the third seat as an emergency, and it’s definitely a bonus to have all of that extra boot space. Amenities are okay. I’ve got two USBC charge ports and storage. I’ve got pockets on the backs of the seats, a little extra pocket for a mobile phone, and I’ve also got storage in the door cards, but it’s very apparent that there’s no rear seat ventilation back here. It does feel a little bit stuffy and claustrophobic on a hot day like today, but that’s the only negative because actually this nice denim interior is so squashy and comfy. So, it does feel very comfortable. I really love with new cars when it’s visible inside that the designers have been allowed to have a bit of fun and that’s so apparent inside of this four. I love the interiors. This is the second one that I’ve actually driven. The first one was a topsp spec model, but this one is the midspec model and I think I prefer this interior. Blue denim, just going back to that real ethos that they’re pushing with this car and I really like it. You have these really thick bolstered seats with this imitation leather down the sides and then you have this central mix of denim materials. It feels really cool. You’ve also got ISOIX fitments on that front seat as well, meaning you’ve got three ISOIXes in the car of the Renault 4. I also like the fact that you’ve got this padded fabric roof as well, and that soaks up a lot of the sound on the road. It’s very quiet when you’re driving it. You also have this padded dashboard, too. Might not be to everybody’s taste, but I really like it. It’s a bit of fun. And you have got a real mix of materials inside this cabin. Sure, there’s some cheaper ones when you’re lower down and on top of the doors, but actually there’s such a nice mix that I don’t mind those too much. You’ve got the fabric across the dash and the doors and the seats, but then you’ve also got that imitation leather which is on these door sections where you put your arm and also on the armrest as well. It has a fantastic layout and if you’ve been in the Renault 5 then well it’s pretty much exactly the same as the Renault 5. That’s no bad thing. As I mentioned you get a slightly smaller screen if you go for the entry- level car and then you get a larger 10in infotainment screen and also that digital driver’s display if you go for the higher spec trims. And it’s really nicely laid out because everything’s very clear to see. And you still have physical climate control dials, which makes controlling it when driving really simple. You also get Google builtin, which is my favorite infotainment system. This is so much better than pretty much anything else which is currently out there. Super fast, everything works really well. You’ve also got the voice assistant via Google, so you can ask it questions like, “Get me directions to Renault IPS switch.” Having that built-in Google system means that you don’t even need to connect your mobile phone to Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, but you still can do that and it’s wireless as well. So, you get the best of both worlds. The one thing which is sometimes criticized on the Renault products is how many things they put on the steering wheel. You have your lights, you have your wipers, which are standard fitment, but you also have the volume stick behind the steering wheel. You have your drive mode button which is here and you also have the new drive selector behind the steering wheel as well. Not to mention you now have the paddles that work as your brake regeneration. And whilst you can get used to it, it does tend to be a little bit overcrowded and I find myself sometimes doing my window wipers when I’m meaning to change gear. But once you get used to it, it’s no problem at all. The one thing I think is a little bit inexcusable is there’s no park button, which is annoying because it feels like there should be a park button right there on the end of the stalk. Instead, you have to either fiddly put it in neutral or simply come to a stop, put your handbrake on, and if you take off of your seat belt, that will put on the park. But I just wish there was an easier way to put it in park. I’m sure you’ll get used to it, but it’s just something to note. Those that know me on this channel know that I’ve got a real soft spot for small hatchbacks. So, I adore the Renault 5, but this Renault 4, this has really surprised me. A combination of its retro charm, but also its super practical boot space. This might make a bit more sense than the Rena 5, and I think it’s just edged above that car as my favorite in the electric Renault range. It’s not here to be a sporty SUV, but it’s a distinctive, comfortable, and genuinely practical electric car that stands out in a segment where a lot of this car’s rivals just play it a bit safe. For me, it’s proof that the Blue Jeans car philosophy still works. Only now, it’s fully electric and ready for a whole new era. This techno trim feels like the sweet spot in the range. It’s got the looks, the tech, and it also has all of the practicality without going too overboard on prices. But as always, I want to know what you think. Share all your thoughts and feelings in the comments down below. I really hope you have enjoyed this video today, guys. If you have, please go ahead and give it a big thumbs up. And if you want to see more like it, then make sure you hit the subscribe button. Don’t forget, if you want to check out the Renault 4 for yourself, then you can do that at John Banks Renault. I’ll pop some of the details down below. [Music] Colored just to keep me safe. My world is finally starting to take shape.
The Renault 4 is back — and it’s electric! ⚡ In this review, I get behind the wheel of the all-new 2025 Renault 4 E-Tech Electric, a retro-styled small SUV that blends charm, practicality, and modern EV tech. We’ll cover the key stats, see how it drives on UK roads, and find out whether this electric revival really delivers on its promise.
And here’s something that makes it even more tempting — the Renault 4 qualifies for the Level 2 Movement Electric Grant, giving UK buyers £1,500 off the purchase price. This government-backed scheme is designed to make electric motoring more affordable, and with the Renault 4 already offering a competitive package, it’s a big bonus.
🎯 Get 10% off your IDP with my exclusive discount code: AUTOSOCIALUK10
🔗 Apply here: https://spn.so/l/n0ishz50
Check out the Reanult 4 at Cambridge, Colchester and ipswich: https://www.johnbanks.co.uk/renault/
#IDApartner #Renault4 #Renault4ETech #ElectricCarReview
