Renault 5 E-Tech 150hp Techno Review | Best Small Electric Car of 2025?
More than 125 years ago, Renault was already experimenting with ideas which would shape the modern car. From early motor racing Triumphs to pioneering turbocharged F1 engines and mass market EVs like the Zoey, Renault has always had a rebellious inventive streak. It’s a brand that thrives on doing things differently, and it’s built a back catalog of truly iconic small cars. None more beloved than the original Renault 5 of the 1970s and 80s. Fast forward to today and the spirit is back. The new Renault 5 E Tech electric promises to bring character, color, and fun to a world of sometimes bland EVs. It’s fresh from scooping up European car of the year and best electric small car of the year at the What Car Awards. And British roads have been waiting for its cheeky grin and pop of yellow paint to liven things up. Before we dive in, however, I want to give a big thanks to John Banks for lending me some time with this Renault 5. If you’d like any more information or want to take advantage of the latest Renault offers, including up to £3,000 offer Renault electric range for retail finance buyers and £500 towards a home charger or public charging credits and finance from £219 a month for the Renault 5 after the government grant. then click the link down below and chat to the team at JohnBanks Renault. And now here I am behind the wheel, ready to see if this little French EV can live up to the legend. I’m Tish from Auto Social UK. And throughout this review video, I’m going to take you through the design heritage, the interior, tech, practicality, driving feel, range, and crucially, the compromises Renault have made to hit that tempting 21Kish starting price. And don’t forget guys, if you do like electric car reviews like this, then you’re in the right place. Make sure you go ahead and hit the subscribe button. Renault knew that if they were going to revive the five name plate, the styling had to be perfect. And well, they’ve nailed it. At just under 4 meters long, but with a wide track and stubby overhang, its stance is instantly sporty and playful. It manages to look compact and friendly without ever seeming cheap or toyike. Some of my favorite features you notice as you look a little deeper. So, at first you look at this car and you think, “Wow, bright yellow.” And then you think it’s quite simple, but when you start to look closely, there’s little design details. So, compared to the Renault 4, which has the round friendly lights, you’ve got some slightly more aggressive styled squared off lights, and this really suits that boxy stance of the Renault 5. I also love the way you have this textured bar which connects the central badge which sits pride of place and really does look pretty good contrasting with this paintwork. On this version we have a fully yellow car and this is pop yellow. You also have pop green as well and those play homage to the colors of the 1970s. You can get some more subtle colors but for me this is what Renault 5 is all about. Now look a little bit closer in those LED lights and you will find a little French flag which I think is a lovely touch. And then just higher to this you will find this plate on top of the bonnet. At first this may seem strange but when you plug it in to charge it you’ll notice that this is actually a charging indicator and it pulses as the car charges which I think is lovely. But the whole stance of this car is just so spoton. They’ve managed to capture that personality of the hatches that we’re really missing. Vertical rear light clusters echo the vents of the original Renault 5 Turbo Rally Hero and the swollen rear hunches give it a planted almost hot hatchlike attitude. So many of us that grew up in the 80s and the ‘9s, we loved those really boxy hatches and we really needed something to revive that styling and this has done exactly that. And that is why this car has so much love around it. This version is the Techno, so it’s the middle of the range, and it actually sits on 18-in alloy wheels, which I think look pretty snazzy. This is one of my favorite combinations. So, you’ve got those two-tone wheels, which are very interesting, and then you’ve got the retro five badge in the center finished in red. They strike a sweet spot between looking substantial, but also don’t completely sacrifice ride comfort. Though, as always, UK potholes do make their presence well known, so be careful. What’s clever is how the retro cues feel purposeful but not gimmicky. The short bonnet, the upright tailgate, and the crisp surfacing are practical. This remains a genuinely compact city car. Yet, every angle whispers Renault 5. Park it next to a Mini or a Peugeot E208 and it doesn’t blend in. It beams. And even the flush door handles and subtle copper details on some of the color combinations and the LED lighting signatures wrapping the headlights elevate it. For me, this is a small EV that you actually want, not just one that you need. This is the 150 horsepower version, which uses the 52 kWh comfort battery. Renault quotes between 248 and 252 miles on WLTP on these wheels, but expect real range to be around 180 or 220 miles depending on conditions. 0 to 62 arrives in 7.9 seconds, which feels brisk for a super mini. And there’s a top speed of 93 mph. When it comes to charging, you have fast charging up to 100 kW DC, which takes you from 15 to 80% in about 30 minutes. And there’s also an 11 kW AC home charger which will charge overnight in about 6 to 8 hours. The battery is covered by an 8-year or 100,000 mi warranty and UK pricing starts from just under £215,000 when you include the UK current government electric car grant. Now in town, the Renault 5 is an absolute delight. The instant torque makes sipping through traffic effortless, and the compact footprint also makes parking super easy. The steering is light for maneuvering, but actually it’s accurate enough to enjoy a B-roll and make it feel engaging. On those twisty lanes, the car is genuinely entertaining. The multi-link rear suspension, rare on cars of this size, keep it composed, and the balance between agility and comfort makes it feel secure yet playful. At motorway speeds, refinement is still really good for a small EV. There is some tire noise if you’re on coarser roads, and there is a touch of wind noise when you get up to 70 mph, but neither is tiring. Over broken roads, the ride can feel firm with the 18-in wheels, yet it remains controlled. Regenerative braking is smooth and predictable, and one pedal driving isn’t strong enough to bring you to a complete stop, unlike they’ve done in the Renault 4, but transitions between the regen and friction brakes are actually pretty seamless. Stepping into the cabin of the five is like stepping into a time machine. It’s so perfectly retro in the best kind of way. And that playful kind of personality from the exterior is definitely echoed inside of here. The dashboard stretches horizontally and actually that makes the cabin feel wider than it is. And the squared off details subtly echo the exterior’s geometric theme. Two large displays dominate the view. So, you’ve got a crisp 10-in digital drivers display and a 10.1 in central touchscreen. And this is running open RLink with Google builtin. And having Google Maps and Assistant natively integrated feels seamless. And I love how quickly the system responds. This really is one of the best systems I’ve used. What really impresses me, however, is how Renault has handled sustainability without making it feel dull. Around 95% of the interior textiles are made from recycled sources and roughly 60% of the visible plastics throughout the cabin are recycled, which I think is brilliant. The seat fabrics in this Techno model are woven from recycled PET bottles, yet they feel soft and durable with contrasting stitching, which ties in the pop yellow exterior. I love this combo. The dashboard and the door cards plastics are biosourced or recycled and have been textured cleverly so they don’t look cheap. And even the floor mat fibers are recovered from discarded fishing nets. How good’s that? These touches really make the cabin feel genuinely modern and eco-conscious rather than gimmicky, which I really like and thinks perfect for an EV. The ambient lighting washes the cabin in a warm glow at night, and the copper color accents in some of the vents of some other models really do add a little bit of a sophisticated touch. They’re white in this version. And actually, it’s the techno trim that I would definitely be going for because I think it just works perfectly. It feels very good quality inside of here without going too far. If you need even more quality, then you can look at an Alpine A290, which I’m going to be reviewing soon. So if you want some levers inside, you can opt for that car. But as you’re going for the Renault definitely has its benefits as there’s a bit more storage space. So with the Alpine, you have the gear selector which is on the center console, but here it’s behind the steering wheel. Does get a bit busy back there. I’ve mentioned that before, but by not having it in the center means that you’ve got wireless charging in this central part here. Two USBC chargers and also a 12volt charging port. Although, what I will say is if you are using your wires, there’s nowhere really to tuck them away and tidy them up, which is a bit of a shame. You’ve also got storage inside of the armrest and you’ve got two cup holders up front as well. Nice big cup holders. No complaints there other than the fact that you haven’t got anything to hold them into place. So, if you’ve got a slightly skinnier bottle like a Red Bull can, that’s going to kind of rattle around, but I really don’t think you’re going to be too worried. I love this kind of padded textured detail across the dashboard. And it does feel very sharp and modern, but just has those lovely retro twists like with the seats. They definitely make it feel like an old car made new rather than a completely brand new vehicle. The only thing I will say is that sometimes it can be a little bit fiddly to use with all of these controls behind the steering wheel and also you have some slightly touch sensitive buttons on the steering wheel which whilst they’re easy to use, they do leave fingerprints which can be a little bit annoying and that’s the same as around the air vents and around the touchcreen. These are really minimal things. I’m kind of trying to pick things that I don’t like because overall I just really like it inside of this cabin. I just think they’ve done the perfect job. And once again, with this being a very compact car, I like the fact they’ve gone for a gray headlining like the old Renault 5 because that means that despite being small, it doesn’t feel too cramped. It just brightens things up. Just a very touch. And I think that’s quite important because space in the back, well, that is cramped. Let’s check it out. I am going to try and not dwell on this part too much because I think it’s been very overdone on YouTube and by now we know that there’s not much space in the back of the Renault 5 and I don’t think people mind too much. There was not really space in the back of the cars that we had in the ‘9s. I remember my Volkswagen Lupo was tiny in the back, but that’s because these cars are designed to mostly carry two people and then you can carry an extra few people if you really need to. Interestingly, there is three seats back here, so it would be a real squeeze. But let’s face it, if you really needed to transport four passengers, then you can do it, which I think is the main thing. But if we talk about the space on offer, yes, leg room is a bit tight. Headroom is also quite tight, but as I mentioned, it does kind of brighten things up having that gray headlining compared to the black. And when it comes to amenities, that’s really where I think this car struggles. And they could have done something a little bit better because there isn’t any USBC charging back here. You haven’t even got access to a cup holder. So, it would have been nice if they’d put a cup holder behind here on the center console. You could have shared it with the front seat passengers, but there’s no cup holder in the center. There’s no cup holders in the doors. Uh I have got door pockets or seat pockets on the backs of the drivers and passenger seat, but I haven’t got an armrest. I have got two ISOIX fitments. Um, but that’s about it. So, it’s not really been set up for a rear seat passenger car. If you want a car like that, then there is options in the Renault and extended range. I kind of like that about the Renault 5. Don’t get me wrong, I think that it could have had a bit more space in the back and they definitely could have added a cup holder or a couple of charging ports, but they’re not trying to do everything with this car. They’re not trying to make this a family car. We have a family car. You have the added tech which means that you get less range. They’re just going for the city car segment which is definitely underutilized nowadays. So actually I don’t mind too much but let me know what you think down below. And whilst rear passenger space is tight in the five actually it’s a better story when it comes to boot space. So inside of here you get 326 L which is actually very good for this class. It’s a nice deep loading area and if you was carrying suitcases or your weekly shop, it will easily be swallowed inside of this boot. The main problem, however, is practicality. So, if you want a practical boot, you want to look at the Renault 4 as that opens very low down and it’s really easy to get items in and out. The five is a little bit more difficult. And if you have poor mobility, this may be where this car misses out in your opinion because there’s a really high load lip. And that means if you need to hike items in, you’ve got to drop them really far down and then back out, you have to pull them back out as well. And there is actually some underfloor storage just tucked down there. But as demonstrated by this car from John Banks, um you just end up putting the cables in the boot because it’s a little bit fiddly to kind of like place them down into that hole down there and it is really far down from the top of the boot lid. So whilst it is a decent amount of space for a car of this size, it’s not particularly practical. This car isn’t just about looks with finance offers from £219 a month, deposit contributions, the government grant. It’s opening the EV market up to way more buyers, which is good in my books. Renault’s mobilized charge pass gives you access to Europe’s biggest charging network. And you even get an Anderson quartz 7 kW home charger, which can be rolled into your finance if you need charging hardware. and they’re some of my favorite charging systems as well. Running costs remain low, but you do need to faction in the new UK road tax rules. So, zero emission cars registered on or after April 2025 now cost £10 for the first year, VED, and then £195 from the second year onwards. It’s no longer exempt like EVs once were. Benefit in kind rates for company car drivers are still very very low and servicing is inexpensive thanks to fewer moving parts. The tradeoffs are limited legroom. You get the high boot lip plus a few harder plastics that hint at the car’s affordable price point. Rivals like the Peugeot E208 or the new Mini Electric. They might feel slightly posher, but neither has the same sense of charm or fun as this Renault 5. As we’re getting towards the end of the video, let’s outline some pros and cons. The Renault 5’s biggest strengths have got to be its joyful styling, its playful colors, and its personality. It’s a small car which genuinely makes me smile. The handling feels agile without being nervous, and the ride comfort, whilst firm on some poorer roads, is generally well judged. The Open R Link system is one of the best systems I’ve used in any car. And the combination of range, charging speed, and price make it a very compelling package. But what about the negatives? Well, the compromises are limited rear passenger space. You have the high boot lip, which makes loading heavy items a little bit awkward, and some of the interior plastics definitely feel budget compared to more expensive rivals. Performance is lively, but not hothatch quick. But that’s not really the point of this car. Its mission is character and everyday usability. And in that, it excels. So, is the new Renault 5 E Tech just a nostalgia trip or genuinely a great small EV? For me, it’s both. It captures the playful spirit of the original while still delivering realworld range and fast charging and day-to-day usability. It isn’t perfect. There is more roomier, more premium choices, but none make me grin like this pop yellow pocket rocket. When I see it across the car park, it just makes me beam. If you’re in the market for a small electric car, want personality, value, and driving fun, the Renault 5 should be right at the top of your list. Would you take this over the Mini Electric or the Peugeot E208? Let me know in the comments down below. And of course, if you did enjoy this review, then make sure you hit the subscribe button and join along to the Auto Social UK channel. Until next time, guys. See you later. [Music] [Applause] [Music]
The Renault 5 is back—only this time, it’s fully electric! In this video, I get behind the wheel of the Renault 5 E-Tech Techno 150 hp in stunning Pop Yellow to find out if this retro-inspired hatch really delivers on its promise.
From its wink-happy LEDs and bold colours to its recycled, eco-friendly interior and impressive electric range, this small EV is designed to bring fun back to city driving. I explore its styling, tech, practicality, driving experience, and the compromises Renault made to hit that tempting price point.
Big thanks to John Banks Renault for lending me the car. If you’re interested in the latest offers on the Renault 5—including up to £3,000 off Renault’s electric range, £500 towards a home charger or charge credits, and finance starting from £219/month. Check them out here: https://www.johnbanks.co.uk/renault/contact-us/
👍 If you enjoy this review, please like, subscribe to Auto Social UK, and hit the bell so you don’t miss more fun, factual EV content.
