Definitely the Peugeot e208 for me - I bought one and absolutely love it. I know it's also not a dedicated EV plaform, but it's a lovely car to live with. (Edit: the fact that I can charge at 100kW also solves some of that range loss compared to the Zoe, which is 50 kW max)
What pisses me off the most is: - expecting an EV to be “sporty” - have the most radical design overhaul with every iteration - have every gadget a £60k EV has Asking for stupid things like that is what pushes the price up and sacrifices efficiency on the account of looks. If you want sporty buy a sports car, if you want fancy gadgets buy a Tesla but FFS let these small cars just focus on practicality! It’s ok if they’re not super trendy as long as they can do a decent mileage and don’t cost an arm and a leg!
Agreed. The Zoe wasn't for me, when I test-drove it, but it is a super-important EV, and is going to be a staple of the second-, third- and fourth-hand markets for the next decade or so for good reason. I'm glad that there's now a 50kW DC charging model - Gridserve aren't replacing Ecotricity's 43kW AC charging connectors, they're only putting in 22kW AC. I think this is a huge, huge mistake, as it makes the AC rapid charging Zoes no longer able to realistically rapid charge, but it's what we've got...
1. Do people want sporty? The dominance of SUVs would suggest not. Anyway I bet that can get around the Twisties faster than any Audi. Maybe that's my driving though.... Braking is inefficient right... 2. Yeah, I don't get redesigns. I can't think of any car where the xth gen is better than the first. Ymthey just end up designing out the uniqueness to appeal to more people. 3. I just want a box. With a decent opening boot hatch. Buttons and physical controls. That's inexpensive to run. I don't know why they have to have swoopy cars that look nice at the expense of practicality. And I don't know why they have to add 101 toys that are useless. Electric windows are where features peaked, everything since is just fluff. Now get off my yard.
My wife is on her 2nd Zoe. The new ZE50 is a cracking little car. I have an MG5 which is smoother and bigger and I prefer driving it, but the new ZOE really is superb. It isn’t a racing car and nobody buying one would expect it to be. These smart ass reviewers really make me sick.
At least in Finland, the Zoe does still wipe the floor with competition, when it comes to value. Nothing can touch it price wise. Not even close. Yes, it's a bit dated, but at the moment, you do get awful lot for your cash, when you buy one.
I have a Zoe and didn’t know about the audio controller. Zoe still makes sense if you will do the occasional longer journey and it is comfortable. Price is good too. I agree that it’s heavy and rolls through corners. Interior space is ok but it is a super mini so won’t suit everybody. High driving position is a good thing.
The audio stalk on the column is a great solution to not having audio buttons on the steering wheel, and something that Renault have done for ages, to be honest. It is actually more ergonomic than buttons on the wheel.
I agree, I much prefer the stalk solution, I hire lots of cars with work and you always have to spend time looking at the steering wheel but not with the renaults.
You can tell the people who have never ever driven a Renault and drive one for the first time thinking the audio is on the steering wheel 🤣 Like you have said it's way more ergonomic and Renault have been using that audio stalk for over 20 years in their cars lol. If customers didn't like that feature they would have got rid of it donkey years ago lol
As a very happy Zoe driver I have to disagree with you regarding some statements: 1. since 2020 the Zoe has Over-the-Air updates! We own a used 2020 model and it works smoothly! (11:47 he mentions the Zoe doesn't have that feature) 2. The boot is very big for a car this small. 3. The rear seats offer more space than the newer 208e/Corsa-e to my knowledge/experience. 4. The 22kw charger is great and I have not yet missed having a proper CCS charger at all, despite longer road trips.
The Zoe doesn't have OTA updates like Tesla or VW does. The updates are to the infotainment only which is running some sort of Android. It won't update things like BMS, or any other module of the car. If you have an issue like, for example, CCS charging stops working you'll need to go to Renault to update the car through their systems.
@@ndc5544p this is true. But to be honest the majority of updates would be for the infotainment. Any other update can be done during the annual service, so no biggy.
Peugeot e208 owner here. The 208 is far spacier compared to the Zoe. This includes back seats and boot. It also looks nicer, has a better looking interior in my opinion and has faster charging. The 208 also drives a lot sportier if needed. The Zoe always feels like a small and heavy box. BUT: I do prefer the 22kw charger for cities and the range of the Zoe ist just better. So it is a close call and I a matter of taste and needs. Good car, but I would not hype it to the moon. I am curious to see the new Renault 5 though. :)
@@Exmecha Corsa-e owner here. The boot of the Zoe kicks the e-208/Corsa's ass! It's like 20cm deeper downwards, very practical! My folding bike fits comfortably in a Zoe, but is a tight squeeze in the Corsa. I feel the rear seats are similar in space (equals: small). 22kW vs 100kW is a tough point, I think at the moment the 22kW is still a plus, but over the next 2-3 years the fast DC charging will tip those scales in favour of the e-208/Corsa combo. No clear winner overall IMHO.
@@degerrit The Zoe has an option for 50kW DC charging as well as 22kW AC. Not as good as 100kW but does mean you can use rapid chargers. I test drove the e208 before getting the Zoe and while I don't know the exact measurements the Zoe felt more airy and spacious than the 208. It might be due to the higher driving position and also I'm sure the windows on the Zoe are bigger. e208 felt and looks much sportier though. For me it came down to a choice of the more fun to drive and look at (e208) vs more comfy, airy and relaxing (Zoe)
We love our new Zoe and have had it just over a year, but I'm not sure how it was being driven to get "closer to 300 miles, than 200" - we've never managed to get as much as 250 miles on a full charge, never mind more than it. 220 mixed town and short faster bits is more likely. We see it drop to more like 180-200 on 70mph motorway driving. It's great, we love it.
I would have to second what you said. The longest I have driven on a single charge is about 240 miles, could probably done a bit more, but range anxiety was kicking in. The car does not fare well on motorways in terms of range and performance. In eco-mode it limits you to about 64mph, and the accelerator has a kickdown, which allows overtaking by overriding the eco-mode and then it will skulk back to 64mph. Just running around town though I only charge at home, once a week and it's ideal.
We did another long trip yesterday of 235 miles of mostly motorway, with the usual M6 roadworks... We put the limiter on to cap us to 70mph, and the stats according to the car trip computer were:235 miles @48.7mph, 4.2mpkWh. We started full, stopped once to charge from 21%->72%, and finished with 23%. If my maths are correct that implies we used 128% of the battery, 66kWh, for 3.56mpkWh, and I'm not sure why the two numbers aren't closer, perhaps the % remaining number is non linear, or the battery size used in the calculation is a lot different to what I used (52kWh). Either way, I don't think we would have made it in one charge by quite some distance. One stop was totally fine though, we needed more than that :)
@@fraz3alpha interesting...my hyundai kona averager 4.5 miles per kWh even if you sit at 70mph on the motorway. Best ever was coming down Bedlinog hill and regenning enough power to drive the 4 miles home lol!
My next car will be a ZOE, for many reasons. As a single with small dog, I don't really need more car than that and if the back seats are any good or not is not relevant really... Also, as a big fan of Renault, there is not so much more to choose from. I love the fact that it drives and feels much like the Scenic and Modus I own, both in seating position and in suspension set-up. It is very much a true Renault - even in things like the stalk for changing tracks on the stereo - similar as in my Scenic. As you said - why change something that works? 😉
Think it's a great car -- price is good and range is enough for most. Personally it's a bit on the small side for my needs but am looking forward to the new Megane electric.
@TF if you charge at home these problems disappear And these cars are not suitable for long travel (even zoe) because at high speed in highway zoe has only 180-200km range the difference with the leaf is very small. But the leaf is way more confortable for everyday use.
Abysmal for which purpose? For my everyday commute and school runs I get ten days on a full charge in my Honda e, so clearly not abysmal for all. As for the Zoe, the price is good, but the seats and rear quarter vision are dealbreakers for me.
@@thomasfrederiksendk abysmal for general CONVENIENT family use an EV with a notional 100 miles winter range note 100 miles from fully charged to completely flat which no one would ever aim to do, then if you only charge to 80% and discharge to 30% this gives you a usable kind to battery range of 50 miles. Just over that of a gallon of petrol, who would buy an ICE car with a 2 gallon fuel tank. I have had 4 EVs with range from 75 miles to 185 miles. The 185 mile range is a convenient usable only vehicle in the family car, the others were not.
@@dondons38 it's the Renault ZOE ZE50 model that was tested in Basic Play Specification and scored 0 on NCAP. Alarmingly it is MISSING the side Head Airbag that earlier model had. The ZE20 and ZE40 have 5 stars from a previous NCAP test.
For me, the current Zoe offers one of the most appealing ways to get into EV ownership. It has decent range, good comfort and all the tech you need. I also happen to think its a great looking car. You can buy one for less than £24K and prob less than that with some haggling. Would I take a car on steelies, with less than the required number of window buttons and glitchy software over a Zoe ? Absolutely no way, especially as its going to cost ￡7k more - or even more than that if you want to swap the trailer wheels for ummm lets see, some alloys for example. Did you know that some of the static you see on dead TV stations is residual radiation from the Big Bang..... you're welcome.
Your grandma may well have had a Renault with a Philips stereo and the same column-mounted controls in the 1980s. In which case she’d be right at home!
My grandma won a Renault 16 in 1969 from 5 x 20c tickets. And gave us the of FB Holden. Car was so old that RUST seemed to be Normal! I remember watching the road and the rain coming in through the floor. Yup just a presumed normal car drive for 5yo. Oh the holes in the floor are not normal?
I've had my Zoe for 4yrs and I love it. It's saved me so much money on my daily commute of 82 miles, nearly all motorway. It's v nippy, with a 0 to 40 bite that beats all but the better EVs off the lights and it handles corners fast bends exceptionally well. But would I buy another, no, probably not.
82 miles... Before I knew how common such commutes were, I thought people were joking. 82 miles; an hour and more by car, 5 hours cycling, and two days by horse-drawn carriage (you can't do the whole 20 hours in one sitting). Man, the automobile has made the world a small place. Nothing like the Middle Ages, where the highway was the location of bandits, the 40 thieves, dying of thirst on a camel, etc.
@@موسى_7 yo Moses, do you just press a thumbs down button because you don't like living in this century or because you don't like my words? I actually like your words, but reciprocity is what humans are programmed to do. It's in our DNA!
Renault took a lesson from Nissan. Forget investing in expensive external changes, extract the most value as long as its selling and invest in better batteries and efficiency. That keeps the car competitive in a small choice of smaller EVs. Use the cash saved to add new cars and focus on reliability and building it efficiently so that warranty issues don't destroy the profits. Look at how long the original leaf lasted and most nissan designs like the average yet popular quashqui. The result is successful sales in an expensive car vs the clio. VW did the same with the mighty golf even if sales meant it had the cash to invest in external design.
Yes. I saw a video about EV's in Japan. Japan has no plans on going fully Electric. They don't have the power. If 50% of the cars in Japan were Electric, Japan would not have enough power for homes and industry. Unlike the US, Europe, China and Korea, the Japan automakers has made very minimal investments in making their cars Electric. Nissan who partly owns Renault hasn't made significant updates to the Leaf because the Japanese government has imposed strict laws against Electric Cars do to the power issue. It could explain why the car has been relatively unupdated for almost a decade.
@@thomassmithn.y.c So hydrogen isn't as stupid as we thought, for certain countries? Makes sense why hydrogen is only popular in Japan, and why the Toyota Mirai is exciting to so many people. By the way, do you think Japan could learn from the Netherlands? I see many streets which may have too many cars to be pleasant streets to be on. Sure, they have lots of walkability and public transport, and even bicycles, but do you think they could benefit from replacing more cars with bicycles? Not sure, because Japanese cities are desner than most, meaning they could benefit from cycling, but there may be so many people per square km who need cars and would not be able to use them if the roads had less space for cars.
@@موسى_7 yes, *in Japan*, continuing to import dirty fossil fuels makes some sense. They cant even make the switch to clean hydrogen because it uses more electricity per mile than battery electric and is more expensive to source than dirty hydrogen. The problem is that the Japanese may be looking at crippling one of their last big international industries because of their own internal grid issues as I doubt hydrogen powered cars will ever take off internationally the way battery electric has. Its not a good outlook.
@@موسى_7 Yes, Hydrogen could be Japan's saving grace. The so called Reset we have been in since 2000, the powers that be are no longer depending on a Petroleum based Dollar, they are going fully Electric hence we have money now made out of Electricity (Crypto). They spend the last 20 years destroying the entire Petroleum Industry aka War on Terror, while the Petroleum countries have turned into vacation resorts for the rich with mega cities powered by Green Electric Energy. Japan trying to copy the Netherlands would be difficult, Tokyo itself has more people than the Netherlands, probably more people live in Tokyo than the world has Dutch People and Japan has been dumping tons of radioactive nuclear water in the Oceans off their coast for a few years unlike the Netherlands. Also Japan is as long as Maine to Miami, with no natural resources, not even coal.
@@thomassmithn.y.c When Fukashima went nova their gov decided to turn off nuclear until any safety changes were made. THe result was a massive increase in oil and gas use to generate electricity which made emissions skyrocket. Now they are fasttracking wind/solar and turning nuclear back on. With one if not the best rail networks in the world to move citizens around, car use is minimised, unfortunately like china, minimised is still hard with millions of citizens, less livable land and almost everyone living on one coastline. Tiny microcars dominate sales there but adding heavy batteries is very very difficult to make it work efficiently. yet Toyota- an ev laggard is researching solid state batteries (Sony was the original li-ion innovater even if the state american research labs invented it). Hydrogen while needed needs massive amounts of zero carbon electricity to make H from seawater. Current FUTURE sources for this are offshore wind and nuclear when demand is low but generation is high.
I'm a Zoe owner and I love the thing. It's my first EV and second ever car, and at the time I bought it 3 years ago, nothing could hold a candle to it in terms of range in a sub-£30k package. Maybe I'd care more about how the car feels to drive if I had the money to look at £30k+ options, but my Zoe does the trick The ID.3 looks great, but the base level option at £32k looks a little sparse, option wise, to me. Anything else doesn't have an improvement in range to my 3 year old Zoe, so what's the point?
Spot on . We have a 50kW zoe, range is brilliant do you don’t need to worry about long journeys. Personally I couldn’t care less if it ‘rolls in the corners’ I’m not planning to race it! People use cars to get from a to b on busy roads , going flat out through roundabouts is just a way to cause a crash . However a car handles you get used to it in 10 minutes anyway. Zoe feels like it handles brilliantly to me , it’s all relative
I actually bought the Zoe last week. Unlike this video says, there aren't really any better options price/value wise even today. The ID3 sure is a great option but if you actually want to spec it with all the extra's compared to the Zoe your still looking at a much more expensive car. Only the base model ID3 is in range of a full spec'd Zoe. It's just not the same league. All the other options in the same price range just offer far less range. In the end of the day when you make a big expense like buying a new car you would ideally have one that atleast can go above 300km range if not more. Sure I don't drive this much everyday but it does happen allot and it would be nice to be able to do these longer trips in one go. If you look at it this way the Zoe is really the only option for the money even today still.
I liked the video, but there are some strange things: - The Zoe does get OTA updates; - B-mode doesn't go to full stop (it brakes to 10 kph); - It has actually one of the most spacious interiors in its class (Renault Clio, Peugeot 208, Opel Corsa, VW Polo etc.), especially in the front and the boot; - The ID3 is in a different segment, although price-wise the entry level ID3 may be a good deal compared to the Zoe (slightly smaller range but faster CCS-charging); - I'm pretty sure the Zoe is on a bespoke EV platform, although it does show its age and isn't as clever as newer EV platforms.
@@arambuchanan Yeah, I drive a new ZOE as well, always put it in B and I'd say it can be almost 1 pedal driving, as long as you anticipate a little and you don't have to make full stops (like in city centers). But it isn't a real 1 pedal mode indeed.
Took the words out of my mouth (from another Zoe owner here)... also, if you read the manual, as most new owners would, it's not difficult to find the stalk that controls the radio volume etc.! Oh, and it looks like he had loads of headroom while he was talking about it not being good for tall people.
@TRV_94 I concur, all of what you mentioned were precisely my thoughts as he spouted off. I'm 99% sure when the Zoe was launched it was a new "EV only" architecture. I'm also quite sure that OTA updates had been mentioned. The other issue with the sound stalk was a lack of understanding of French cars in general, virtually all of them, Clio, Peugeot etc etc have volume adjustment on a seperate stalk. In many ways it's better than on wheel buttons as the button remains in the same place rather than jumping around dependant on the steering wheel position! One can only imagine the misreporting is that old anti French bias that seems to be quite prevalent amongst certain poms ;-)
Why the obsession with 'performance'? I suggest that most drivers require a simple car that can be used on the clogged up roads of the UK. A car that will get you to work, to the shops, etc. As for the radio controls, 'infotainment'. Mine is switched off most of the time.
Everyone has their own preferences. Personally, I like a bit of performance, it just makes the car a bit more fun to drive, and can be quite beneficial in those 1% of situations where you need the extra acceleration. As for infotainment, mine's on all the time connected to Android Auto and blaring out music. For me, the infotainment system is probably 20-30% of the decision making process when looking at a car. In the age of super fast processors/computers, there really is no need for laggy, 5fps infotainment systems. I'd take a Tesla over any other car for this reason alone (if I could afford one lol).
I have the Zoe R135. Take it off eco and you’ll leave most cars in your dust at the lights. 0-60 is about 9 seconds apparently, but, eg carwow have clocked it at closer to 8. That’s hardly slow for most people…
Living in a rural area, the Zoë still reigns supreme here; even on my daily walk around there are five new ones just in the last couple of months near us - none of the others mentioned get a look in - we are the oddballs with our id3!
Can't complain about it being heavy, it's 200 kg lighter than an ID 3, and crucially, on an 8 year older platform than the ID 3. It's quite a success story if you put it in perspective.
I bought this model in January as my first EV and I could not be happier with it. In Ireland at least, mini and VW were priced out of my range but I’ve got driving range to take me from one side of the country to the other in comfort and everyone asks a million questions when I’m charging. Love my little Zoe.
IMHO, the Zoe is a very pretty design, at 9 years old almost timeless, whereas the Mini E (any Mini...) is a mess only a mother could love, and the lovely Honda E doesn't really go very far. But the R5 EV will be wonderful when it comes along to replace the Zoe!! PS..I did try it at the end, and indeed you can't hum...
On our 4th Zoe, the current one’s the ZE50 CCS and we love it, long range and excellent regeneration there’s nothing to beat it for the money. May not be exciting to look at but 235 miles of summer range excites me !
Me too, we’re on our fourth Zoe after two ZE40s, I rented a ZE50 for 18 months and now returning that having bought a 2020 ZE50 GT line with 4K miles (ex Onto). I’ve never ever had four of any other car ever. I still prefer driving the Zoe over the hills and twisty roads instead of a Model 3 which jumped in the ruts and I have no problem with 450 mile trips with the CCS …
We've just bought a 2021 Zoe GT-line and had a Sync-EV charger installed. Contrary to the review, this 'shifter' doesn't rattle about and I actually find it's well screwed together. Nothing rattles. Nor does it feel heavy. It handles speed bumps like a champ, something there's a lot of round here and in no way is it overly rolly. It's no go-cart, but it corners nicely and has road manners you can feel confident about. OK, my 'daily driver' for the past 10 years has been an Isuzu D-Max pickup, so no comparison, with a lifetime average of 28mpg. At today's prices it costs just shy of £100 to fill up for 480 miles. That same range has so far cost less than £20 at the plug!
I emigrated from the UK to Canada, and now that electric cars are a ‘thing’, am I ever disappointed with this country! Every week my Dad and I discuss cars - he’s right on top of every electric vehicle and suggesting options for me… none of which I can get in Canada. The Zoe would work just fine for me. But my actual options for something affordable are an electric Smart car ForTwo from 2018, a Nissan Leaf (not lively or personality laden enough) or maybe a Chevy Bolt, if I take another loan bigger than I want. So for small electric cars, in my view, Canada sucks.
I've had this car for over a year and I'm convinced you are driving a completely different car to me. Some of the things in your review are completely wrong/ridiculous
We have a Zoe... currently commuting from Porthcawl in South Wales to central Bristol daily. No range anxiety. Range is a big deal for us. The Zoe is still the best.
i considered this, but since i cant charge from home i ordered the (better spec'd) 300 mile range Hyundai Kona, which is arriving late december. 1st electric car ever. getting excited.
cant say it often enough: Please manufacturers, put a good on board charger in your EVs! The all around package of the Zoe regarding size, range and features is topped by the fact it has 22kW AC charging from the base model upwards. No extra to pay for it! I got one recently and it was the good AC charging it was without competition. When you only do public AC charging it is priceless.
Second that. Owning a original 22kwh zoe QC with battery upgrade to 40kwh (yes Renault offered it for a short while). Range and flexible AC charging (from 3kw up to 45kw) makes it a great little EV. Nearly all chargers give you 11 KW, a lot give 22kw and the occasional 45kw chargers that are still around help you out quickly is you are pretty empty. Of course the TomTom of this old model Suc... Isn't very good. But hey, phone holder, google maps, Bluetooth ... Done. As long as the car holds up, we're not parting. (oh yeah, aaaand seats aren't very good.. but hey... Range for a decent price, that's it) The other cars mentioned in the video, most of them fall short in the range catagory.
Love the Zoe and seriously considering getting one... i rode in it and it did make me nautious which normally only happens with very powerful ice cars... so the acceleration is above average when compared to ice cars in the same price range... and the space in the back i find is quite generous as well seems to me like it has more interior space than similar class ice cars... would really love some data on that point
Right on man, I actually tracked mine with a 2nd friend on board immediately after buying it lol, and it's quite fun given that you just accept the fact that it rolls due to the comfy suspension.
I think you're missing the point with this car, we changed from a Renault Clio to a Zoe, the controls are all in the same place as in the Zoe to very easy to transition. From a range perspective, now we have a home charger we have no difficulty using it and to transition from ICE to EV. The comparison is not necessarily with the EV rivals you mentioned, but the current set up small ICE cars. The fact that it does not have too many fancy bells and whistles to learn about is a real positive, you just get in and go. For a first EV, for the range you can get at the cost point this is at it's a no brainer. This is our first EV and it does all you want a car to do and more, seats 5 at a push, has a decent boot, and is ridiculously cheap to run (as well as best range is also one of most efficient in real world use). Maybe not the sexiest EV, but is a great car to transition in to from ICE.
Love my Zoe, still a great all round package. But I accept that things will progress in the EV world so fast that most of today's cars will feel dated in a few years time.
Yes, I was trying to hum while pinching my nose. Well done, very funny. On the Zoe, it was our first electric car back in 2016 and still holds a special place in our hearts. The deal on our Leaf runs out next year and the Zoe is still a contender. Thanks for the update, will have to consider the ID3 as well.
Fully Charged Show, I have a strong suspicion you’ve been hacked. Unless you’re advising crypto investment, in which case please stop, that’s not your job and makes you look cheap.
We are on our 4th EV & our 2nd Zoe, really love it plenty of poke and more room inside & in the boot than a Kona (Bjorn Nyland's banana box test) I'm 6'2" and find the car really comfortable with ample room in the back, try that in a Kona!
I'm a Tesla fan but I want my first Tesla from Berlin with tech promised on Battery Day. I bought ZE50 in Dec 20 as a budget EV before I got my Tesla. It is sad that Renault does not continuously upgrade it as Tesla does, but I still love it. My odometer is a proof of that. It says 40kkm (11 months).
Yeah, I wish more car manufacturers would go the way of Tesla. Make a few cars, and perfect them, instead of churning out different cars with entirely different software year after year.
@@Tresla Exactly. Tesla has 4 models and highest # of cars sold worldwide. VW is doing just for 1 MEB configuration Enyaq, ID4, Q4. That is not all, every year they do face-lift. Instead of working on core technologies, they design slightly different lights. They are wasting capital on in-house infotainment instead of adopting Android Automotive. They have no serious development in autonomy, stuff their cars with expensive sensors and in the end the only option they will have is to license Tesla autopilot that uses just cheap cameras. This all so funny. How many smart tubers saw this coming and are now $TSLA-naires. Executives in VW are still clueless and want to kick out Diess every month when he repeat that VW needs to seriously change. This is not even funny anymore...
I love the 22kw AC charger. If I decide to drive to my parents on a whim I can charge the car on any public charger, go for breakfast and leave town 3 hours later. Even if I drive the battery empty - I easily spent 3 hours at my destination and can fully charge for the trip back. 11kw chargers can't offer me this freedom. I would need to DC charge: Higher price and fewer locations that are farther away.
I still think it's the best small EV. The Honda and Mini are wayy to expensive. The ID3 is bigger - "only 20cm" is a lot in terms of volume. - nearly 1.5 square metres more space - so its not comparable imo. The real rival is the Fiat - that's the one to watch, but it looks like the range isn't as high as the Zoe. So the Zoe stands on it's own as having the correct size, the range and the low(er) price.
Why do you want buttons on the steering wheel, they're ALWAYS changing their position as you drive - unlike the neat little fixed stalk that Renault have employed here (they had it on the Laguna too FWIW - far better solution IMO).
I agree with the conclusion! The Zoe feels like older generation and that means the overall EV sector is getting better with better tech... but the next generation competing directly with the Zoé is not there yet. Either too small, too big, too expensive, too short on range, there is no direct competitor to the Zoe yet. I think other car makers made it on purpose. While it needed nearly a decade to wait for a competitor to the Model S, no one wants to take the fight to a car that sold 100k units last year. But competition will come soon I hope! And Renault is prepared with the next R5 electric...
I'm wondering whether the ORA Cat would be a Zoe competitor... about the same price, about the same size (I think), better range (with the large battery), and fancy interior...
@@etbadaboum Not because of that. Even Dacia Spring got 1 star, and Dacia has no active safety features at all. Check the Euro NCAP youtube videos/ website.
I do love my Peugeot e208. I'll concede that the range is nothing like as good as the Zoe, but... it looks about 1000% better, is actually really quite quick and it's great to drive. If it had 250-mile range it'd be all I'd need!
I agree. But here in Finland, even the base model e208 is about £5k more than a Zoe. I do hope, that one day we'll see more cheap EVs in this size class.
It feels much more powerful than you think, and more than enough for cities and their outskirts, which this car has been built for. People keep comparing it with bigger cars but it’s just a very practical city car. Much more practical than the e500 or e-mini but it a small package. It’s an excellent everyday all rounder.
ZOE get over the air updates. ZOE is also available for about £5k to £6K less than ID3 and there were some in stock when I bought my Riviera Ltd. Edition. If it had 100kw fast charging, I'd be even more pleased with mine. Charging speed is as much a differentiator as range. Another thing worth noting: though Bose has become the official premium audio option for the ZOE, Focal, the world famous French high end speaker manufacturer, makes speakers for Renault and Dacia fittings.
My Zoe’s a perfect car, especially as a Fiesta replacement. I think the larger battery would suit someone in a town as well as for someone who needs to do the long journey. Fill it up and they probably would need to touch it for over a week! Media stalk might take a bit of getting used to, but I agree it does need to be pointed out and explained during handover. App works great for pre-conditioning (and charge scheduling), and the car does receive OTA updates as well as the app. Infotainment is the most intuitive in its class and nav works perfectly (yes, I don’t use CarPlay!). All in all the Zoe’s still the best all rounder for its size. As for 1 pedal driving, Mine definitely doesn’t come to a complete stop. Briar pedal’s needed in the last few meters.
This is the EV I wish they'd sell in Americas. An EV for the normal person and not someone saying they hate driving so they want autopilot but also brag about 0-60 times that's basically unsafe in normal roads and ferrying around massive battery banks for 300 miles when the daily charger/commute vehicle only needs 150.
@@shinybaldy The negativity towards this in 3 generations perfected Zoe struck me. What's against a high steering position, long range, a roomy interior, leaving BMW's behind at traffic lights? Sponsored by VW, this review? ID3 is NOT roomier, has a shorter range, higher price, software problems. Unreliable diesel "after sales", shrewd marketing, repetitive bad experiences, boasting non existant "top" quality. Nie wieder VW for me!
Audio controls on the steering wheel are great when you come to a halt in traffic on a bend, and then want to change the volume. It's super fun to play the game of "hunt the button", then working out if "up" is still "up", or if the wheel's been turned round far enough to have reversed their positions. Having the buttons on a stalk, where they're always guaranteed to be in the same place, is just boring.
Have you ever heard of "the Kona E" Jack, it’s been around since 2018 in-the UK !? The reason I mention it is, firstly it never enters into your comparisons with other vehicles and secondly it’s my favourite small long range car.
I’ve had my Zoe for a year now. Absolutely no faults with it at all. never been close to getting range anxiety despite having a daily commute of 100+miles. Can comfortably fit the kids pushchair in the boot too. I looked at a BMW i3 but they only have 4 seats. So that was straight off the shortlist. The ID3 wasn’t yet released when I got my Zoe, but if it had been, it would definitely have been on my radar because I love the look of the ID3 but I’m not sure the ID3 with the equivalent range is comparable on price (I could be wrong there). Also, the gent presenting this suggested that the Zoe doesn’t get “over air updates”. Yes it does, literally had one a couple of weeks ago. Also unsure of his comments about the Zoe not being built around EV architecture? I thought the Zoe was a pure EV design? The guy’s comments regarding the audio controls on the stalk are a bit cringeworthy considering his profession. They’ve been on a stalk in Renaults for flipping ages. My Laguna had them too. I think his gran would have known exactly where they were. However as an EV owner my criticism of all small EVs is this. They don’t need all the additional gadgets and nonsense. Get rid of the air con, cruise control, parking sensors, electric windows, lane detection, sat nav etc and create a truly affordable, basic EV. Batteries, motor, steering wheel, brakes, lights, seats. And maybe a heater for the windscreen. The range would be epic without all the additional shite they cram into these cars 😂
Renault Zoe 2016 my first ev, after 8k miles love it. Maintenance low, charge at home, drive where I need fast. The acceleration at low speed even take on my Mercedes s350, smooth and small. Great to go to work, great to pick up kids, great for wife to go in town for shopping ( she hate ideea of electric car, but i think our Zoe slowly is changing her mind). Great little car, for me
I first went EV in 2014 with a Zoe 22..4 years later,went to a R110 ZE40..Now in a ZE50 Iconic 110.I'm in Northern Ireland,and rapid charging hasn't improved here since my first Zoe. The 22kW "standard" charging network in Ireland is ideal for the Zoe,nothing in it's price bracket can touch it for charging versatility,I'm happy with mine.
The reviewer is taking quite a bit of stick in these comments but I think most of what he says is fair and I say this as someone who has just bought a Zoe and loves it. I would pick him up on his comments on interior space. There is plenty of room in the front and some competitors, eg the Peugeot 208, are positively claustrophobic by comparison. Also, the driving position, which lots of reviewers complain about, is very much a plus point for us. The two things that have prevented us from buying an ev in the past are range and price and this is where the Zoe is still streets ahead of the competition. The extra range of the Zoe just about makes it practical for our purposes and we got a top range GT with extras, list price over £36k, for £25k. Whilst I can understand why this reviewer prefers other evs, literally no other ev on the market meets our needs.
A 'charming' video, Jack about a 'charming' little EV - and loved the fun-facts inserts... the spiders with frog pets had me in stitches...! 🤣 However, I couldn't help but think you were driving a completely different model to the Zoe I test drove for the first time a few weeks back...??? The caveat to what I'm about to describe, though, is that my current car is the Mk1 Leaf... Firstly, I found the ride quality on the Zoe to be really quite firm - to the extent, actually, that the rear hatch rattled horrendously on anything other than billiard-table-smooth road surfaces. But, as a consequence, I found the handling and cornering ability to be really fun - it was WAY more pointy and direct than my Leaf. And, although the one I drove was only the R110 version, oh boy, it felt SOOOooooooo much quicker than my Leaf...! In fact, had it not been for the fact that, despite only being 5' 8" tall, I simply could not get a comfortable driving position - especially in relation to the steering wheel, which I just couldn't get to drop down low enough for my arms to not feel like I was in an SAS stress position - I would've probably signed on the dotted line there and then. Credit though, despite it being a whole chunk shorter than my Leaf, I was still able to get my Mum's wheelchair in the boot - so great packaging, even if not on bespoke EV architecture... I really can see why Zoe owners are so passionate about their cars...
The only reason the ZOE is off my short list is simply... a sunroof. Renault has been the king of sunroofs for decades now, yet they refuse to offer a ZOE with one. Even the new Twingo has to settle for a foldable cabriotop rather than glass roof panels (yet its sister the Smart does have a sunroof, go figure). If it would have had a sunroof or panoramic roof, I would have been sold on this car ages ago. I do appreciate the quicker way the newer town cars respond, and that that is why a smaller battery would be a smart option. For me though, I want only one car which can do everything, and yet it is not too big to feel like a mastodon, and quick enough in recharging to compensate for the smaller battery size. I bet there is some nifty graph on which you can determine which cross hairs are perfect for you regarding battery size and charge times and frequency, depending on what kind of travel you expect to do. For me, I want to be able to go and come back from work and feel comfortable enough not to look for a charger if the charging stations are occupied. I want to be able to drive to Spain without going bonkers for the frustrating repetition of charging every leg you drive, yet not taking too long or require too often to charge when the batteries are actually depleted. So a range of at least 300 would be good for me as a bottom line, a threshold. The ZOE offers more than that, which brings them in a camp of a select few cars that fit me, which are range over achievers against a reasonable price. That is a small group with next to this ZOE the Hyundai Kia combo of cars, VW ID3 perhaps, but I hate their button allergy approach. And I assume these 99.000 ZOE buyers were in that same boat as me. I love love love the Honda,but its' range simply is ridiculous and not a single well taken windy road is going to compensate for that.
Thank you, that was a lovely tone. I really like that you're not saying everyone should buy the latest thing just because it's new, we do after all have a planet to save before our mess kills us all.
I have tested Hyundai Kona (noisy), VW ID3 (plasic low cost experience) , Nissan Leaf (ugly and noisy), Fiat 500E (great but too small for me) , Honda E (pleasure but 1phase charging only and unpractical access to plug). Finally ZOE 50R135 was clearly the winner. And I still love it.
For England or even the UK, absolutely. Evertthing is tight and small, most chargers available are 50kw anyway, I don't drive my car far away just get charge a lot faster, why? Charging over night is better. In another country, yes, but here, no reason, the national speed limit is 70, so no worries about burning down your battery on higher speeds. It's a fantastic car. The only letdown is that most Renault dealer and garages are a pinta, having no clue about their own product, with some exeptions of course.
As a driver from late 90s vintage Renault, the stereo control stalk is exactly where I would expect it! It even looks like the one from my Clio and Mégane.
Had a R135 ZE50 for 4 months. General observations: Range is reliably 190miles + in mixed use. Can fit a 12 year old, 8 year old and 3year old in the back (its tight!). It’s very nippy. Boot is good size and shape for a small car (much bigger than a previous generation Corsa). Infotainment system works well and is easy to use. Seats are firm ( I found the seat in a new Clio much more comfortable) and the faux leather feels cheap. On balance it’s a good car.
Test drove one at fullycharged and for me it was an excellent little car. It is old tech, and I hate the blank buttons, especially on the top spec car. But if one appeared on the drive I would be delighted to own and run it. Having said all of that, I am looking forward to the R5 and the Megan. especially the Megan, that looks like my sweet spot size wise
As my 4th EV I have a R135 15 months now with 36K done. It is very comfortable on motorway journeys once you have the armrest. By the way it constantly does OTA updates (approx 1 a fortnight) 4 major ones which required permission to load.
Well not trying to be biased but.... The ZOE is the best EV for money for range and that's what everyone is trying to achieve, we want affordable cars that will go a long way on a single charge and the ZOE has done this way before any other EVs have on the market. Take a look at the ZE40 it's still can achieve more range than many new EVs to date. Oh and don't want to be picking but it's spelt ZOE not Zoe for many that spell it wrong 🤣 Oh and the regen does not bring you to a stop so I am guessing you haven't really been driving this for a week 🤷 it actually only slows you down to about 5mph Very disappointed in this video and the fact the Fully Charged team have not really done the research on the ZOE in this case because the errors are shocking.
after owning several older Renault's and Dacia's which have all used the separate lever for volume control then buying a leaf with volume buttons on the steering wheel and now back to a Zoe I think the separate lever is soo much better than buttons on a steering wheel. Also the Zoe gear knob is a work of art and feels so good in your hand until you started misusing it I wouldn't have known you could abuse like that. Much better than a fiddly switch especially if you have to do a three point turn on a busy road, you feel much more in control. (After 50 years driving using a stick shift comes naturally,) Buying yesterday's Tec suits older people, sometimes the latest and greatest is just to big a leap especially in price!
I love the new Zoe 50. Also they are a good deal used ! You can find some from 2020 for around 20k, battery included. Not bad for 400km of range and better finish than the ID.3
Quote....Some things just don't need changing....emmmm awkward Renault have been using that radio control EXACT design since way back about 1990 when you were still Jizz in a dangly double barrel bag :/....And i will add to that once used to it it works absolutely perfect better than anyone else@s system
Love it. Quite like sitting up high, (being a short arse) & not overly bothered about performance. Range & quality of spec are key. Plus price obviously. Anticipate having a lot of fun testing reasonably priced/sized EV’s, having recently leased for a month to test out the charging experience in real life (perfectly manageable despite no drive surprisingly). This one now added to the list, which is getting longer & longer (excellent). Enjoyed the random facts. Every day’s a school day!
I've grown to love my little Zoe but I have to admit, that I considered changing the suspension. Anyhow I'd be sad if they discontinued it in favor of a Retrodesign car. I feel the Zoe in the meantime has a legacy and either Renault embraces it and builds a new 100% EV platform Zoe, or they pick a new name and face and might bring the legendary Zoe back in 30 years and I'll tell my grandkids how, back in the day, I used to own one of the Original pre facelift Zoes...
My number one reason for choosing the ZOE over the competition was the capability of 22KW AC charging. This I feel is a widely overlooked feature where everybody focus on the DC charge speed but forget that most chargers in the urban environment are all 11 or 22KW chargers and not 50-100-150-250KW chargers. The fact that some of the latest released cars are still sporting max 7,5kw AC charging is to me ridicules. I can FULLY CHARGE my ZOE while it is parked and I am doing something else for 2 hours and be on my way with full range. That is more important to me in a small city car.
The review seems a bit harsh on the Zoe :) … I think it is the best option for quality and price for now for many families and regular people. There are some new for £20-21k now available. Which it is still expensive but best option for EVs. I got my Zoe Iconic R135 up to 256 miles and I don’t mind it being a bit heavier for that. Better heavier than less weight and no range like the honda-e which is basically useless for people to have. Hopefully the next Zoe will start with a 70kw battery and that would be it. Also not having the acceleration of a Tesla (which we don’t need really to go to work and shop)… is not a problem. The fact that sits taller gives more visibility of the roads actually, so I saw that as an advantage from the start. Also it can charge at 22 kw ac which is a huge advantage when using 3-phase fast charging points or the side AC cable on rapid charging points. The navigation system is not good I agree though. Got me to 1 way roads (against the direction of traffic) and roads with restricted access multiple times in London. Volume…. I wondered where that was !! :D
My dad has had a Zoe of the previous variant for nearly three years now, and it really is the perfect sort of car for his needs - it's just so danged convenient, with its compact size and relatively decent range. ID.3 is bigger inside, but it's also bigger outside too; Zoe is tiny and so easy to park. And even with the weaker battery pack in his car compared to the current newest version, he can still come visit me where I live, some 200km away from him, in the dead of winter, on one charge and with some margin to spare. Not too shabby methinks, for a car that small! Honda E couldn't hope to pull that off. And even lacking DC charging, he'll be back up to full well before it's time for him to drive back home again. (I keep telling him to just take the train, it's so much more convenient, but he got his driver's license in the friggin' 1950s, so he's driving - there's no stopping him... :P
Just in case; if you’re looking to the Zoe as your first EV - a few bits in this review I think are a bit unfair so thought I’d add my two pence! I bought a 20 plate GT Line Zoe after having a succession of petrol cars. My last petrol car was a VW Polo 1.2tsi and by comparison the Zoe is so much more fun to drive. The car doesn’t roll anywhere near as much in the corners (it isn’t a sports car, and isn’t a Fiesta; but it handles okaaaay), but does understeer a bit. You get used to it quickly though. Around town and for most longer journeys it’s perfect. 0-30mph is about 2 seconds so great for getting out of busy junctions. 0-60 is about 8 seconds which isn’t going to set the world on fire; but is better than any similar petrol car will do unless it’s a “sports” version. Overtaking in it is great fun and it’s the first car I’ve been fully confident to overtake in. Before, I’d have to drop the car down a couple of gears and hope the turbo kicks in; not anymore! The Zoe is a cracking EV - it might not be a Tesla but it doesn’t try to be. It’s a small but practical car with a decent range and good equipment list… What swung it for me over competitors: - Even mid range models get good spec levels such as air con, auto lights/wipers and car play/android auto. - Boot space, cabin space is huge for such a small car. - It’s the only small, relatively cheap EV with a decent range to have physical heating controls. Others like the 208 need to be used through a touch screen which is a nightmare while driving. A few cons after having the car half a year: - The auto high beams aren’t great but can turn them off. - The auto dimming mirror on the GT Line doesn’t work well due to privacy glass on the rear window. - in colder weather the parcel shelf can creak a bit against the boot ; but music helps! Things I love: - Small car that is incredibly cheap to run - Preconditioning and sending GPS locations to the car remotely is a godsend. - The boot is bigger than any car I’ve owned in the same segment. - Mine is the GT Line with all the tech and winter pack. Heated seats and steering wheel in the winter are perfect, and auto lights and wipers work very well (besides high beams as previously mentioned) For me - for the price, for the size of the car and for its range; if I were to buy my first EV again I’d probably choose the Zoe again.
Russia is not bigger than Pluto; this used to be "true" based on our best estimates of Pluto's surface area. In 2015, NASA's New Horizon mission passed close to Pluto and led to a more accurate estimate which is slightly larger than Russia, rather than slightly smaller. Either way, it is interesting that Russia's land area is about the same as a celestial body that used to be considered a planet.
Love my Zoe it goes for km/miles without the worry. Second hand 135 at better price point that other stuff. True, it’s not a throw it around car, but drives well around town and motorway. I think the seats are awful on a long drive, 3 hours plus is not an issue. But its great that is an issue cos it means it has a really good range. Seats 4 adults fine. It’s not an SUV! Volume control …. Yeah, I still forget. All in all, it’s worth taking one for a drive, especially second hand market. Did I mention the range ?
2 adults in the back? You are joking? Children up to 1,7 m maybe but the legs are in strange angle. Volume control is very much Renault, used to own a Scenic, same sort of solution. Range seems good though,
@@robenglish416 Yes rear space is good enough for a long day trip; our family of 4 are 5’9” to 6 foot - all comfortable with the dog in the boot. 5 up is uncomfortable, to be expected in a supermini / city category.
We do fine, “kids” 1,80+ Floor is high and not great, and no it’s not best in class. But swings and roundabouts, sitting in the rain waiting for you bigger better looking EV to charge on the only available 22kwatt is not the most comfortable experience either. Zoe gets you there quicker and then it’s glass of wine time whilst others are unplugging under an umbrella.
I love my zoe (2018). but At 2021 the 2019 Zoe (in Video) is outdated single-handedly of the optional CCS of only 50kw. this is why Renault brings the MeganE as challenger to the ID3.
It's hard to stay focussed on this video when you throw out google-able gems like spiders keeping frogs as pets. Great job nonetheless Jack! (And yes, I was trying it. You got me.)
Still a huge fan of the Zoe. Nice interior, nippy driving profile, and I'm Jack's height but prefer the higher driving position, it makes it feel like the world's smallest, most sensible crossover. And how can you compare the ID.3 to the Zoe and not mention the GODAWFUL control system on the ID.3? When you get in the ID.3, you have to wait like 30 seconds to even be allowed to turn the heat on. The Zoe has buttons and dials like a good car should.
My favourite small electric car is the Changli: Made famous by the wonderful Jason Torchinsky of Jalopnik. I know its basicly crap and has one horsepower and probably lead acid batteries, but the amount of fun he can have per dollar is really quite large! Love your fun and not too serious videos. Great entertainment 👍
The ZOE was designed from the ground up as an EV it is not a converted ICE design. Even the previous model ZOE ZE40 has 140 miles on motorway and 175 urban driving. Really roomy inside and huge boot for the size of car puts the new Corsa and Peugeot to shame and is such a pleasant relaxing car to drive, in my opinion.
Do you think the Zoe is still the best electric supermini? And if not, tell us what is below...
ORA CAT delivers more, and it's cheaper than zoe.
Definitely the Peugeot e208 for me - I bought one and absolutely love it. I know it's also not a dedicated EV plaform, but it's a lovely car to live with. (Edit: the fact that I can charge at 100kW also solves some of that range loss compared to the Zoe, which is 50 kW max)
That's basically the big problem, is not designed to be a proper electric car,,
Maybe not. But I love mine ❤️
One of the few with 22kw AC charging.. There's a free 22kw charging at a local store so I'm driving at zero running cost
What pisses me off the most is:
- expecting an EV to be “sporty”
- have the most radical design overhaul with every iteration
- have every gadget a £60k EV has
Asking for stupid things like that is what pushes the price up and sacrifices efficiency on the account of looks. If you want sporty buy a sports car, if you want fancy gadgets buy a Tesla but FFS let these small cars just focus on practicality! It’s ok if they’re not super trendy as long as they can do a decent mileage and don’t cost an arm and a leg!
Agreed. The Zoe wasn't for me, when I test-drove it, but it is a super-important EV, and is going to be a staple of the second-, third- and fourth-hand markets for the next decade or so for good reason. I'm glad that there's now a 50kW DC charging model - Gridserve aren't replacing Ecotricity's 43kW AC charging connectors, they're only putting in 22kW AC. I think this is a huge, huge mistake, as it makes the AC rapid charging Zoes no longer able to realistically rapid charge, but it's what we've got...
Exactly!
“I want car drive good” is essentially what I’d currently be looking for if I were in the market. Glad to see a few more entry-level ones.
1. Do people want sporty? The dominance of SUVs would suggest not. Anyway I bet that can get around the Twisties faster than any Audi. Maybe that's my driving though.... Braking is inefficient right...
2. Yeah, I don't get redesigns. I can't think of any car where the xth gen is better than the first. Ymthey just end up designing out the uniqueness to appeal to more people.
3. I just want a box. With a decent opening boot hatch. Buttons and physical controls. That's inexpensive to run. I don't know why they have to have swoopy cars that look nice at the expense of practicality. And I don't know why they have to add 101 toys that are useless. Electric windows are where features peaked, everything since is just fluff. Now get off my yard.
My wife is on her 2nd Zoe. The new ZE50 is a cracking little car. I have an MG5 which is smoother and bigger and I prefer driving it, but the new ZOE really is superb. It isn’t a racing car and nobody buying one would expect it to be. These smart ass reviewers really make me sick.
At least in Finland, the Zoe does still wipe the floor with competition, when it comes to value. Nothing can touch it price wise. Not even close. Yes, it's a bit dated, but at the moment, you do get awful lot for your cash, when you buy one.
Agreed, especially with our 1,9 € liter of gas, and relatively cheap electricity.
@@Vxvx22 Yeah I get you little man, no need to spam that all over the place like your happy little accident after a wet dream.
In Iceland it’s the leaf 40 kwh
I have a Zoe and didn’t know about the audio controller. Zoe still makes sense if you will do the occasional longer journey and it is comfortable. Price is good too. I agree that it’s heavy and rolls through corners. Interior space is ok but it is a super mini so won’t suit everybody. High driving position is a good thing.
My Renault Megane from 1999 had the exact same audio control stalk, I think they've always had it in their cars.
I know men don't want to, but RTFM when you get a new car.
My grandad old 1995 clio had these controls too.
Not read the manual? Some people think they are born knowing how to operate everything…
The audio stalk on the column is a great solution to not having audio buttons on the steering wheel, and something that Renault have done for ages, to be honest. It is actually more ergonomic than buttons on the wheel.
I agree, I much prefer the stalk solution, I hire lots of cars with work and you always have to spend time looking at the steering wheel but not with the renaults.
Had those on my Xantia, far better idea than wheel controls: you know where to find them with full wheel turn.
You can tell the people who have never ever driven a Renault and drive one for the first time thinking the audio is on the steering wheel 🤣
Like you have said it's way more ergonomic and Renault have been using that audio stalk for over 20 years in their cars lol. If customers didn't like that feature they would have got rid of it donkey years ago lol
As a very happy Zoe driver I have to disagree with you regarding some statements:
1. since 2020 the Zoe has Over-the-Air updates! We own a used 2020 model and it works smoothly! (11:47 he mentions the Zoe doesn't have that feature)
2. The boot is very big for a car this small.
3. The rear seats offer more space than the newer 208e/Corsa-e to my knowledge/experience.
4. The 22kw charger is great and I have not yet missed having a proper CCS charger at all, despite longer road trips.
The Zoe doesn't have OTA updates like Tesla or VW does. The updates are to the infotainment only which is running some sort of Android. It won't update things like BMS, or any other module of the car. If you have an issue like, for example, CCS charging stops working you'll need to go to Renault to update the car through their systems.
@@ndc5544p this is true. But to be honest the majority of updates would be for the infotainment. Any other update can be done during the annual service, so no biggy.
Peugeot e208 owner here. The 208 is far spacier compared to the Zoe. This includes back seats and boot. It also looks nicer, has a better looking interior in my opinion and has faster charging. The 208 also drives a lot sportier if needed. The Zoe always feels like a small and heavy box. BUT: I do prefer the 22kw charger for cities and the range of the Zoe ist just better. So it is a close call and I a matter of taste and needs. Good car, but I would not hype it to the moon. I am curious to see the new Renault 5 though. :)
@@Exmecha Corsa-e owner here. The boot of the Zoe kicks the e-208/Corsa's ass! It's like 20cm deeper downwards, very practical! My folding bike fits comfortably in a Zoe, but is a tight squeeze in the Corsa. I feel the rear seats are similar in space (equals: small).
22kW vs 100kW is a tough point, I think at the moment the 22kW is still a plus, but over the next 2-3 years the fast DC charging will tip those scales in favour of the e-208/Corsa combo. No clear winner overall IMHO.
@@degerrit The Zoe has an option for 50kW DC charging as well as 22kW AC. Not as good as 100kW but does mean you can use rapid chargers. I test drove the e208 before getting the Zoe and while I don't know the exact measurements the Zoe felt more airy and spacious than the 208. It might be due to the higher driving position and also I'm sure the windows on the Zoe are bigger. e208 felt and looks much sportier though.
For me it came down to a choice of the more fun to drive and look at (e208) vs more comfy, airy and relaxing (Zoe)
We love our new Zoe and have had it just over a year, but I'm not sure how it was being driven to get "closer to 300 miles, than 200" - we've never managed to get as much as 250 miles on a full charge, never mind more than it. 220 mixed town and short faster bits is more likely. We see it drop to more like 180-200 on 70mph motorway driving.
It's great, we love it.
Perhaps he meant kilometers?
True! Max I get for 135 motor 50kwh is 210 in summer
I would have to second what you said. The longest I have driven on a single charge is about 240 miles, could probably done a bit more, but range anxiety was kicking in. The car does not fare well on motorways in terms of range and performance. In eco-mode it limits you to about 64mph, and the accelerator has a kickdown, which allows overtaking by overriding the eco-mode and then it will skulk back to 64mph. Just running around town though I only charge at home, once a week and it's ideal.
We did another long trip yesterday of 235 miles of mostly motorway, with the usual M6 roadworks... We put the limiter on to cap us to 70mph, and the stats according to the car trip computer were:235 miles @48.7mph, 4.2mpkWh.
We started full, stopped once to charge from 21%->72%, and finished with 23%.
If my maths are correct that implies we used 128% of the battery, 66kWh, for 3.56mpkWh, and I'm not sure why the two numbers aren't closer, perhaps the % remaining number is non linear, or the battery size used in the calculation is a lot different to what I used (52kWh). Either way, I don't think we would have made it in one charge by quite some distance.
One stop was totally fine though, we needed more than that :)
@@fraz3alpha interesting...my hyundai kona averager 4.5 miles per kWh even if you sit at 70mph on the motorway. Best ever was coming down Bedlinog hill and regenning enough power to drive the 4 miles home lol!
My next car will be a ZOE, for many reasons. As a single with small dog, I don't really need more car than that and if the back seats are any good or not is not relevant really... Also, as a big fan of Renault, there is not so much more to choose from. I love the fact that it drives and feels much like the Scenic and Modus I own, both in seating position and in suspension set-up. It is very much
a true Renault - even in things like the stalk for changing tracks on the stereo - similar as in my Scenic. As you said - why change something that works? 😉
I have been driving a new Zoe for about 6 months and love it
Think it's a great car -- price is good and range is enough for most. Personally it's a bit on the small side for my needs but am looking forward to the new Megane electric.
@@alanhold2468 I especially love driving my Zoe past the queues at petrol stations, now priced at £1.51 per litre.
Nissan Leaf is more comfortable and cheaper
@TF if you charge at home these problems disappear
And these cars are not suitable for long travel (even zoe) because at high speed in highway zoe has only 180-200km range the difference with the leaf is very small. But the leaf is way more confortable for everyday use.
Yes I tried it 🤣 I love the ZOE. By far the best EV in its sector. The range on the Mini Electric and Honda E are abysmal.
Abysmal for which purpose? For my everyday commute and school runs I get ten days on a full charge in my Honda e, so clearly not abysmal for all. As for the Zoe, the price is good, but the seats and rear quarter vision are dealbreakers for me.
@@thomasfrederiksendk abysmal for general CONVENIENT family use an EV with a notional 100 miles winter range note 100 miles from fully charged to completely flat which no one would ever aim to do, then if you only charge to 80% and discharge to 30% this gives you a usable kind to battery range of 50 miles. Just over that of a gallon of petrol, who would buy an ICE car with a 2 gallon fuel tank. I have had 4 EVs with range from 75 miles to 185 miles. The 185 mile range is a convenient usable only vehicle in the family car, the others were not.
Did you know this scored 0 stars in the euro ncap safety tests?
@@dondons38 Wow. That's horrendous - I thought the 4 starts for the Honda e was a tad low.
@@dondons38 it's the Renault ZOE ZE50 model that was tested in Basic Play Specification and scored 0 on NCAP. Alarmingly it is MISSING the side Head Airbag that earlier model had.
The ZE20 and ZE40 have 5 stars from a previous NCAP test.
For me, the current Zoe offers one of the most appealing ways to get into EV ownership. It has decent range, good comfort and all the tech you need. I also happen to think its a great looking car. You can buy one for less than £24K and prob less than that with some haggling. Would I take a car on steelies, with less than the required number of window buttons and glitchy software over a Zoe ? Absolutely no way, especially as its going to cost ￡7k more - or even more than that if you want to swap the trailer wheels for ummm lets see, some alloys for example. Did you know that some of the static you see on dead TV stations is residual radiation from the Big Bang..... you're welcome.
Your grandma may well have had a Renault with a Philips stereo and the same column-mounted controls in the 1980s. In which case she’d be right at home!
That's what I wanted to say :D the older car models I had all had the controls for the stereo there :D
My grandma won a Renault 16 in 1969 from 5 x 20c tickets. And gave us the of FB Holden.
Car was so old that RUST seemed to be Normal! I remember watching the road and the rain coming in through the floor. Yup just a presumed normal car drive for 5yo. Oh the holes in the floor are not normal?
@@barbarusbloodshed6347 I think Renault & Philips pioneered column-mounted controls, which may be why they’re still quite fond of them.
I've had my Zoe for 4yrs and I love it. It's saved me so much money on my daily commute of 82 miles, nearly all motorway. It's v nippy, with a 0 to 40 bite that beats all but the better EVs off the lights and it handles corners fast bends exceptionally well. But would I buy another, no, probably not.
82 miles...
Before I knew how common such commutes were, I thought people were joking. 82 miles; an hour and more by car, 5 hours cycling, and two days by horse-drawn carriage (you can't do the whole 20 hours in one sitting).
Man, the automobile has made the world a small place. Nothing like the Middle Ages, where the highway was the location of bandits, the 40 thieves, dying of thirst on a camel, etc.
@@موسى_7 yo Moses, do you just press a thumbs down button because you don't like living in this century or because you don't like my words? I actually like your words, but reciprocity is what humans are programmed to do. It's in our DNA!
Renault took a lesson from Nissan. Forget investing in expensive external changes, extract the most value as long as its selling and invest in better batteries and efficiency. That keeps the car competitive in a small choice of smaller EVs. Use the cash saved to add new cars and focus on reliability and building it efficiently so that warranty issues don't destroy the profits. Look at how long the original leaf lasted and most nissan designs like the average yet popular quashqui. The result is successful sales in an expensive car vs the clio. VW did the same with the mighty golf even if sales meant it had the cash to invest in external design.
Yes. I saw a video about EV's in Japan. Japan has no plans on going fully Electric. They don't have the power. If 50% of the cars in Japan were Electric, Japan would not have enough power for homes and industry. Unlike the US, Europe, China and Korea, the Japan automakers has made very minimal investments in making their cars Electric. Nissan who partly owns Renault hasn't made significant updates to the Leaf because the Japanese government has imposed strict laws against Electric Cars do to the power issue. It could explain why the car has been relatively unupdated for almost a decade.
@@thomassmithn.y.c So hydrogen isn't as stupid as we thought, for certain countries? Makes sense why hydrogen is only popular in Japan, and why the Toyota Mirai is exciting to so many people.
By the way, do you think Japan could learn from the Netherlands? I see many streets which may have too many cars to be pleasant streets to be on. Sure, they have lots of walkability and public transport, and even bicycles, but do you think they could benefit from replacing more cars with bicycles? Not sure, because Japanese cities are desner than most, meaning they could benefit from cycling, but there may be so many people per square km who need cars and would not be able to use them if the roads had less space for cars.
@@موسى_7 yes, *in Japan*, continuing to import dirty fossil fuels makes some sense. They cant even make the switch to clean hydrogen because it uses more electricity per mile than battery electric and is more expensive to source than dirty hydrogen. The problem is that the Japanese may be looking at crippling one of their last big international industries because of their own internal grid issues as I doubt hydrogen powered cars will ever take off internationally the way battery electric has. Its not a good outlook.
@@موسى_7 Yes, Hydrogen could be Japan's saving grace. The so called Reset we have been in since 2000, the powers that be are no longer depending on a Petroleum based Dollar, they are going fully Electric hence we have money now made out of Electricity (Crypto). They spend the last 20 years destroying the entire Petroleum Industry aka War on Terror, while the Petroleum countries have turned into vacation resorts for the rich with mega cities powered by Green Electric Energy. Japan trying to copy the Netherlands would be difficult, Tokyo itself has more people than the Netherlands, probably more people live in Tokyo than the world has Dutch People and Japan has been dumping tons of radioactive nuclear water in the Oceans off their coast for a few years unlike the Netherlands. Also Japan is as long as Maine to Miami, with no natural resources, not even coal.
@@thomassmithn.y.c When Fukashima went nova their gov decided to turn off nuclear until any safety changes were made. THe result was a massive increase in oil and gas use to generate electricity which made emissions skyrocket. Now they are fasttracking wind/solar and turning nuclear back on. With one if not the best rail networks in the world to move citizens around, car use is minimised, unfortunately like china, minimised is still hard with millions of citizens, less livable land and almost everyone living on one coastline. Tiny microcars dominate sales there but adding heavy batteries is very very difficult to make it work efficiently. yet Toyota- an ev laggard is researching solid state batteries (Sony was the original li-ion innovater even if the state american research labs invented it). Hydrogen while needed needs massive amounts of zero carbon electricity to make H from seawater. Current FUTURE sources for this are offshore wind and nuclear when demand is low but generation is high.
I'm a Zoe owner and I love the thing. It's my first EV and second ever car, and at the time I bought it 3 years ago, nothing could hold a candle to it in terms of range in a sub-£30k package. Maybe I'd care more about how the car feels to drive if I had the money to look at £30k+ options, but my Zoe does the trick
The ID.3 looks great, but the base level option at £32k looks a little sparse, option wise, to me. Anything else doesn't have an improvement in range to my 3 year old Zoe, so what's the point?
We tested the ID3 from the MK EV experience centre and it's massive inside for a car only a little larger than the ZOE but the price is off-putting.
Spot on . We have a 50kW zoe, range is brilliant do you don’t need to worry about long journeys. Personally I couldn’t care less if it ‘rolls in the corners’ I’m not planning to race it! People use cars to get from a to b on busy roads , going flat out through roundabouts is just a way to cause a crash . However a car handles you get used to it in 10 minutes anyway. Zoe feels like it handles brilliantly to me , it’s all relative
I actually bought the Zoe last week. Unlike this video says, there aren't really any better options price/value wise even today. The ID3 sure is a great option but if you actually want to spec it with all the extra's compared to the Zoe your still looking at a much more expensive car. Only the base model ID3 is in range of a full spec'd Zoe. It's just not the same league. All the other options in the same price range just offer far less range. In the end of the day when you make a big expense like buying a new car you would ideally have one that atleast can go above 300km range if not more. Sure I don't drive this much everyday but it does happen allot and it would be nice to be able to do these longer trips in one go. If you look at it this way the Zoe is really the only option for the money even today still.
I liked the video, but there are some strange things:
- The Zoe does get OTA updates;
- B-mode doesn't go to full stop (it brakes to 10 kph);
- It has actually one of the most spacious interiors in its class (Renault Clio, Peugeot 208, Opel Corsa, VW Polo etc.), especially in the front and the boot;
- The ID3 is in a different segment, although price-wise the entry level ID3 may be a good deal compared to the Zoe (slightly smaller range but faster CCS-charging);
- I'm pretty sure the Zoe is on a bespoke EV platform, although it does show its age and isn't as clever as newer EV platforms.
I’ve got a new Zoe and the B mode is not a 1 pedal mode. It’s just a an extra bit of break regen.
@@arambuchanan Yeah, I drive a new ZOE as well, always put it in B and I'd say it can be almost 1 pedal driving, as long as you anticipate a little and you don't have to make full stops (like in city centers). But it isn't a real 1 pedal mode indeed.
Took the words out of my mouth (from another Zoe owner here)... also, if you read the manual, as most new owners would, it's not difficult to find the stalk that controls the radio volume etc.! Oh, and it looks like he had loads of headroom while he was talking about it not being good for tall people.
@TRV_94 I concur, all of what you mentioned were precisely my thoughts as he spouted off. I'm 99% sure when the Zoe was launched it was a new "EV only" architecture. I'm also quite sure that OTA updates had been mentioned. The other issue with the sound stalk was a lack of understanding of French cars in general, virtually all of them, Clio, Peugeot etc etc have volume adjustment on a seperate stalk. In many ways it's better than on wheel buttons as the button remains in the same place rather than jumping around dependant on the steering wheel position! One can only imagine the misreporting is that old anti French bias that seems to be quite prevalent amongst certain poms ;-)
Why the obsession with 'performance'? I suggest that most drivers require a simple car that can be used on the clogged up roads of the UK. A car that will get you to work, to the shops, etc.
As for the radio controls, 'infotainment'. Mine is switched off most of the time.
Everyone has their own preferences. Personally, I like a bit of performance, it just makes the car a bit more fun to drive, and can be quite beneficial in those 1% of situations where you need the extra acceleration. As for infotainment, mine's on all the time connected to Android Auto and blaring out music. For me, the infotainment system is probably 20-30% of the decision making process when looking at a car. In the age of super fast processors/computers, there really is no need for laggy, 5fps infotainment systems. I'd take a Tesla over any other car for this reason alone (if I could afford one lol).
I have the Zoe R135. Take it off eco and you’ll leave most cars in your dust at the lights. 0-60 is about 9 seconds apparently, but, eg carwow have clocked it at closer to 8. That’s hardly slow for most people…
@@beaverweaver Exactly what I find … I enjoy getting every bit of performance out of it and it certainly isn’t slow when worked hard.
stop hating the Zoe - I think most journalists are spoiled - this is the perfect car for most people
Huh? I just heard him say he really really liked it. But that competition is coming up fast. No?
we love our Zoé... even if renault tried to hide the fact it currently has a zero star safety rating !
Living in a rural area, the Zoë still reigns supreme here; even on my daily walk around there are five new ones just in the last couple of months near us - none of the others mentioned get a look in - we are the oddballs with our id3!
Can't complain about it being heavy, it's 200 kg lighter than an ID 3, and crucially, on an 8 year older platform than the ID 3. It's quite a success story if you put it in perspective.
The Zoe Ze50 makes for a good second hand buy and definitely worth a look
I bought this model in January as my first EV and I could not be happier with it. In Ireland at least, mini and VW were priced out of my range but I’ve got driving range to take me from one side of the country to the other in comfort and everyone asks a million questions when I’m charging. Love my little Zoe.
Indeed, I drove Wexford to Galway on a single charge. Love the Zoe.
We are on our 2nd Zoe in Dublin & drive all over the place. With CCS charging we find it the perfect car.
I just loved the random facts intertwined with the “boring” review. So funny. I always enjoy this guy’s videos.
IMHO, the Zoe is a very pretty design, at 9 years old almost timeless, whereas the Mini E (any Mini...) is a mess only a mother could love, and the lovely Honda E doesn't really go very far. But the R5 EV will be wonderful when it comes along to replace the Zoe!! PS..I did try it at the end, and indeed you can't hum...
Especially the Alpine version of R5 should be good.
On our 4th Zoe, the current one’s the ZE50 CCS and we love it, long range and excellent regeneration there’s nothing to beat it for the money. May not be exciting to look at but 235 miles of summer range excites me !
Me too, we’re on our fourth Zoe after two ZE40s, I rented a ZE50 for 18 months and now returning that having bought a 2020 ZE50 GT line with 4K miles (ex Onto). I’ve never ever had four of any other car ever. I still prefer driving the Zoe over the hills and twisty roads instead of a Model 3 which jumped in the ruts and I have no problem with 450 mile trips with the CCS …
We've just bought a 2021 Zoe GT-line and had a Sync-EV charger installed. Contrary to the review, this 'shifter' doesn't rattle about and I actually find it's well screwed together. Nothing rattles. Nor does it feel heavy. It handles speed bumps like a champ, something there's a lot of round here and in no way is it overly rolly. It's no go-cart, but it corners nicely and has road manners you can feel confident about. OK, my 'daily driver' for the past 10 years has been an Isuzu D-Max pickup, so no comparison, with a lifetime average of 28mpg. At today's prices it costs just shy of £100 to fill up for 480 miles. That same range has so far cost less than £20 at the plug!
I emigrated from the UK to Canada, and now that electric cars are a ‘thing’, am I ever disappointed with this country! Every week my Dad and I discuss cars - he’s right on top of every electric vehicle and suggesting options for me… none of which I can get in Canada. The Zoe would work just fine for me. But my actual options for something affordable are an electric Smart car ForTwo from 2018, a Nissan Leaf (not lively or personality laden enough) or maybe a Chevy Bolt, if I take another loan bigger than I want. So for small electric cars, in my view, Canada sucks.
I've had this car for over a year and I'm convinced you are driving a completely different car to me. Some of the things in your review are completely wrong/ridiculous
We have a Zoe... currently commuting from Porthcawl in South Wales to central Bristol daily. No range anxiety. Range is a big deal for us. The Zoe is still the best.
we love our ze50 Zoë. 400+km range, bigger than you expect....with the back seats down. zippy 0-30, nice interior.
i considered this, but since i cant charge from home i ordered the (better spec'd) 300 mile range Hyundai Kona, which is arriving late december. 1st electric car ever. getting excited.
cant say it often enough:
Please manufacturers, put a good on board charger in your EVs! The all around package of the Zoe regarding size, range and features is topped by the fact it has 22kW AC charging from the base model upwards. No extra to pay for it! I got one recently and it was the good AC charging it was without competition. When you only do public AC charging it is priceless.
Exactly -especially when there're so many 22 kWh chargers. Here in france, nearly every town and village has at least two.
Second that. Owning a original 22kwh zoe QC with battery upgrade to 40kwh (yes Renault offered it for a short while). Range and flexible AC charging (from 3kw up to 45kw) makes it a great little EV. Nearly all chargers give you 11 KW, a lot give 22kw and the occasional 45kw chargers that are still around help you out quickly is you are pretty empty.
Of course the TomTom of this old model Suc... Isn't very good. But hey, phone holder, google maps, Bluetooth ... Done. As long as the car holds up, we're not parting. (oh yeah, aaaand seats aren't very good.. but hey... Range for a decent price, that's it)
The other cars mentioned in the video, most of them fall short in the range catagory.
Finally a review on the zoe after a while
Love the Zoe and seriously considering getting one... i rode in it and it did make me nautious which normally only happens with very powerful ice cars... so the acceleration is above average when compared to ice cars in the same price range... and the space in the back i find is quite generous as well seems to me like it has more interior space than similar class ice cars... would really love some data on that point
Right on man, I actually tracked mine with a 2nd friend on board immediately after buying it lol, and it's quite fun given that you just accept the fact that it rolls due to the comfy suspension.
@@Vxvx22 Not a biggie if your wife can provide the airbags that the Zoe has been tested to be missing.
I think you're missing the point with this car, we changed from a Renault Clio to a Zoe, the controls are all in the same place as in the Zoe to very easy to transition. From a range perspective, now we have a home charger we have no difficulty using it and to transition from ICE to EV. The comparison is not necessarily with the EV rivals you mentioned, but the current set up small ICE cars. The fact that it does not have too many fancy bells and whistles to learn about is a real positive, you just get in and go. For a first EV, for the range you can get at the cost point this is at it's a no brainer. This is our first EV and it does all you want a car to do and more, seats 5 at a push, has a decent boot, and is ridiculously cheap to run (as well as best range is also one of most efficient in real world use). Maybe not the sexiest EV, but is a great car to transition in to from ICE.
Love my Zoe, still a great all round package. But I accept that things will progress in the EV world so fast that most of today's cars will feel dated in a few years time.
Yes, I was trying to hum while pinching my nose. Well done, very funny. On the Zoe, it was our first electric car back in 2016 and still holds a special place in our hearts. The deal on our Leaf runs out next year and the Zoe is still a contender. Thanks for the update, will have to consider the ID3 as well.
Fully Charged Show, I have a strong suspicion you’ve been hacked. Unless you’re advising crypto investment, in which case please stop, that’s not your job and makes you look cheap.
We are on our 4th EV & our 2nd Zoe, really love it plenty of poke and more room inside & in the boot than a Kona (Bjorn Nyland's banana box test) I'm 6'2" and find the car really comfortable with ample room in the back, try that in a Kona!
I'm a Tesla fan but I want my first Tesla from Berlin with tech promised on Battery Day. I bought ZE50 in Dec 20 as a budget EV before I got my Tesla. It is sad that Renault does not continuously upgrade it as Tesla does, but I still love it. My odometer is a proof of that. It says 40kkm (11 months).
Yeah, I wish more car manufacturers would go the way of Tesla. Make a few cars, and perfect them, instead of churning out different cars with entirely different software year after year.
@@Tresla Exactly. Tesla has 4 models and highest # of cars sold worldwide. VW is doing just for 1 MEB configuration Enyaq, ID4, Q4. That is not all, every year they do face-lift. Instead of working on core technologies, they design slightly different lights. They are wasting capital on in-house infotainment instead of adopting Android Automotive. They have no serious development in autonomy, stuff their cars with expensive sensors and in the end the only option they will have is to license Tesla autopilot that uses just cheap cameras. This all so funny. How many smart tubers saw this coming and are now $TSLA-naires. Executives in VW are still clueless and want to kick out Diess every month when he repeat that VW needs to seriously change.
This is not even funny anymore...
Love my 2020 Zoe ☺️ charging at 22 kw AC for a much cheaper rate than DC it’s a big advantage 😊
I used to own a 22 kWh zoe, great car. The ability to charge at 22 kW on AC destination chargers makes it a really versatile car
I love the 22kw AC charger. If I decide to drive to my parents on a whim I can charge the car on any public charger, go for breakfast and leave town 3 hours later. Even if I drive the battery empty - I easily spent 3 hours at my destination and can fully charge for the trip back.
11kw chargers can't offer me this freedom. I would need to DC charge: Higher price and fewer locations that are farther away.
If they give the ZOE a CCS update to 100 kw it will stay successful for a few more years.
Possibly the best car review ever! Loved all the random factoids - please keep them in all future reviews! (Oh go on! Just one maybe? Pretty-please!).
ZOE is simple, not an hype car. It's just a small simple car with normal features. Let's hope they keep it that way for the next generation
Completely agree Jack, stop redesigning stuff thats ok as it is. Just concentrate on style, range, simplicity and price
Buying a second hand r135 this week. All the cars that he thinks are better, are double the price on the used market. Zoe easily won my money.
Just bought the same about a month ago. It's still unbeatable at the price for a used low mileage one.
I still think it's the best small EV. The Honda and Mini are wayy to expensive. The ID3 is bigger - "only 20cm" is a lot in terms of volume. - nearly 1.5 square metres more space - so its not comparable imo. The real rival is the Fiat - that's the one to watch, but it looks like the range isn't as high as the Zoe. So the Zoe stands on it's own as having the correct size, the range and the low(er) price.
The 500 is smaller and way more expensive too. Zoé is mainstream while the 500 is premium.
Don't forget the cars from PSA such as the e208 and Corsa-e, they're a similar size to the Zoe.
@@Tresla Right. I just thought about them afterward. Why didn't he mention them too? They will surely dent Zoe's sales.
@@etbadaboum When he was comparing space he was talking about the benefits of the EV platform. e208 is also ICE based.
I agree. The ZOE is a small car and the ID3 is pretty much an electric VW Golf. Like comparing a Ford Fiesta against a Ford Focus in therms of size.
Why do you want buttons on the steering wheel, they're ALWAYS changing their position as you drive - unlike the neat little fixed stalk that Renault have employed here (they had it on the Laguna too FWIW - far better solution IMO).
My late girlfriend loved her 2017 Zoe. She said it was the nicest car she'd ever had.
I agree with the conclusion! The Zoe feels like older generation and that means the overall EV sector is getting better with better tech... but the next generation competing directly with the Zoé is not there yet. Either too small, too big, too expensive, too short on range, there is no direct competitor to the Zoe yet. I think other car makers made it on purpose. While it needed nearly a decade to wait for a competitor to the Model S, no one wants to take the fight to a car that sold 100k units last year. But competition will come soon I hope! And Renault is prepared with the next R5 electric...
I'm wondering whether the ORA Cat would be a Zoe competitor... about the same price, about the same size (I think), better range (with the large battery), and fancy interior...
@@logicalChimp could be but that high boot sill in the Cat looks like it will compromise load carrying ability .. but we shall see
Zoe received ZERO star in the latest crash test done by Euro NCAP agency in December 2021. Do NOT buy a Zoe!! There are NO side airbag in this car.
@@Vxvx22 Because of not upgraded active assistant features mostly.
@@etbadaboum Not because of that. Even Dacia Spring got 1 star, and Dacia has no active safety features at all. Check the Euro NCAP youtube videos/ website.
I do love my Peugeot e208. I'll concede that the range is nothing like as good as the Zoe, but... it looks about 1000% better, is actually really quite quick and it's great to drive. If it had 250-mile range it'd be all I'd need!
I agree. But here in Finland, even the base model e208 is about £5k more than a Zoe. I do hope, that one day we'll see more cheap EVs in this size class.
@@finvka1 maybe with the future R5 E-TECH
Zoe received ZERO star in the latest crash test done by Euro NCAP agency in December 2021. Do NOT buy a Zoe!! There are NO side airbag in this car.
It feels much more powerful than you think, and more than enough for cities and their outskirts, which this car has been built for. People keep comparing it with bigger cars but it’s just a very practical city car. Much more practical than the e500 or e-mini but it a small package. It’s an excellent everyday all rounder.
ZOE get over the air updates. ZOE is also available for about £5k to £6K less than ID3 and there were some in stock when I bought my Riviera Ltd. Edition. If it had 100kw fast charging, I'd be even more pleased with mine. Charging speed is as much a differentiator as range. Another thing worth noting: though Bose has become the official premium audio option for the ZOE, Focal, the world famous French high end speaker manufacturer, makes speakers for Renault and Dacia fittings.
My Zoe’s a perfect car, especially as a Fiesta replacement. I think the larger battery would suit someone in a town as well as for someone who needs to do the long journey. Fill it up and they probably would need to touch it for over a week!
Media stalk might take a bit of getting used to, but I agree it does need to be pointed out and explained during handover.
App works great for pre-conditioning (and charge scheduling), and the car does receive OTA updates as well as the app. Infotainment is the most intuitive in its class and nav works perfectly (yes, I don’t use CarPlay!). All in all the Zoe’s still the best all rounder for its size.
As for 1 pedal driving, Mine definitely doesn’t come to a complete stop. Briar pedal’s needed in the last few meters.
Great car. I love it having driven over 10000 miles I am very happy.
This is the EV I wish they'd sell in Americas. An EV for the normal person and not someone saying they hate driving so they want autopilot but also brag about 0-60 times that's basically unsafe in normal roads and ferrying around massive battery banks for 300 miles when the daily charger/commute vehicle only needs 150.
I also think Dacia should come to the US too
Not gonna lie, those random facts were a real value-add to a Zoe review.
Yah not really sure what the intent there was except to fill time and make the video 13 minutes
I actually loved the random facts a lot, fits the presenting style you employed in this one especially
@@shinybaldy The negativity towards this in 3 generations perfected Zoe struck me.
What's against a high steering position, long range, a roomy interior, leaving BMW's behind at traffic lights?
Sponsored by VW, this review?
ID3 is NOT roomier, has a shorter range, higher price, software problems.
Unreliable diesel "after sales", shrewd marketing, repetitive bad experiences,
boasting non existant "top" quality.
Nie wieder VW for me!
Audio controls on the steering wheel are great when you come to a halt in traffic on a bend, and then want to change the volume. It's super fun to play the game of "hunt the button", then working out if "up" is still "up", or if the wheel's been turned round far enough to have reversed their positions. Having the buttons on a stalk, where they're always guaranteed to be in the same place, is just boring.
Have you ever heard of "the Kona E" Jack, it’s been around since 2018 in-the UK !? The reason I mention it is, firstly it never enters into your comparisons with other vehicles and secondly it’s my favourite small long range car.
I’ve had my Zoe for a year now. Absolutely no faults with it at all. never been close to getting range anxiety despite having a daily commute of 100+miles. Can comfortably fit the kids pushchair in the boot too. I looked at a BMW i3 but they only have 4 seats. So that was straight off the shortlist. The ID3 wasn’t yet released when I got my Zoe, but if it had been, it would definitely have been on my radar because I love the look of the ID3 but I’m not sure the ID3 with the equivalent range is comparable on price (I could be wrong there). Also, the gent presenting this suggested that the Zoe doesn’t get “over air updates”. Yes it does, literally had one a couple of weeks ago. Also unsure of his comments about the Zoe not being built around EV architecture? I thought the Zoe was a pure EV design? The guy’s comments regarding the audio controls on the stalk are a bit cringeworthy considering his profession. They’ve been on a stalk in Renaults for flipping ages. My Laguna had them too. I think his gran would have known exactly where they were. However as an EV owner my criticism of all small EVs is this. They don’t need all the additional gadgets and nonsense. Get rid of the air con, cruise control, parking sensors, electric windows, lane detection, sat nav etc and create a truly affordable, basic EV. Batteries, motor, steering wheel, brakes, lights, seats. And maybe a heater for the windscreen. The range would be epic without all the additional shite they cram into these cars 😂
Renault Zoe 2016 my first ev, after 8k miles love it. Maintenance low, charge at home, drive where I need fast. The acceleration at low speed even take on my Mercedes s350, smooth and small. Great to go to work, great to pick up kids, great for wife to go in town for shopping ( she hate ideea of electric car, but i think our Zoe slowly is changing her mind). Great little car, for me
I first went EV in 2014 with a Zoe 22..4 years later,went to a R110 ZE40..Now in a ZE50 Iconic 110.I'm in Northern Ireland,and rapid charging hasn't improved here since my first Zoe. The 22kW "standard" charging network in Ireland is ideal for the Zoe,nothing in it's price bracket can touch it for charging versatility,I'm happy with mine.
The reviewer is taking quite a bit of stick in these comments but I think most of what he says is fair and I say this as someone who has just bought a Zoe and loves it.
I would pick him up on his comments on interior space. There is plenty of room in the front and some competitors, eg the Peugeot 208, are positively claustrophobic by comparison. Also, the driving position, which lots of reviewers complain about, is very much a plus point for us.
The two things that have prevented us from buying an ev in the past are range and price and this is where the Zoe is still streets ahead of the competition. The extra range of the Zoe just about makes it practical for our purposes and we got a top range GT with extras, list price over £36k, for £25k. Whilst I can understand why this reviewer prefers other evs, literally no other ev on the market meets our needs.
A 'charming' video, Jack about a 'charming' little EV - and loved the fun-facts inserts... the spiders with frog pets had me in stitches...! 🤣
However, I couldn't help but think you were driving a completely different model to the Zoe I test drove for the first time a few weeks back...???
The caveat to what I'm about to describe, though, is that my current car is the Mk1 Leaf...
Firstly, I found the ride quality on the Zoe to be really quite firm - to the extent, actually, that the rear hatch rattled horrendously on anything other than billiard-table-smooth road surfaces.
But, as a consequence, I found the handling and cornering ability to be really fun - it was WAY more pointy and direct than my Leaf.
And, although the one I drove was only the R110 version, oh boy, it felt SOOOooooooo much quicker than my Leaf...!
In fact, had it not been for the fact that, despite only being 5' 8" tall, I simply could not get a comfortable driving position - especially in relation to the steering wheel, which I just couldn't get to drop down low enough for my arms to not feel like I was in an SAS stress position - I would've probably signed on the dotted line there and then.
Credit though, despite it being a whole chunk shorter than my Leaf, I was still able to get my Mum's wheelchair in the boot - so great packaging, even if not on bespoke EV architecture...
I really can see why Zoe owners are so passionate about their cars...
Excellent presentation. Loved it!
The only reason the ZOE is off my short list is simply... a sunroof. Renault has been the king of sunroofs for decades now, yet they refuse to offer a ZOE with one. Even the new Twingo has to settle for a foldable cabriotop rather than glass roof panels (yet its sister the Smart does have a sunroof, go figure). If it would have had a sunroof or panoramic roof, I would have been sold on this car ages ago.
I do appreciate the quicker way the newer town cars respond, and that that is why a smaller battery would be a smart option. For me though, I want only one car which can do everything, and yet it is not too big to feel like a mastodon, and quick enough in recharging to compensate for the smaller battery size. I bet there is some nifty graph on which you can determine which cross hairs are perfect for you regarding battery size and charge times and frequency, depending on what kind of travel you expect to do. For me, I want to be able to go and come back from work and feel comfortable enough not to look for a charger if the charging stations are occupied. I want to be able to drive to Spain without going bonkers for the frustrating repetition of charging every leg you drive, yet not taking too long or require too often to charge when the batteries are actually depleted. So a range of at least 300 would be good for me as a bottom line, a threshold. The ZOE offers more than that, which brings them in a camp of a select few cars that fit me, which are range over achievers against a reasonable price. That is a small group with next to this ZOE the Hyundai Kia combo of cars, VW ID3 perhaps, but I hate their button allergy approach. And I assume these 99.000 ZOE buyers were in that same boat as me.
I love love love the Honda,but its' range simply is ridiculous and not a single well taken windy road is going to compensate for that.
I’ve still got a 2014 22kwh Zoe. 95% battery health, suspension is hard as nails and is really good in corners, did they squidge it up later on?
Thank you, that was a lovely tone.
I really like that you're not saying everyone should buy the latest thing just because it's new, we do after all have a planet to save before our mess kills us all.
I have tested Hyundai Kona (noisy), VW ID3 (plasic low cost experience) , Nissan Leaf (ugly and noisy), Fiat 500E (great but too small for me) , Honda E (pleasure but 1phase charging only and unpractical access to plug). Finally ZOE 50R135 was clearly the winner. And I still love it.
For England or even the UK, absolutely. Evertthing is tight and small, most chargers available are 50kw anyway, I don't drive my car far away just get charge a lot faster, why? Charging over night is better. In another country, yes, but here, no reason, the national speed limit is 70, so no worries about burning down your battery on higher speeds. It's a fantastic car. The only letdown is that most Renault dealer and garages are a pinta, having no clue about their own product, with some exeptions of course.
The Zoe is a very good second hand choice, lots available at reasonable prices. It's now possible to buy out the battery lease.
As a driver from late 90s vintage Renault, the stereo control stalk is exactly where I would expect it! It even looks like the one from my Clio and Mégane.
Had a R135 ZE50 for 4 months. General observations: Range is reliably 190miles + in mixed use. Can fit a 12 year old, 8 year old and 3year old in the back (its tight!). It’s very nippy. Boot is good size and shape for a small car (much bigger than a previous generation Corsa). Infotainment system works well and is easy to use. Seats are firm ( I found the seat in a new Clio much more comfortable) and the faux leather feels cheap. On balance it’s a good car.
Test drove one at fullycharged and for me it was an excellent little car. It is old tech, and I hate the blank buttons, especially on the top spec car. But if one appeared on the drive I would be delighted to own and run it. Having said all of that, I am looking forward to the R5 and the Megan. especially the Megan, that looks like my sweet spot size wise
It’s not for everyone for sure. But it doesn’t have to be. It’s still super popular so - if it’s not broken don’t fix it.
As my 4th EV I have a R135 15 months now with 36K done.
It is very comfortable on motorway journeys once you have the armrest.
By the way it constantly does OTA updates (approx 1 a fortnight) 4 major ones which required permission to load.
@FuII Charged Show I could not make any sense out of the message.
I am assuming it was done with a hands free voice to text.
Sorry
Well not trying to be biased but....
The ZOE is the best EV for money for range and that's what everyone is trying to achieve, we want affordable cars that will go a long way on a single charge and the ZOE has done this way before any other EVs have on the market.
Take a look at the ZE40 it's still can achieve more range than many new EVs to date.
Oh and don't want to be picking but it's spelt ZOE not Zoe for many that spell it wrong 🤣
Oh and the regen does not bring you to a stop so I am guessing you haven't really been driving this for a week 🤷 it actually only slows you down to about 5mph
Very disappointed in this video and the fact the Fully Charged team have not really done the research on the ZOE in this case because the errors are shocking.
after owning several older Renault's and Dacia's which have all used the separate lever for volume control then buying a leaf with volume buttons on the steering wheel and now back to a Zoe I think the separate lever is soo much better than buttons on a steering wheel. Also the Zoe gear knob is a work of art and feels so good in your hand until you started misusing it I wouldn't have known you could abuse like that. Much better than a fiddly switch especially if you have to do a three point turn on a busy road, you feel much more in control. (After 50 years driving using a stick shift comes naturally,)
Buying yesterday's Tec suits older people, sometimes the latest and greatest is just to big a leap especially in price!
I love the new Zoe 50. Also they are a good deal used ! You can find some from 2020 for around 20k, battery included. Not bad for 400km of range and better finish than the ID.3
Quote....Some things just don't need changing....emmmm awkward Renault have been using that radio control EXACT design since way back about 1990 when you were still Jizz in a dangly double barrel bag :/....And i will add to that once used to it it works absolutely perfect better than anyone else@s system
Love it. Quite like sitting up high, (being a short arse) & not overly bothered about performance. Range & quality of spec are key. Plus price obviously. Anticipate having a lot of fun testing reasonably priced/sized EV’s, having recently leased for a month to test out the charging experience in real life (perfectly manageable despite no drive surprisingly). This one now added to the list, which is getting longer & longer (excellent).
Enjoyed the random facts. Every day’s a school day!
I've grown to love my little Zoe but I have to admit, that I considered changing the suspension. Anyhow I'd be sad if they discontinued it in favor of a Retrodesign car. I feel the Zoe in the meantime has a legacy and either Renault embraces it and builds a new 100% EV platform Zoe, or they pick a new name and face and might bring the legendary Zoe back in 30 years and I'll tell my grandkids how, back in the day, I used to own one of the Original pre facelift Zoes...
My number one reason for choosing the ZOE over the competition was the capability of 22KW AC charging. This I feel is a widely overlooked feature where everybody focus on the DC charge speed but forget that most chargers in the urban environment are all 11 or 22KW chargers and not 50-100-150-250KW chargers. The fact that some of the latest released cars are still sporting max 7,5kw AC charging is to me ridicules.
I can FULLY CHARGE my ZOE while it is parked and I am doing something else for 2 hours and be on my way with full range. That is more important to me in a small city car.
The review seems a bit harsh on the Zoe :) … I think it is the best option for quality and price for now for many families and regular people. There are some new for £20-21k now available. Which it is still expensive but best option for EVs. I got my Zoe Iconic R135 up to 256 miles and I don’t mind it being a bit heavier for that. Better heavier than less weight and no range like the honda-e which is basically useless for people to have. Hopefully the next Zoe will start with a 70kw battery and that would be it. Also not having the acceleration of a Tesla (which we don’t need really to go to work and shop)… is not a problem. The fact that sits taller gives more visibility of the roads actually, so I saw that as an advantage from the start. Also it can charge at 22 kw ac which is a huge advantage when using 3-phase fast charging points or the side AC cable on rapid charging points. The navigation system is not good I agree though. Got me to 1 way roads (against the direction of traffic) and roads with restricted access multiple times in London. Volume…. I wondered where that was !! :D
Haven't all Renault/Peugeot cars for the last 30 years had the audio controls on a separate stalk?
it feels like you've been fact checking for the stig in a previous life :) love the effort that goes into this show
My dad has had a Zoe of the previous variant for nearly three years now, and it really is the perfect sort of car for his needs - it's just so danged convenient, with its compact size and relatively decent range. ID.3 is bigger inside, but it's also bigger outside too; Zoe is tiny and so easy to park. And even with the weaker battery pack in his car compared to the current newest version, he can still come visit me where I live, some 200km away from him, in the dead of winter, on one charge and with some margin to spare. Not too shabby methinks, for a car that small! Honda E couldn't hope to pull that off.
And even lacking DC charging, he'll be back up to full well before it's time for him to drive back home again. (I keep telling him to just take the train, it's so much more convenient, but he got his driver's license in the friggin' 1950s, so he's driving - there's no stopping him... :P
Just in case; if you’re looking to the Zoe as your first EV - a few bits in this review I think are a bit unfair so thought I’d add my two pence!
I bought a 20 plate GT Line Zoe after having a succession of petrol cars.
My last petrol car was a VW Polo 1.2tsi and by comparison the Zoe is so much more fun to drive.
The car doesn’t roll anywhere near as much in the corners (it isn’t a sports car, and isn’t a Fiesta; but it handles okaaaay), but does understeer a bit. You get used to it quickly though.
Around town and for most longer journeys it’s perfect. 0-30mph is about 2 seconds so great for getting out of busy junctions.
0-60 is about 8 seconds which isn’t going to set the world on fire; but is better than any similar petrol car will do unless it’s a “sports” version.
Overtaking in it is great fun and it’s the first car I’ve been fully confident to overtake in. Before, I’d have to drop the car down a couple of gears and hope the turbo kicks in; not anymore!
The Zoe is a cracking EV - it might not be a Tesla but it doesn’t try to be.
It’s a small but practical car with a decent range and good equipment list…
What swung it for me over competitors:
- Even mid range models get good spec levels such as air con, auto lights/wipers and car play/android auto.
- Boot space, cabin space is huge for such a small car.
- It’s the only small, relatively cheap EV with a decent range to have physical heating controls. Others like the 208 need to be used through a touch screen which is a nightmare while driving.
A few cons after having the car half a year:
- The auto high beams aren’t great but can turn them off.
- The auto dimming mirror on the GT Line doesn’t work well due to privacy glass on the rear window.
- in colder weather the parcel shelf can creak a bit against the boot ; but music helps!
Things I love:
- Small car that is incredibly cheap to run
- Preconditioning and sending GPS locations to the car remotely is a godsend.
- The boot is bigger than any car I’ve owned in the same segment.
- Mine is the GT Line with all the tech and winter pack. Heated seats and steering wheel in the winter are perfect, and auto lights and wipers work very well (besides high beams as previously mentioned)
For me - for the price, for the size of the car and for its range; if I were to buy my first EV again I’d probably choose the Zoe again.
Russia is not bigger than Pluto; this used to be "true" based on our best estimates of Pluto's surface area. In 2015, NASA's New Horizon mission passed close to Pluto and led to a more accurate estimate which is slightly larger than Russia, rather than slightly smaller. Either way, it is interesting that Russia's land area is about the same as a celestial body that used to be considered a planet.
🤣🤣🤣 every day’s a school day! Love this !!
Love my Zoe it goes for km/miles without the worry. Second hand 135 at better price point that other stuff. True, it’s not a throw it around car, but drives well around town and motorway.
I think the seats are awful on a long drive, 3 hours plus is not an issue. But its great that is an issue cos it means it has a really good range.
Seats 4 adults fine.
It’s not an SUV!
Volume control …. Yeah, I still forget.
All in all, it’s worth taking one for a drive, especially second hand market.
Did I mention the range ?
2 adults in the back? You are joking? Children up to 1,7 m maybe but the legs are in strange angle.
Volume control is very much Renault, used to own a Scenic, same sort of solution.
Range seems good though,
@@robenglish416 Yes rear space is good enough for a long day trip; our family of 4 are 5’9” to 6 foot - all comfortable with the dog in the boot. 5 up is uncomfortable, to be expected in a supermini / city category.
We do fine, “kids” 1,80+ Floor is high and not great, and no it’s not best in class. But swings and roundabouts, sitting in the rain waiting for you bigger better looking EV to charge on the only available 22kwatt is not the most comfortable experience either. Zoe gets you there quicker and then it’s glass of wine time whilst others are unplugging under an umbrella.
I love my zoe (2018). but At 2021 the 2019 Zoe (in Video) is outdated single-handedly of the optional CCS of only 50kw. this is why Renault brings the MeganE as challenger to the ID3.
But still with DC fast charging as an option. Yes Renault is still stuck in 2015 and this is insulting
@@afterburner94 not even 22kw AC as base like Zoe. 7kw as base version. no clue what the plan is by this.
@@afterburner94 no ! is inclued
Love the fun facts! and you're funny.
It's hard to stay focussed on this video when you throw out google-able gems like spiders keeping frogs as pets. Great job nonetheless Jack! (And yes, I was trying it. You got me.)
Still a huge fan of the Zoe. Nice interior, nippy driving profile, and I'm Jack's height but prefer the higher driving position, it makes it feel like the world's smallest, most sensible crossover. And how can you compare the ID.3 to the Zoe and not mention the GODAWFUL control system on the ID.3? When you get in the ID.3, you have to wait like 30 seconds to even be allowed to turn the heat on. The Zoe has buttons and dials like a good car should.
Should definitely call the next one the Renault Fi-EV 💣
“Some spiders keep frogs as pets” 🤣 Jack is by far my favourite motoring journalist 👍
My favourite small electric car is the Changli: Made famous by the wonderful Jason Torchinsky of Jalopnik. I know its basicly crap and has one horsepower and probably lead acid batteries, but the amount of fun he can have per dollar is really quite large!
Love your fun and not too serious videos. Great entertainment 👍
The ZOE was designed from the ground up as an EV it is not a converted ICE design. Even the previous model ZOE ZE40 has 140 miles on motorway and 175 urban driving. Really roomy inside and huge boot for the size of car puts the new Corsa and Peugeot to shame and is such a pleasant relaxing car to drive, in my opinion.
A frustratingly annoying non-review fully charged with hyperbole, contradiction and basic factual error.
This makes no sense, so must presume this to be a pro oil bot.