Love the looks of the Renault 4 (and 5). It's great that some quirky European design makes it to market. Traditionally the 5 was more city-centric, with sporty variants such as the GTR and GT. I expected the Renault 4 to have at least 2 baguette carriers inside and a big steel luggage carrier on the roof. :)
I applaud Renault, they seem to have let their designers and engineers lead rather than accountants. If we continue to choose a world of grey SUVs then that's all manufacturers will end up making, it's us, the customer, who determine the direction of travel. For the first time, in a long time, I'm genuinely interested in the design of cars again and actually looking forward to seeing them on the road. Could they improve, sure but the next time you go looking at cars, take a seat, look around at the sterile sameness of safe design language and just think what car really makes you feel something. Not what one makes sense. What one really makes you feel that emotional connection. One that evokes that cheeky moment when you're sat alone with your thoughts, at a set of traffic lights, on a Friday afternoon, heading home for weekend and inadvertently smile to yourself and say...god I love this little car 😉
To be honest, this 4 looks like the designers didn't have their say to the engineers compared to the Twingo. It feels like they wrapped a shell around an SUV battery plate to design the 4. IT's too halfway between authentic retro and modern lines. The Ev3, ex30 or Ionic make more sense in this category imo.
If the designers were running the show, instead of the accountants, Renault wouldn't keep slapping famous car badges on SUVs. At least the Renault 5 is still a hatchback, but just about everything else is an SUV. You'd think Renault were an American brand with the number of SUVs they're making!
Look at the interiors of that car ! WOW I seriously want one. The French have really , really upped their game, congratulations to them. The French do "accessible luxury". I find that car very, very chic.
This also looks near identical to the concept, just without the faux offroad bits the concept had. Madly impressed at the low load floor in the boot! That is rare to see.
Really love this design, especially the dark red model is stunning. I really love this kind of playful retro chic, fun but sturdy look it has going on. ❤️
This R4 isn't KIA EV3 rival, this Renault is simple competitor to the Jeep Avenger/Fiat 600e etc. EV3 is much bigger and has much bigger range and example frunkt etc. This is small B class car, EV3 is mostly C class compact and spacious model
@@jamesengland7461 sure, but people buy for their needs. If you need a car to get around town park easily and as cheap as possible then the Renault 4 will likely be at least 6000€ cheaper in its base version. I think Megane e-tech 60kwh is a much better comparison for the Kia EV3, although that one became obsolete quite fast not offering a bigger battery as option
@@jwvandegronden Totally agree..my point was though that you wouldn't want the original R4 rudimentary seats anywhere in a new design. The Fuego seats you refer to actually predate it, and first saw the light of day in the R15 & 17.
@@Luke-PlanesTrainsDogsnCars I vaguely remember that I think! The Fuego was the first in which i probably registered them consciously. Love these old cars. Even though I like the new retro designs, they are a bit too much 2D ornamentation like the Miami architecture. Bodies though are much more shaped and crafted than the 2D blow-ups from yesteryear ;-)
Imagine bringing back a brand name and it making sense. Looking at your Ford “Capri” You can’t really complain about light in a studio with lighting direct from above. Renault be warned it if you go cheap to save money that reputation will stick. Do them for a decent price is great but don’t skimp.
Looks great! I am also a huge fan of the original, and of course I prefer that for its rugged simplicity; however, I am highly tempted by this. Suddenly there are now 3 great options for my next new car, Renault 5, Renault 4 and FIAT Grande Panda
Lower charging times for larger batteries! If you want to add 150 miles of range, a smaller battery will slow down charging speeds more than a larger battery would and so you do not have to wait as long on roadtrips where you do not want to charge to full while waiting at a charger...
You do know you don't _have_ to charge up completely if you don't want to, right? And an EV that doesn't run out of juice quickly suits everyone's needs.
Well done to Renault for making EVs look less boring, although I'd have thought they would have paid more attention to the shut gaps on the press car. The bonnet shut gap on the RH side is particularly poor, which shouldn't happen on a modern vehicle, and especially not on a press car.
The 4 was Renaults answer to the Citroën 2cv. Simple design, and cheap. This new 4 may be a nice car, but it misses completely on its market and heritage. I expected a smaller and cheaper car. Below the 5, and under 20k USD.
The original Renault 4 was bigger than the 5 as well, I think it is perfectly fitting. They will get the Twingo to cover that usecase. Luca de Meo is arguably the best automotive executives of the last 15 years. Led Seat into a much improved new era creating Cupra in the process, now it is revolutionizing a Renault that was just lagging behing in the last 10 years.
The Chinese cars aren’t cheap. For some reason people get really excited over their prices in China. Inevitably, when they arrive here, their list price doubles. I haven’t seen a single compelling Chinese EV launched in the UK so far.
Why can't many of the EV makers do a Front boot, or at least have enough room for storage of all the cables they should come with, under the bonnet. At least they seem to have been allowed to give the Renault 4 it;s own look and the nods to the original do not spoil this. The other huge thing is that Kia, Hyundai and Tesla have really shown great efficiency and it is very difficult when you see these new cars being way under what they should or could be capable of.
Do realise that front boot means blocked access to main components which means higher maintenance costs (because higher labor each time) as well. The fact is that the front boot for a car that is mainly aimed at city driving is basically useless, even more so in cars these small with small front bonnets and fwd.
@@FGGiskard Many cars put a shroud over the engine area and have to remove that, a froot or frunk would not be that much more difficult and the other part is that they do not need regular access into that area as unlike ICE cars they do not have oil changes fan belts, spark plugs, oil filters and the rest that does need to be accessible on an ICE car.
I really like this car.The 5 was interesting but the boot opening was not practical for a main car if you have a dog. This one wil be on my test drive list when it is released.
How big are those seats, you looked like you were sitting in a giant Santa chair. As for range well that depends on so many factors, driving style, weather, tyres, topography, etc. Will be interesting to see how it goes once it is launched.
Around 09:38 onwards - Why is using no Rare Earths good? Rare Earths are not particularly rare, despite their categorisation. They are slightly challenging to separate one from another, but they occur all around the planet. Clearly, as with other elements and minerals, their abundance varies from place to place, but they are far more common than more expensive elements such as Gold and Silver. Neodymium and Scandium are often used in magnets, including those within wind turbine generators and some electric motors. If they were indeed rare, they would not be used in these ways.
I think the same. They started to add too many lines and it became halfway to the look of an SUV. It started to lose the uniformity of the original. Boxy then curvy again, they should have applied the boxy corners systematically. Not of a fan of shiny plastics. Scenic has many lines but it looks more coherent. Twingo looks perfect.
For the price I would expect more range but apart from that I prefer this to the 5 as it's less of a boutique vehicle and actually is more practical with better rear legroom.
If I remember correctly, R4 = push/pull gear selector out of dash. I guess practicality overrides nostalgia with the steering column stalk in the new one.
That low load lip/boot floor looks like an actually useful height! It might be the first crossover I'd consider buying Just need someone taller to stand next to it, Ginny doesn't suffer for headroom. - 61cm apparently. Sold.
kudos to Renault for doing something different. I really loved the quickyness nature of the new 4 and 5, looking very different from the more 'regular' Scenic and Megane siblings. If they can deliver efficency, fast charging and a nice driving feel to fulfill its frenchness, can be a turning point for Renault
Renault seem to be smashing it out the park in design recently - all of their EVs (apart from the Fluence, maybe) look fantastic and the most recent models have also upped their game in terms of technology. I do like the R4, but it's perhaps not as nice as the R5. The rear gives me major Fiat 500 vibes, and the lack of cable storage is a massive oversight imo. However, I think it will sell well and is priced competitively when you compare it to the likes of the Peugeot e2008 (which I currently have - although soon to be replaced with an ID.7). I think it offers a bit more French flair than the Kia EV3. Look forward to seeing what Renault designers can come up with next!
Having been around Renault 4/5/6 models that my parents owned do like the front and rear designs and the c pillar windows that remind you of the original car. They could have fitted those bump shields to the side panels(they were first used on the 5 GTL and then on the final updated 4 models that would make it look more rugged .The load flat floor was also a common site on the originals down to bumper level in fact so no lip --a good design even 50 yrs ago or more including folding rear seats too --why don't todays cars have folding rear seat bases so that the backrests sit flat to floor? The original in some ways was far ahead technically in some areas-- all panels were bolt on, fully independent susp., front wheel drive etc. My concern with this car is do we need all the gadgets(apart from safety features obviously) like the sound system and electric sunroof etc---this was a car for the masses but at a proposed price of around 30k--if it actually comes in at that when launched its again too expensive for a car with that range and then if you want more range its even more money----give us the better range for the same money and cutback on something else..
The Renault 4 was perhaps an SUV-crossover.... thing, before they ever became a category. It's mad and unique looking and genuinely served a purpose that distinguished it from other carmakers. This is just another SUV-crossover in a sea of millions. It has some funky styling here and there, but so does the Kia EV-3, which I think looks more interesting. I think most people buying from this over-saturated market will be looking more at nice squishy seats, a big boot, reliability, dealer network, etc. etc. Boring stuff that matters in a boring car segment. And if you are looking for some styling flair, there are certainly competitors doing a better job of that.
I like it a lot but is it me or is the dashboard virtually the same as the 5, including the controls Manos bangs his leg on in the 5 ?. It doesn't put me off just ashame they are so similar
The 5, like the mini, can get away with so-so range because realistically, they are going to be used for shopping runs, trips around town and so on, and rarely longer journeys. This size is more your main family vehicle though, and while 250 miles range was OK back when the GV60 launched, in today's market, it just looks poor.
@@wbjxfkwsklejfde34d interestingly at the same time as owning a Tesla we’ve had three years with a Fiat 500e and done 47,000 miles and it’s 140-160 mile range has been sufficient for a daily commute from Sussex to Portsmouth around 80 miles and honestly I still don’t understand the obsession with EVs needing massive range… Big range = heavy batteries and results in inefficiency…
@@gileshalliwell3591 thoroughly agree. Having a big battery is 'convenient' in some senses because the charging network used to be pants. However, I'n my experience it just isn't anymore. I have had a single 5 minute wait amongst around 15-20 rapid charging stops since I bought my e-C4 in March and otherwise it's just been plain sailing. In an ideal world I think a 200 mile battery, which the Renault has, is ideal - more than enough for a 2-3 hour stint at the wheel before you pull over for a coffee and a charge (which, incidentally, is in line with the UK Highway Code rules suggesting you should take a 15 minute break every 2 hours). Big Batteries are useful for convenience but then you're driving around an enormous heavy battery that takes ages to charge over AC at home.
I like the overall looks, apart from the silly rear bumper. But as you say, its expected price tag to range might be its biggest hurdle. Especially for the small battery. Nothing wrong with a smaller battery pack, providing the vehicle is efficient with it. But 40kWh and that best possible range… that’s abysmal efficiency. Like so many things that have associated consumables. It can be the overall cost of ownership, that makes or breaks a sale. So initial OTR price is very important, range important and mi/km per kWh also very important. If it’s going to cost a small fortune to fuel; coupled to a lack of range = one serving of Achilles Heel.
I think this is a far more practical looking car than the 5 which has terrible boot capacity, weird asymmetric stylings and a "busy" design. By contrast this looks more like function took precedence over form. It might be boxier but day to day it'll be a lot more useful.
If I recall this is a collaboration between Renault Europe and a Chinese company (who will supply the electric drive train and so on) with the former looking after the styling...I therefore think Price should not be so high, and, as you rightly point out, it simply doesn't compete with the likes of the Kia EV3.
@@JanCervenkaUK89 This very channel stated that Renault "were effectively working around the clock with Geely on this model and that would compress the usual multi year time frame for new models as both French and Chinese counterparts effectively work around the clock on it". This from the Podcast released yesterday. Feel free to correct Ginny !
Dont care how it looks . Whats the price ? Whats the range ? Whats the battery technology ? How long it charges from 0 to 90% ? Can i fit in 5 people ? Where is the spare tire. Thats all i need to know .
It has the same battery sizes (but only half the AC recharging speed!) of the later Zoe models. From my experience, that 240 mile range from a 52 kWh battery likely will be an underestimate. In Summer (20° C or higher, we see 300+ miles routinely, on medium and longer runs, without hypermiling. In Winter (around 0 to 5°C) on similar routes we still see 250 miles of range. The reduced AC recharging speed is a real show-stopper for me. The Zoe's 22kW AC, whilst not fast by modern standards, is more than adequate if you want to avoid DC recharging with its higher battery wear and purchase costs, and it's perfect if you have 3-phase destination (or home) recharging. A 40 minute break with 22 kW speeds makes full day journeys with safety and refreshment stops a breeze in Britain, for example. 11 kW is definitely a retrograde step which Renault really need o reconsider.
Yeah. The 3/4 looks more like a Countryman or old Fiat Panda than the original 4. There are some nice touches, but overall I don't think this reboot works as well as the 5. And as mentioned in the video, you'd be a bit mad to but one of these over an EV3.
I think it's great and yes the Kia EV 3 has more range but it also costs more to buy so that was a bit of a pointless statement. I think all electric cars should have a space under the bonnet for the cables I know the Renault doesn't but as with all electric cars there's no reason why there shouldn't be a storage space there.
Really like that Renault are looking back for design ideas rather than making modern jelly moulds. I would rather have a Renault 4 with the sliding roof than any other modern BYD look-alike.
i think Renault should be applauded for both the 4 and 5,, great looking cars,,, but your point about the range is spot on,,, its just way too small,,,, it needs to be somewhere in the region of 450 km to 550,,, to attract buyers,,,,, in my opinion,,,
Beautiful looking car though comparative ranges put a slight damper on one's choice ; the EV3 with it's range and the prestige badging of the Volvo EX30 .
Renault have just taken the original Zoe battery (40Kw) and the newer 52Kw and repurposed them into the 4 and 5 which is ok but in today electric car market its pretty poor
I love the rear end, but the front is a bit plain; maybe they should've gone for the earlier version of the original? I'm not bothered about the range; how many people will drive hundreds of miles in a day in a car like this? And even if you would, you'd need breaks, so you might as well use them for recharging...
The design looks a bit busy to me, and an R4 should not be a CSUV with lots of black plastic. Perhaps the newer R5 design works better to modernize since it had integrated plastic bumpers.
Perhaps real world pricing will be like the Zoe used to be. I bought a Zoe ZE40 (battery owned) in 2017 for £17800 (£6200 discount from a main dealer after haggling). The £4500 grant from the government at the time helped too. It always seems that if the list prices are putting people off Renault will do a deal. In 2007 I got a similar discount on a Megane CC.
Thanks for the review. Think about it for a bit. . . . . Why do you think, so many people love the form of the "copies" of the Alpine A110, trhe Renault R5 or R4, the Twingo, the Mini etc etc. . . . Could it be, because those originals were designed by people with imagination that used their fantasie to come up with these car designs? The Traction Avant, The Volvo 544, the Aston Martins and E-types, etc. Copy those and give them a little lift to 2024.
Not sure they’ve quite captured the spirit of of the R4 as they have with the R5. Time will tell. Still looks (mainly ) cool though. Price will be the determining factor ( and the top model needs better range.
I want a small EV that has the possibility to sleep inside. It's so difficult to do that Renault? Hyundai Inster is the best so far, unfortunately do not look that great.
think this will take me a little more exposure to understand the overall exterior design - the interior is sadly too much of a five clone - good though it is, it looses some individual identity. Big glazing has long disappeared but does seem the side windows are too shallow, and agree with the rear section being too fussy. - overall doesnt feel as instantly likeable as the five.
My Dad had a Wolseley Six in the 1970s.... with an illuminated Wolseley badge on the grill... I guess there was probably some law change that has now been rescinded... I saw a Wolseley 1800 last month on which the Six was based, as a child they seemed cavernous, now not so much 🤣
Renault played it too safe with this one. It's almost a cute car, like the original, but just not good enough. They did a better job with the R5. And not enough range; the R5 is an urban car, but this R4 should be more practical and go the extra mile. Literally.
They offer a model with just 50kW power? This is around 67bhp, which is what one would expect from a very small petrol engine these days. Would not be sufficient for this car. I heard you later referred to it as the 90kW engine, which is about 120bhp - this is more like it!
I want yellow headlights like the old one, and no stupid face mask(the led squarical). The old one was also cheap and practical, this new one needs to be the same.
The comparison with Kia EV3 is ridiculous imo. One is significantly bigger than the other, obviously getting a bigger battery and so on. I think the Megane with the 60Kwh battery is similarly priced to the KIA EV3 and that would be a much better comparison although the 60Kwh battery and not so fast charging speed is clearly insufficient for that car and has made it obsolete extremely fast.
Normaly i dont like retro desgins but the R4 and R5 a brilliant. I love them 😍😍
Love the looks of the Renault 4 (and 5). It's great that some quirky European design makes it to market.
Traditionally the 5 was more city-centric, with sporty variants such as the GTR and GT. I expected the Renault 4 to have at least 2 baguette carriers inside and a big steel luggage carrier on the roof. :)
If you removed the rear seat, it all fitted a sheep in the back too.
I applaud Renault, they seem to have let their designers and engineers lead rather than accountants. If we continue to choose a world of grey SUVs then that's all manufacturers will end up making, it's us, the customer, who determine the direction of travel.
For the first time, in a long time, I'm genuinely interested in the design of cars again and actually looking forward to seeing them on the road. Could they improve, sure but the next time you go looking at cars, take a seat, look around at the sterile sameness of safe design language and just think what car really makes you feel something. Not what one makes sense. What one really makes you feel that emotional connection. One that evokes that cheeky moment when you're sat alone with your thoughts, at a set of traffic lights, on a Friday afternoon, heading home for weekend and inadvertently smile to yourself and say...god I love this little car 😉
To be honest, this 4 looks like the designers didn't have their say to the engineers compared to the Twingo. It feels like they wrapped a shell around an SUV battery plate to design the 4. IT's too halfway between authentic retro and modern lines. The Ev3, ex30 or Ionic make more sense in this category imo.
The cheap, hard scratchy plastics proves the bean counters were definitely present.
I think it should have been like the old ones were. Affordable cars.
If the designers were running the show, instead of the accountants, Renault wouldn't keep slapping famous car badges on SUVs. At least the Renault 5 is still a hatchback, but just about everything else is an SUV. You'd think Renault were an American brand with the number of SUVs they're making!
@@OptLab EV3 and EX30 are very definitely not in the same category
Look at the interiors of that car ! WOW
I seriously want one.
The French have really , really upped their game, congratulations to them.
The French do "accessible luxury". I find that car very, very chic.
4:31 - "I love it round at the back!"
Phrasing!
I love the new Renault designs. Hope they are successful. I'm thinking of getting the 5 next year
This also looks near identical to the concept, just without the faux offroad bits the concept had. Madly impressed at the low load floor in the boot! That is rare to see.
Every one loved the Renault 4 for its looks and simplicity, keep the same old shape it's that simple.
They have
@@brianknowles1727 It's not close enough to the original to be classed as a retrolook, in my opinion.
@@CharltonLatchfordagreed it looks like a Jeep+Mini
Original Renault 4 got nicknamed KATRCA here in Slovenia and was actually made here at Revoz plant.
Renault really nailed the design ❤❤
Really love this design, especially the dark red model is stunning. I really love this kind of playful retro chic, fun but sturdy look it has going on. ❤️
This R4 isn't KIA EV3 rival, this Renault is simple competitor to the Jeep Avenger/Fiat 600e etc. EV3 is much bigger and has much bigger range and example frunkt etc. This is small B class car, EV3 is mostly C class compact and spacious model
Ok, but EV3 is even that much more for the money.
@@jamesengland7461 sure, but people buy for their needs. If you need a car to get around town park easily and as cheap as possible then the Renault 4 will likely be at least 6000€ cheaper in its base version. I think Megane e-tech 60kwh is a much better comparison for the Kia EV3, although that one became obsolete quite fast not offering a bigger battery as option
@@jamesengland7461 Why not? Which one other BEV has 600km of range and example V2L,frunk and 31min 10-80% in price of EV3?
If you can charge at home whenever you like, range, battery size and charging speed don't matter as much as to those who can't charge at home.
I haven't actually had to use a charger away from home in nearly two years.
Renault Fuego Seats! Gorgeous throwback!!
Great review incl the critique on pricing and back quarter window. Totally agreed!
Yes well ...the original Renault 4 deck chair seats wouldn't exactly cut the mustard...would they.
The Fuego , a name really from the past !
@@Luke-PlanesTrainsDogsnCars not sure how you read my comment but the seats are a positive!
@@jwvandegronden Totally agree..my point was though that you wouldn't want the original R4 rudimentary seats anywhere in a new design.
The Fuego seats you refer to actually predate it, and first saw the light of day in the R15 & 17.
@@Luke-PlanesTrainsDogsnCars I vaguely remember that I think! The Fuego was the first in which i probably registered them consciously. Love these old cars. Even though I like the new retro designs, they are a bit too much 2D ornamentation like the Miami architecture. Bodies though are much more shaped and crafted than the 2D blow-ups from yesteryear ;-)
Hmmm, not sure about this one. The R5 looks cool and retro, this one looks like a generic Chinese EV taxi.
Yes, the 347th boring SUV. As needfull as a second butthole...
Love it ! Looks great 🩵
Decent enough but either the price needs to be lower or the range improved.
Did anyone else spot Robert Lewellyn doing his review in the background?
Imagine bringing back a brand name and it making sense. Looking at your Ford “Capri” You can’t really complain about light in a studio with lighting direct from above. Renault be warned it if you go cheap to save money that reputation will stick. Do them for a decent price is great but don’t skimp.
I think the gear selector placement sends a nice hint to the original, so there is that.
Looks great! I am also a huge fan of the original, and of course I prefer that for its rugged simplicity; however, I am highly tempted by this.
Suddenly there are now 3 great options for my next new car, Renault 5, Renault 4 and FIAT Grande Panda
and new C3 :)
SAIC, the owner of MG, also owns the marque of Morris. SAIC should bring back a retro style Morris Minor, which can be based on MG4.
China doesn’t know how to do that
Yes! That would be interesting. Let their design team in London loose on that 😊
A modern retro moggy absolutely………
They might, they have a production ready Morris JE van but that seems it's coming from a very small family business not SAIC.
Good idea but for God's sake KEEP IT SMALL. The small size is a feature, not a bug.
Range is not the be all. More range means longer charging times at stops. Just get a EV that suits your needs.
Lower charging times for larger batteries! If you want to add 150 miles of range, a smaller battery will slow down charging speeds more than a larger battery would and so you do not have to wait as long on roadtrips where you do not want to charge to full while waiting at a charger...
You do know you don't _have_ to charge up completely if you don't want to, right? And an EV that doesn't run out of juice quickly suits everyone's needs.
So cute! I love it!
Well done to Renault for making EVs look less boring, although I'd have thought they would have paid more attention to the shut gaps on the press car. The bonnet shut gap on the RH side is particularly poor, which shouldn't happen on a modern vehicle, and especially not on a press car.
In another review they said this was a nod to old Renault 4 and showed them side by side and they were almost identical. I like it.
The 4 was Renaults answer to the Citroën 2cv. Simple design, and cheap. This new 4 may be a nice car, but it misses completely on its market and heritage. I expected a smaller and cheaper car. Below the 5, and under 20k USD.
The original Renault 4 was bigger than the 5 as well, I think it is perfectly fitting. They will get the Twingo to cover that usecase. Luca de Meo is arguably the best automotive executives of the last 15 years. Led Seat into a much improved new era creating Cupra in the process, now it is revolutionizing a Renault that was just lagging behing in the last 10 years.
So lovely we waiting for it here in Africa, please bring them quickly.
There is hardly any infrastructure for EV's in Europe !! 😂
Better to choose the Kia EV3 or the Hyundai Kona electric
Take away the useless specs and sell it cheaper, before the Chinese do.
Unfortunately they think euro will tarrif,protect or even banned chinese ev car products and save their greed and ass to sell expensive ev car
Wise words!
The Chinese cars aren’t cheap. For some reason people get really excited over their prices in China. Inevitably, when they arrive here, their list price doubles. I haven’t seen a single compelling Chinese EV launched in the UK so far.
Then you have the Dacia Spring, a Renault group car made in China
@blueskies666DS, Volvo, Lotus, BMW, Tesla ......?😂
Why can't many of the EV makers do a Front boot, or at least have enough room for storage of all the cables they should come with, under the bonnet. At least they seem to have been allowed to give the Renault 4 it;s own look and the nods to the original do not spoil this.
The other huge thing is that Kia, Hyundai and Tesla have really shown great efficiency and it is very difficult when you see these new cars being way under what they should or could be capable of.
Do realise that front boot means blocked access to main components which means higher maintenance costs (because higher labor each time) as well. The fact is that the front boot for a car that is mainly aimed at city driving is basically useless, even more so in cars these small with small front bonnets and fwd.
@@FGGiskard Many cars put a shroud over the engine area and have to remove that, a froot or frunk would not be that much more difficult and the other part is that they do not need regular access into that area as unlike ICE cars they do not have oil changes fan belts, spark plugs, oil filters and the rest that does need to be accessible on an ICE car.
I really like this car.The 5 was interesting but the boot opening was not practical for a main car if you have a dog. This one wil be on my test drive list when it is released.
How big are those seats, you looked like you were sitting in a giant Santa chair. As for range well that depends on so many factors, driving style, weather, tyres, topography, etc. Will be interesting to see how it goes once it is launched.
Ginny is 5’4, so small.
@@oliverstemp9132 literally average woman height in Spain at least 😂
Around 09:38 onwards - Why is using no Rare Earths good? Rare Earths are not particularly rare, despite their categorisation. They are slightly challenging to separate one from another, but they occur all around the planet. Clearly, as with other elements and minerals, their abundance varies from place to place, but they are far more common than more expensive elements such as Gold and Silver. Neodymium and Scandium are often used in magnets, including those within wind turbine generators and some electric motors. If they were indeed rare, they would not be used in these ways.
Does it have active thermal battery management? What is the battery chemistry?
A great design once again from Renault. Personally I love the rear quarter window.
Who watched the Fully Charged review first then spent the entirety of this one playing “Spot Bobby in the background”?
Ha, yes I saw him
No cup holders?
I think the same. They started to add too many lines and it became halfway to the look of an SUV. It started to lose the uniformity of the original.
Boxy then curvy again, they should have applied the boxy corners systematically. Not of a fan of shiny plastics. Scenic has many lines but it looks more coherent. Twingo looks perfect.
For the price I would expect more range but apart from that I prefer this to the 5 as it's less of a boutique vehicle and actually is more practical with better rear legroom.
Great review by the way 👍
Is it safe to assume that RHD 5’s and 4’s will have the transmission selector on the LH side of the wheel, where we used to having gear selectors 🤔
If I remember correctly, R4 = push/pull gear selector out of dash. I guess practicality overrides nostalgia with the steering column stalk in the new one.
If you remember the original R4 seats, thin fabric cushions on a deck chair frame..its a good thing practicality overrides nostalgia !!.
@@Luke-PlanesTrainsDogsnCars
And the chrome lift handles by the headlamps ! .
I love the 4 and 5!
That low load lip/boot floor looks like an actually useful height!
It might be the first crossover I'd consider buying
Just need someone taller to stand next to it, Ginny doesn't suffer for headroom.
- 61cm apparently. Sold.
kudos to Renault for doing something different. I really loved the quickyness nature of the new 4 and 5, looking very different from the more 'regular' Scenic and Megane siblings. If they can deliver efficency, fast charging and a nice driving feel to fulfill its frenchness, can be a turning point for Renault
VW and BMW did this with the Beetle and Min over a decade ago. It's hardly any achievement bringing back old name plates 😂
Renault seem to be smashing it out the park in design recently - all of their EVs (apart from the Fluence, maybe) look fantastic and the most recent models have also upped their game in terms of technology. I do like the R4, but it's perhaps not as nice as the R5. The rear gives me major Fiat 500 vibes, and the lack of cable storage is a massive oversight imo. However, I think it will sell well and is priced competitively when you compare it to the likes of the Peugeot e2008 (which I currently have - although soon to be replaced with an ID.7). I think it offers a bit more French flair than the Kia EV3. Look forward to seeing what Renault designers can come up with next!
Honda E at the front, Fiat 500X at the back. I still quite like it though.
In the front, it is giving me the Jeep Avanger vibes
Having been around Renault 4/5/6 models that my parents owned do like the front and rear designs and the c pillar windows that remind you of the original car. They could have fitted those bump shields to the side panels(they were first used on the 5 GTL and then on the final updated 4 models that would make it look more rugged .The load flat floor was also a common site on the originals down to bumper level in fact so no lip --a good design even 50 yrs ago or more including folding rear seats too --why don't todays cars have folding rear seat bases so that the backrests sit flat to floor? The original in some ways was far ahead technically in some areas-- all panels were bolt on, fully independent susp., front wheel drive etc. My concern with this car is do we need all the gadgets(apart from safety features obviously) like the sound system and electric sunroof etc---this was a car for the masses but at a proposed price of around 30k--if it actually comes in at that when launched its again too expensive for a car with that range and then if you want more range its even more money----give us the better range for the same money and cutback on something else..
I love the roof - and I'm short so the headroom isn't a problem.
It does seem dark inside.
Good first look, agree about the price, if £24k-£30k then more appealing.
I'd say £25k is what it's worth if the range isn't improved.
The Renault 4 was perhaps an SUV-crossover.... thing, before they ever became a category. It's mad and unique looking and genuinely served a purpose that distinguished it from other carmakers. This is just another SUV-crossover in a sea of millions. It has some funky styling here and there, but so does the Kia EV-3, which I think looks more interesting. I think most people buying from this over-saturated market will be looking more at nice squishy seats, a big boot, reliability, dealer network, etc. etc. Boring stuff that matters in a boring car segment. And if you are looking for some styling flair, there are certainly competitors doing a better job of that.
Totally agree with the styling. It’s great apart from that rear quarter light. I just couldn’t live with that.
Zeekr 007 or 7X has the illuminated front grill in a similar way. Not available in Europe (yet!)
I like it a lot but is it me or is the dashboard virtually the same as the 5, including the controls Manos bangs his leg on in the 5 ?. It doesn't put me off just ashame they are so similar
The 5, like the mini, can get away with so-so range because realistically, they are going to be used for shopping runs, trips around town and so on, and rarely longer journeys. This size is more your main family vehicle though, and while 250 miles range was OK back when the GV60 launched, in today's market, it just looks poor.
My Tesla RWD has a real world 250 miles and that’s plenty not so so and I should know I do 30,000 miles a year… 96,000 and counting…
@@gileshalliwell3591 this doesnt have a real world range of 250
@@wbjxfkwsklejfde34d interestingly at the same time as owning a Tesla we’ve had three years with a Fiat 500e and done 47,000 miles and it’s 140-160 mile range has been sufficient for a daily commute from Sussex to Portsmouth around 80 miles and honestly I still don’t understand the obsession with EVs needing massive range… Big range = heavy batteries and results in inefficiency…
I agree, that's really disappointing.
@@gileshalliwell3591 thoroughly agree. Having a big battery is 'convenient' in some senses because the charging network used to be pants. However, I'n my experience it just isn't anymore. I have had a single 5 minute wait amongst around 15-20 rapid charging stops since I bought my e-C4 in March and otherwise it's just been plain sailing. In an ideal world I think a 200 mile battery, which the Renault has, is ideal - more than enough for a 2-3 hour stint at the wheel before you pull over for a coffee and a charge (which, incidentally, is in line with the UK Highway Code rules suggesting you should take a 15 minute break every 2 hours).
Big Batteries are useful for convenience but then you're driving around an enormous heavy battery that takes ages to charge over AC at home.
LOVE. IT.
Looks just like the mini cooper at the back end.
I like the overall looks, apart from the silly rear bumper. But as you say, its expected price tag to range might be its biggest hurdle. Especially for the small battery. Nothing wrong with a smaller battery pack, providing the vehicle is efficient with it. But 40kWh and that best possible range… that’s abysmal efficiency.
Like so many things that have associated consumables. It can be the overall cost of ownership, that makes or breaks a sale. So initial OTR price is very important, range important and mi/km per kWh also very important. If it’s going to cost a small fortune to fuel; coupled to a lack of range = one serving of Achilles Heel.
Dacia meets Mini. Agree pricey! Need to advertise the Optimised Charging Range OCR... If 80>20 is the optimum range is only 60% of the 100% range
I think this is a far more practical looking car than the 5 which has terrible boot capacity, weird asymmetric stylings and a "busy" design. By contrast this looks more like function took precedence over form. It might be boxier but day to day it'll be a lot more useful.
Really wish we got these European Ev’s in Canada 😢
If I recall this is a collaboration between Renault Europe and a Chinese company (who will supply the electric drive train and so on) with the former looking after the styling...I therefore think Price should not be so high, and, as you rightly point out, it simply doesn't compete with the likes of the Kia EV3.
Incorrect. Renault are collaborating with Geely on ICE drivetrains.
@@JanCervenkaUK89 This very channel stated that Renault "were effectively working around the clock with Geely on this model and that would compress the usual multi year time frame for new models as both French and Chinese counterparts effectively work around the clock on it". This from the Podcast released yesterday. Feel free to correct Ginny !
Whats the difference between R4 and R5? Seems like a new skin on the same frame ...😮
Dont care how it looks . Whats the price ? Whats the range ? Whats the battery technology ? How long it charges from 0 to 90% ? Can i fit in 5 people ? Where is the spare tire. Thats all i need to know .
Renault and Stellantis are leading in Europe.
It has the same battery sizes (but only half the AC recharging speed!) of the later Zoe models. From my experience, that 240 mile range from a 52 kWh battery likely will be an underestimate. In Summer (20° C or higher, we see 300+ miles routinely, on medium and longer runs, without hypermiling. In Winter (around 0 to 5°C) on similar routes we still see 250 miles of range. The reduced AC recharging speed is a real show-stopper for me. The Zoe's 22kW AC, whilst not fast by modern standards, is more than adequate if you want to avoid DC recharging with its higher battery wear and purchase costs, and it's perfect if you have 3-phase destination (or home) recharging. A 40 minute break with 22 kW speeds makes full day journeys with safety and refreshment stops a breeze in Britain, for example. 11 kW is definitely a retrograde step which Renault really need o reconsider.
Great looking car and review
Looks just like the Mini Countryman
you're not wrong
You're very wrong
Yeah. The 3/4 looks more like a Countryman or old Fiat Panda than the original 4. There are some nice touches, but overall I don't think this reboot works as well as the 5. And as mentioned in the video, you'd be a bit mad to but one of these over an EV3.
Only if you failed to find spec savers!
I think it's great and yes the Kia EV 3 has more range but it also costs more to buy so that was a bit of a pointless statement. I think all electric cars should have a space under the bonnet for the cables I know the Renault doesn't but as with all electric cars there's no reason why there shouldn't be a storage space there.
Wait until the twingo ! That's going to be special ! Range and price :)
That dashboard is exactly the same as the new 5 you reviewed yesterday.
Really like that Renault are looking back for design ideas rather than making modern jelly moulds. I would rather have a Renault 4 with the sliding roof than any other modern BYD look-alike.
Very nice. Better than Grande Panda, for sure
I didn't like either of the original R4/5 ICE version but the new designs are great
i think Renault should be applauded for both the 4 and 5,, great looking cars,,, but your point about the range is spot on,,, its just way too small,,,, it needs to be somewhere in the region of 450 km to 550,,, to attract buyers,,,,, in my opinion,,,
Beautiful looking car though comparative ranges put a slight damper on one's choice ; the EV3 with it's range and the prestige badging of the Volvo EX30 .
Doesn't have the Renault 5 the same Harman Kardon issue? No channel talked about that.
Isn't the scenic e tech the rival of the Ev3? This falls below that. It's more interesting to be fair.
Renault have just taken the original Zoe battery (40Kw) and the newer 52Kw and repurposed them into the 4 and 5 which is ok but in today electric car market its pretty poor
I love the rear end, but the front is a bit plain; maybe they should've gone for the earlier version of the original?
I'm not bothered about the range; how many people will drive hundreds of miles in a day in a car like this? And even if you would, you'd need breaks, so you might as well use them for recharging...
The design looks a bit busy to me, and an R4 should not be a CSUV with lots of black plastic. Perhaps the newer R5 design works better to modernize since it had integrated plastic bumpers.
The 4 logo reminds of the former BBC Scotland logo.
Perhaps real world pricing will be like the Zoe used to be. I bought a Zoe ZE40 (battery owned) in 2017 for £17800 (£6200 discount from a main dealer after haggling). The £4500 grant from the government at the time helped too. It always seems that if the list prices are putting people off Renault will do a deal. In 2007 I got a similar discount on a Megane CC.
Thanks for the review. Think about it for a bit. . . . . Why do you think, so many people love the form of the "copies" of the Alpine A110, trhe Renault R5 or R4, the Twingo, the Mini etc etc. . . .
Could it be, because those originals were designed by people with imagination that used their fantasie to come up with these car designs?
The Traction Avant, The Volvo 544, the Aston Martins and E-types, etc.
Copy those and give them a little lift to 2024.
Not sure they’ve quite captured the spirit of of the R4 as they have with the R5. Time will tell. Still looks (mainly ) cool though. Price will be the determining factor ( and the top model needs better range.
The 4 wins massively because it starts at 23k. This starting at 30k makes a Dacia sandero Stepway with the 110bhp engine for 18k look like a bargain.
I want a small EV that has the possibility to sleep inside.
It's so difficult to do that Renault?
Hyundai Inster is the best so far, unfortunately do not look that great.
I think it looks better than R5 EV at least for me now it all depends on the price
Why do all reviewers hate on the gear stalk? On most rides you only have to touch it twice. Is it in the way?
think this will take me a little more exposure to understand the overall exterior design - the interior is sadly too much of a five clone - good though it is, it looses some individual identity. Big glazing has long disappeared but does seem the side windows are too shallow, and agree with the rear section being too fussy. - overall doesnt feel as instantly likeable as the five.
Doesn't beat the EV3 for me, better range, 7 year warranty and higher feature level wins it.
I love it round the back too.
Nice styling. Too many fripperies.
My Dad had a Wolseley Six in the 1970s.... with an illuminated Wolseley badge on the grill... I guess there was probably some law change that has now been rescinded... I saw a Wolseley 1800 last month on which the Six was based, as a child they seemed cavernous, now not so much 🤣
Is it only my opinion that the new "R 4" is about twice al large and 3 times as heavy?
You may not like the rear three-quarter window, but at least temper that by mentioning it’s a nod to the original design.
Renault Twingo, petrol, had a fold down front passenger seat.
Renault played it too safe with this one. It's almost a cute car, like the original, but just not good enough. They did a better job with the R5. And not enough range; the R5 is an urban car, but this R4 should be more practical and go the extra mile. Literally.
I always have the feeling that the old cars were smaller but still had more room inside.
Smaller, less padded seats.
They offer a model with just 50kW power?
This is around 67bhp, which is what one would expect from a very small petrol engine these days. Would not be sufficient for this car.
I heard you later referred to it as the 90kW engine, which is about 120bhp - this is more like it!
I want yellow headlights like the old one, and no stupid face mask(the led squarical). The old one was also cheap and practical, this new one needs to be the same.
The comparison with Kia EV3 is ridiculous imo. One is significantly bigger than the other, obviously getting a bigger battery and so on. I think the Megane with the 60Kwh battery is similarly priced to the KIA EV3 and that would be a much better comparison although the 60Kwh battery and not so fast charging speed is clearly insufficient for that car and has made it obsolete extremely fast.