Renault R5 E-Tech Electric

Iconic, powerful and electrifying

Bright colours, a design that recalls the past, the new Renault R5 E-Tech Electric is certainly deservedly one of the seven finalists of The Car of The Year 2025. The car focuses heavily on reviving the myth of the legendary R5 which became a coult in Europe changing the rules of city cars thanks to its design and performance.

The new R5 E-Tech Electric is the first new generation electric car from the French company built on the "AmpR small" platform for zero-emission cars.

The car, in addition to its attractive design, is also designed to offer good quality from a technological and cost point of view. Renault has opted for engines without permanent magnets and rare earths. The 52 kWh battery is combined with 150 and 120 hp engines with a range of 410 and 312 kilometers (WLTP). Then there is the entry level version with 40 kWh battery and 95 hp engine.

The new Renault 5 has 18-inch wheels, wide front tracks, multilink suspension at the rear and a low overall weight of 1,450 kg. The R5 E-Tech Electric that we drove, the Iconic version, the most performing with the 150 hp engine, proved to be very agile. The city is obviously its best "battleground" and it handles traffic very well thanks also to its small size, it is only 3.92 meters long and can be parked easily thanks also to direct steering with a turning radius of 10.3 meters .

Once you leave the city, the R5 E-Tech Electric is still at ease on bends and changes of direction because it feels well placed on the ground and the sensation is of great stability if you have a sportier ride, thanks to the rear multilink suspension. Among the technological systems that positively surprised us while driving was the brake-by-wire braking system.

The acceleration of the car is, like many electric vehicles, progressive without hesitation and it goes from 0 to 100 km/h in just 8 seconds. During our test the engine proved efficient, confirming the autonomy we imagined, not far from that declared by the manufacturer.

These are certainly the reasons that made the jurors vote for the Renault 5 in the list of seven finalists for The Car of The Year award.