By RAY MASSEY
Meet the new Renault Twingo – a fun French all-electric compact car that aims to bowl over Britons with its cute looks and affordable asking price.
Sounding like a chocolate bar, Twingo is packed with clever and practical design details.
Created in just two years, the perky five-door city hatchback is a mere 3.75 metres long - only a fraction bigger than a Fiat 500 - and is Renault's antidote to the flood of cheap Chinese imports.
It is 'built in Europe' at the firm's Novo Mesto factory in Slovenia but, significantly, has an electric motor sourced from China - which could limit is qualification for the Government's Electric Car Grant.
But it should still be relatively cheap, with starting prices likely under £20,000.
However, a fully stocked top of the range model could be nearer £30,000 once extras like a glass sunroof are added.
Twingo will be on sale by the end of next year though is unlikely to reach the UK until early 2027.
Twingo's electric turnaround: Renault will use the nameplate on its new EV, which aims to bowl over Britons with its cute looks and affordable asking price
Powered by a 60kW (82 horsepower) electric motor and a new 27.5kWh Lithium Ion Phosphate (LFP) battery, the new Twingo can accelerates from rest to 62mph in 12.1 seconds and up to a limited top speed of 81mph.
It will be available in Britain in two trim levels - standard Evolution specification and the higher Techno - with 16-inch wheels as standard but 18-inch as an option.
However, importantly for customers, the battery range of 163 miles drops to 155 with the larger wheels, which could limits the appeal of the bigger rims.
Yet, Renault bosses say that's enough for city life where studies have shown that motorists cover an average of just 22 miles a day.
Charging times range from half an hour (to 80 per cent) using a 50 kW DC fast charger, or 2 hours 35 minutes with an 11kW AC charger (to 100 per cent). With a slower 6.6kW DC charger, expect a full charge to take 4 hours 15 minutes.
The car also offers bi-directional charging, so you can use the battery to charge up items such as an electric bike.
Renault estimates that the new LFP battery will not just be lighter and more efficient, it will also cut battery costs by around 20 per cent - which partly explains why it should ring it at less than £20,000.
A 9.87 metre turning circle should also make it extremely agile for narrow urban side streets.
The five-door city hatchback is a mere 3.75 metres long - only a fraction bigger than a Fiat 500 - and is Renault's antidote to the flood of cheap Chinese imports
Sounding like a chocolate bar, Twingo is packed with clever and practical design details. But it is the cute, retro looks that are likely to be the big selling point
It should still be relatively cheap, with starting prices likely under £20,000. However, a top of the range model could be nearer £30,000 once extras like a glass sunroof are added
The first-generation Twingo went on sale in France and mainland Europe in 1992. However, it was never officially a UK model, with Renault deciding it wasn't right for our market
The diminutive Renault Twingo 1 was tiny on the outside but simple cabin design meant it was pretty spacious inside. And cheap too
The mk1 Twingo's Tardis-like packaging is showcased best here in the limited run 'Sumo edition'
Two generations of the Twingo have previously been sold in the UK. The mk2 (left) was introduced in Britain in 2006 - and they even made hot RenaultSport and Gordini versions. The third-gen Twingo (right) came in 2014, though its USP of having the engine under the boot floor wasn't popular and it was pulled from showrooms in 2019
It shares its platform with the award-winning Renault 5 and 4 EVs and features cannibalised parts from other cars including a rear axle from the French brand's Captur crossover and a front axle from the R5.
Though it does at least come with its own unique soundtrack, bucking the trend of near silent EVs with a modest hum created by French composer Jean-Michel Jarre of Oxygene fame.
It too is packed with flexible features, including two independent rear seats which slide back and forth by up to 17cm and expand boot space from 360 litres to more than 1,000 litres with the seats folded, with two clever underfloor compartments.
Some 50 litres is under the floor and accessible via two separate flaps. Add to that 19 litres of cabin storage cubbyholes.
The new Twingo promises levels of kit seen on larger vehicles a size-segment above its supermini status.
The dashboard has a 7-inch digital instrument panel and 10-inch central multimedia display.
But Renault has cut some corners to keep costs down, notably not offering wireless smartphone charging, meaning customers will need to have a compatible cable.
Powered by a 60kW (82 horsepower) electric motor and a new 27.5kWh Lithium Ion Phosphate (LFP) battery, the new Twingo can accelerates from 0-62mph in 12.1 secs. Top speed is 81mph
It will be available in Britain in two trim levels - standard Evolution specification and the higher Techno - with 16-inch wheels as standard but 18-inch as an option
However, importantly for customers, the battery range of 163 miles drops to 155 with the larger wheels, which could limits the appeal of the bigger rims
Renault design chief Laurens van den Acker said: 'It's a car that puts a smile on your face but is also very practical. It will make life a little bit more beautiful. 'It can even wink at you when you come close'
In a unique twist, the bonnet is sealed so owners won't be able to access it. To fill up the window washer fluid, owners need to unlock this panel in the dashboard to access the reservoir. Ray is concerned drivers will lose the dedicated key needed to unlock it
Another unique features is the 'sealed' bonnet.
Only a garage can open it using a special access tool, which independent dealers will likely have to pay for.
It means drivers needing to refill the washer fluid no longer need to get under the hood - instead they can remove the middle of three oblongs on the bonnet to gain access to the reservoir, which requires another special key supplied with the vehicle (though there is no logical place to store it in the car).
Renault design chief Laurens van den Acker said: 'It's a car that puts a smile on your face but is also very practical.
It will make life a little bit more beautiful.
'It can even wink at you when you come close.'
It has what Renault says is an 'impish' and 'mischievous' look which – especially in metallic green – resembles a small frog.
Its cheery looks are enhanced by friendly smiling 'eyes' for headlights that can wink.
Designed to look like 'a bon bon on the street', to help ensure a sleek look, the rear windows have hidden seals.
The rear window is surrounded by a plastic cowl – described as looking like an old-fashioned TV -a design feature used to prevent the back of the vehicle looking like an SUV or estate.
The original Twingo – its name derives from the dances Twist, Swing and Tango - was launched as a petrol car in 1992. But the first generation never reached UK shores – only the second generation from 2007 and the third, between 2014 and 2019, which sold a combined 32,307 out of a global total of 4.1million in 25 countries. So while considered an 'icon' car in France, the new fourth generation Twingo does not have that same deep 'iconic' resonance in the UK (as say the Mini), though is undeniable cute.
The new Twingo promises levels of kit seen on larger vehicles a size-segment above its supermini status
The dashboard has a 7-inch digital instrument panel and 10-inch central multimedia display
The four-seater has two independent rear chairs which slide back and forth by up to 17cm to provide increased leg room or better boot space. With the seats in their forward position, it offer 260 litres of boot capacity
The Twingo carries over many of the design features already seen in the Renault 5 and 4. This includes the lipstick-style drive selector switchgear behind the wheel (pictured here with the green artwork)
Charging times range from half an hour (to 80 per cent) using a 50 kW DC fast charger, or 2 hours 35 minutes with an 11kW AC charger (to 100 per cent). With a slower 6.6kW DC charger, expect a full charge to take 4 hours 15 minutes
Twingo will be on sale by the end of next year in France and parts of Europe. However, it is unlikely to reach UK customers until early 2027
Twingo programme director Olivier Laik insists: 'It is the most practical Twingo of all time. It sets a new benchmark.'
Renault design chief Laurens van den Acker said that amid a sea of new cheap Chinese EV small-car imports - too often seen as 'commodities' or 'white goods' like fridges and washing machines – Twingo makes a real mark.
'It helps us stand out in a significant way,' he added.
'There are a lot of EVs you can respect. But not many you can love.
'With Twingo, we are giving people a reason to buy it.'
On sale: late 2026/ early 2027
Price: from under £20,000
Built: Novo Mesto, Slovenia
DIMENSIONS
Length: 3,789mm
Width: 1,720mm
Height: 1,491mm
Wheelbase: 2,493mm
Doors: 5
Weight: from 1,200kg
Boot volume: 360 litres seat up/ 1,000 litres seats down
Cabin storage: 19 litres
PERFORMANCE
Propulsion: Electric
Power: 60kW/82 horsepower electric motor
Battery: 27.5kWh Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) battery
Range: Up to 163 miles with 16in wheels (155 miles with 18in wheels
Top speed: 81mph
Acceleration (0-62mph): 12.1 seconds
Turning circle: 9.87 metres
CHARGING TIMES
50 kW DC charger to 80%: 30 minutes
11kW AC charger to 100%: 2 hours 35 mins
6.6kW charger to 100%: 4 hours 15 minutes
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