The best automotive debut of 2024 has inarguably been the Renault 5, an electrical hatchback with gloriously retro styling impressed by the unique Renault 5s. That’s, it was the best debut till now, as the brand new Renault 4 E-Tech received revealed on the Paris Auto Present this week, one other absolutely electrical retro hatch that simply seems actually fantastique.
Renault first teased the reborn 4 in 2022 with a rugged idea, however the manufacturing mannequin seems even higher. Its styling is instantly impressed by the unique Renault 4, of which greater than 8 million had been offered throughout 5 continents from 1961 to 1992, making it the fourth best-selling automobile of all time. Boxier and extra crossover-like than the 5 with which it shares 68 p.c of its parts, the brand new 4 is 8.6 inches longer, 2.8 inches taller and 1.2 inches wider than its sibling, however it’s nonetheless fairly small, solely barely bigger than a Hyundai Venue.
Its expressive, squared-off entrance finish has a cool three-dimensional “grille” that’s produced from a single 1.45-meter-long piece of polycarbonate glass, containing spherical headlights with segmented outer sections, a sample that appears just like the Renault diamond emblem and an illuminated encompass. On the rear, the slanted tailgate has an interpretation of the unique 4’s three-part taillights, with LED items protruding from the corners. Each entrance and rear overhangs are brief, and the bumpers are largely produced from plastic with numerous attention-grabbing components. Because it’s a crossover, the 4 has thick wheel arch moldings and a raised trip top with extra floor clearance than Renault’s Captur crossover, and there are some superior four-spoke wheel designs.
Different retro touches embrace the sculpting of the hood, the three raised traces alongside the door skins which might be like the unique automobile’s plastic trim, and the trapezoidal rear quarter window that creates a fantastic angled C-pillar. The steel roof is ribbed like the unique automobile’s too, however you can even get the brand new 4 with a roll-back material roof that creates a 31-by-36-inch opening, operated both by way of a button or by voice management. Renault says that when closed, the material roof has “wonderful” acoustics and sealing, and there’s no distinction in weight or headroom. The 4 might be provided in seven totally different colours, together with the throwback Hauts-de-France Inexperienced, together with some two-tone choices.
The 4’s inside design is essentially much like that of the 5, which isn’t any unhealthy factor. Two massive screens are positioned in a thick plastic housing, working a Google-based infotainment system that additionally has Renault’s “digital touring companion” digital assistant named Reno. The middle console is canted towards the driving force with a bunch of bodily controls, and the dashboard in entrance of the driving force has a pleasant ribbed design. The inside is very personalizable by way of totally different column shifter skins and 3D printed elements for issues just like the storage cubby covers, and sure, it has a baguette holder too.
Just like the 5, you’ll be able to spec the 4 with an unimaginable denim inside, a tribute to former Renault CEO Pierre Dreyfus likening the unique 4 to a pair of denims. The denim seats have a number of tones and patterns, with contrasting checkered stitching that matches the 3D sq. headliner. Different variations of the 4 get seats with leatherette and material upholstery which have French flag stripes.
The underside edge cutout of the facility tailgate is low down within the rear bumper to make loading gadgets simpler, and the 4 provides 15 cubic ft of cargo house with an addition 1.2 cubic ft of underfloor storage. There are 4 lashing hooks, two bag hooks, material straps to carry in gadgets and extra cubby holes. The rear seats fold flat, and the 4 can be the primary electrical Renault to have a entrance passenger seat that folds flat, opening up sufficient house to suit a surfboard.
Additionally just like the 5, the 4 is constructed on Renault’s AmpR Small platform, and it’s solely provided with a completely electrical powertrain. The bottom mannequin makes use of a 40-kWh battery pack with a 120-horsepower motor on the entrance and a 186-mile WLTP vary, whereas a 52-kWh battery with a 150-hp motor and 250-mile vary is elective. The extra highly effective 4 will hit 62 mph in underneath 8.5 seconds, and it will probably cost from 15 to 80 p.c in half-hour. Together with one-pedal driving, each model of the 4 has a warmth pump and bi-directional charging. Renault says it tuned the 4’s suspension for a smoother trip, and the steering has a shorter ratio and a decent turning circle. In its lightest configuration, the 4 weighs simply 3,108 kilos
The 4 might be constructed at Renault’s manufacturing facility in Maubeurge, France, with the batteries and motors additionally being manufactured in France. Renault says that 75 p.c of its suppliers for the 4 are inside a 190-mile radius of the manufacturing facility; 26.4 p.c of all its supplies are from the round financial system, and on the finish of its life cycle 88.6 p.c of the 4 might be recyclable. It can go on sale in early 2025 with a beginning value of underneath £30,000 in the UK.
