Renault 4 2026 review

What an act to follow. Renault built the original 4 for 33 years and shifted over eight million units across its venerable life. Its unashamedly practical shape also carries an icon status all of its own, one the modern-day Renault 4 E-Tech is only too happy to lightly modernise and riff on the undisputed success of.

This is the difficult follow-up to the award-winning, heart-stealing R5 E-Tech hatch. Perhaps its styling doesn’t slot quite as neatly into a 2020s streetscape, nor inspire the affection of non-car folk like its dinkier sibling, but there’s clear charm to this design and it’s a car that worms its way under your skin – quickly. 

Its unique presence truly stands out amongst its amorphous EV rivals on a bank of public chargers, too.

It uses the same platform and drivetrain components as the R5, with the option of two battery packs — 40 or 52kWh — respectively paired to 90 or 110kW front-axle motors. 

Range figures vary between 308 and 408km, while a sole second separates their 0-100km/h times, the sprightlier car claiming an 8.2sec jog. Both cars float around 15kWh per 100km; we scored 15.9 in mixed use.

It’s the more potent ‘R4’ we’ve tried on British roads, a market where it’s currently your only choice on the configurator. Thus equipped, it makes mincemeat of a four-hour, 300km trip, its modest battery ensuring brisk and convenient charging stops despite its max 100kW DC charging not quite leading the game (the smaller battery is capped at 80kW). 

It’s also a doddle to plan those charging stops. Much like its Alpine A290 and R5 relations, built-in Google Maps (on higher trim levels) intuitively plans where you should plug in, how long for and what percentage of charge to expect at your destination. 

Such razzmatazz may feel at odds with the proletarian vibe of R4s gone by, but the system sits tidily amongst some very intuitive native software while the touchscreen is perched above physical climate control toggles — a welcome slice of sanity many rivals have since abandoned.

This is another Renault Group car that’s simple to leap in and figure out on the move, with only its fiddly gear selection stalk — a carryover from the R5 — and a spectacularly low-res reversing camera to mar an otherwise exemplary cockpit on ergonomic terms. Looks cool, too, and you’re seated with just enough crossover height without feeling too on top of the car.

There are numerous drive modes, operated through the ‘Multi Sense’ steering wheel button, with tweaks to the ambient lighting as you cycle through the settings.

But it’s no surprise to learn this car doesn’t target sportiness. It rides with typically French composure, the upshot of sophisticated multi-link rear suspension and plenty of sidewall on its big 18-inch wheels.

Paddle shifters on the Renault 4’s steering wheel toggle through four regenerative braking levels, the strongest serving up one-pedal driving.

All but the lightest setting triggers the brake lights, something it feels polite to avoid in smoothly flowing traffic, though adjustment between its settings is gratifying and keener drivers can replicate gearchanges on a good road, effectively ‘downshifting’ on the regen into corners. 

Acceleration out the other side is too smooth and linear to excite, but we welcome the R4’s flagrant lack of whipcrack performance — the kind other EVs deploy as a party piece. 

The R4 is a calmer, more zen place to spend time which means no, it’s not as fun to drive as the R5, but nor does it matter.

Its priorities are gleefully different and its refinement emerges as a surprising strong suit. The way it suppresses the fuss of a long-distance cruise is difficult to tally with its affordability (from £25,495 in the UK, or around $50K locally). 

It’s no wider than an R5, so ought to remain a fabulous little car in urban climes, while it’s 220m longer (at 4140mm) with around a third of that gifted to the wheelbase and the rest consumed by luggage volume.

Adults ought to slot okay into the Renault 4’s back row, despite its high floor — a common EV bugbear — slightly impinging on legroom. It’s still notably better at accommodating folk than the R5, of course. 

The slanted tailgate mimics the old R4 and seems vast; you need to watch your head as it opens and dodge out the way if it’s whirring up electronically via one of the posher trim levels. 

The rear seats also don’t fold flat, somewhat undermining its rugged aspirations, though boot space extends from 375 to 1,405 litres as they drop.

Happily, it’s barely any heavier than an R5, making it one of scant few small electric SUVs to duck under the 1500kg buffer — to the benefit of both agility and efficiency, common buzzwords in the small French car universe.

Renault has had skin in the production EV game for 15 years now, and those hard yards put in with ungainly Fluences and oddball Twizys is now paying off handsomely with just how deftly styled and engineered its current crop of electric cars feel. 

The Renault 4 knocks it out the park regardless of its styling, ensuring those who deeply adore its looks will find plenty of substance to back up its style. Crucially it’s no hollow reimagining of its legendary forebear.

The bad news? We don’t know when (or if) Australian sales will start.

If Renault could ship them over without too much of a price shift from Europe, we’d be looking at a launch price under $55,000 – with nicely trimmed, generously specced halo cars landing at around $65,000. 

Perhaps if we cross our fingers really firmly, they’ll send us some with the retro-tastic rolling canvas roof…