New Renault Twingo: Cheap electric car with retro charm

The model Twingo was launched in 1992 and before today's version came in two more generations, but it is one that has caught people's retinas and stood as a model for the new generation. A cheap, simple, practical and playful small car. A total of 4.1 million Twingos have been sold in 25 countries.

Building a car with the dimensions of the 1990s is today an impossibility, among other things in view of safety. And it was lousy safety that followed generation one of the Twingo, even though upgrades were made over the years. The new Twingo is measured in centimeters 30 longer, nine wider and seven taller than the original model. If we look at horsepower, the numbers 55 and 82 are in favor of the new Twingo. In terms of safety, there are 24 assistance systems available, many of which are taken from the brand's larger models.

In terms of shape, there are clear connections, the eyes to the headlights, the window line in profile, the crack in the sheet metal on the tailgate and the three "air intakes" asymmetrically placed on the front hood. The new Twingo has rear doors, but a classic canvas roof is not available to choose from. The question is whether it will ever be possible to cross.

While the old Twingo was picked out to find a new and youthful segment, the focus for the new Twingo is to be cheap. The original model was actually more expensive than the larger base model Clio when it was introduced in France.

They have vacuumed every nook and cranny to get the new Twingo to qualify for the cheapest electric car class – the so-called 20,000-euro cars. The battery pack is only 27.5 kilowatt hours and something more powerful is not to be expected, as 30 percent of the car's cost is here. The platform is the same as the models 4 and 5 (RGEV) but a simpler rear axle has been taken from the trusty Captur. The actual production of the car has been partly done in Renault's ACDC branch in China. Chiseling out the new Twingo has taken 100 weeks, faster than any previous Renault model. Twingo is built in the Slovenian Novo Mesto and 75 percent of the intended customers are less than 100 kilometers from the factory.

On the road, the budget ambitions are surprisingly little noticeable, I have driven more expensive electric cars that were more boxy, more difficult in execution and behaved worse on the road. The fact that they have chosen small Ibiza as a test drive location may rhyme with the car's range of 26.3 WLTP miles, but the hilly landscape does not suit the small powertrain badly. On uphills, I almost stand up in the driver's seat to hit the pedal at the bottom to reach the crest. I put overtaking completely aside. It is clear that the new Twingo is tailored for big cities, completely flat ones.

Inside, the connection to the old Twingo is more convulsive than exterior. The red "ball" for the button for the hazard warning lights is one, three central controls for the climate control system another - incidentally taken from outgoing Renault models. Elements of the body color can also be found here, but the clearest and best is the sliding rear seat, which is now two-part. It's a detail that challenges the larger Model 5, which basically has an unusable back seat. Here you can slide the seats as needed - according to load capacity or space for rear passengers. The back seat may be flexible but hardly comfortable.

A fist is available to the roof for my 178 centimeters and likewise to the back of the driver's seat with my own driver's seat setting and with myself in focus before luggage. However, the cushion is short and does not provide thigh support. It is cramped for the feet and the side windows cannot be lifted down, only folded out at the rear edge.

Colorful buttons from the 1990s have essentially been replaced by fun graphics in the screens. They are still clear in their design, albeit scaled down from other Renault models. Cheap plastic is here and there, but as a whole the car feels more mature and solid than you might think.

You can forget the French swing, the Twingo is quite firmly set without being too bumpy. All the test drive cars are equipped with the larger 18 inch wheels, standard is 16 and I would stick to them for better suspension and sound comfort. Twingo is not very fun or inspiring to drive, the saving lies in the charm, the nostalgic feel, the compact dimensions and the low price even if we don't get to drive the cheap basic version.

All the cars during the test drive are in the more expensive Techno version, which in Germany has a price premium of 1600 euros, it is also the version that comes to Sweden. Before you start sulking that the cheapest version doesn't come here, it's in order to tell you what the base Evolution version lacks compared to the Techno: adaptive cruise control, automatic climate control, Google functions in the infotainment system, reversing camera, automatic high beam and windshield wipers, one-pedal mode, electrically adjustable exterior mirrors, heated seats and a folding backrest for the front passenger seat. Inter alia. The latter give a load length of two metres, which can be practical in a small car like the Twingo.

As an option (500 euros in France as an example) for both versions there is a package for better charging performance, as standard only 6.6 kilowatts AC charging is offered. Then you get 11 kW AC charging and fast charging of 50 kW. That Twingo is calibrated for shorter trips in urban areas is clear.

What price tag the new electric Twingo will get in Sweden is not clear at the moment, nor what specifications it will get here. Sales should start this autumn and deliveries will start later in the year, possibly at the beginning of 2027.