Renault 5

Back in January, we named this small electric hatchback as our overall Car of the Year. Now we're seeing if it continues to impress in day-to-day use

- CLAIRE EVANS

THERE HAVE BEEN countless remakes of classic movies, and a lot of them don't stand up to scrutiny when you compare them with the original; Carrie, The Italian Job and Planet of the Apes are just a few examples that spring to mind. The same can be said of many cars that bring back the name of a past icon; they just don’t have the magic of old.

However, it’s not always a bad idea to reimagine a legend. After all, the new Renault 5 (R5) has impressed us so much that we named it our 2025 Car of the Year. So, I’m excited that I’m going to be living with one for the next six months, finding out how it copes with a combination of commuting and family life.

More specifically, I've gone for our recommended version: the Comfort Range in mid-level Techno trim. This costs £4000 more than the cheapest Urban Range Evolution model, but you get a bigger battery (with a 52kWh usable capacity versus 40kWh) and some welcome additional kit.