Renault 4

FIRST DRIVE Iconic model name makes a return on the R5's bigger brother. It's every bit as good, but with an extra dose of practicality

- Alex Ingram

ESSENTIALS
Renault 4 E-Tech

Price: £27,000 (est)
On sale: September
Powertrain: 52kWh battery, 1x e-motor
Power/torque: 148bhp/245Nm
Transmission: Single speed, front-wheel drive 0-62/top speed: 8.2 seconds/93mph
Range: 247 miles
Max charging: 100kW (10-80% in 30 minutes)
Size (L/W/H): 4,144/1,808/1,552mm

WHILE driving the all-new Renault 4 along winding roads on the pretty Portuguese coastline, we approached an original 4 travelling in the opposite direction. We gave the driver a cheery wave, but he didn’t return the compliment. Ironically, he was one of a small minority not to notice the new 4. Judging by the sideways glances and looks of admiration it was generating, this reimagination of one of history’s best-selling French cars looks set to be popular.

Of course, this is familiar ground for Renault, given that the R5 has only just burst on to the scene with show-stopping retro looks of its own. The 4 is here to fulfil a slightly different brief; while the R5 is set to take on the premium supermini class, this car draws on its rugged roots by taking aim at the compact SUV crowd. Think of it as an alternative to the Ford Puma Gen-E or MINI Aceman.

Although the jazzy 18-inch wheels and chunky arches dwarf the rims on the classic model, there's clear inspiration taken from the original elsewhere. It’s most obvious from the profile, where the shape of the glass area and those corrugated bulges across the doors make the 4 hard to mistake for anything else. Elsewhere, the lighting at the front and rear — including the illuminated grille (standard on all but the entry-level trim) that houses round LED lights, along with the split tail-lights - really does help the 4 to stand out from the crowd.