The Renault Twingo became something of a cultural icon when it first debuted in the early 1990s, then quickly became a car of the French, just as the Citroen 2CV had done a few generations earlier.
Over subsequent generations, the Twingo did what all cars seem to do: it got bigger and more expensive. Now there is an all-new Renault Twingo, which is very reminiscent of its ancestor with an unashamedly retro look, but for the first time has a fully electric drivetrain and, at least in Europe, at an incredibly affordable price.
The latest Twingo makes the most of its compact size by using an equally compact 27.5 kWh LFP battery. While its 82 hp (60 kW) electric motor may not provide high revs, the car only tips the scales at 1,200 kg, which is practically a bantamweight by electric car standards.
To get a glimpse of what the new Renault Twingo looks like and to see if it punches above its weight, we drove it at the car’s international launch in Ibiza, Spain.
How much does the Renault Twingo cost?
Since there are no concrete plans to bring the Twingo to Australia, discussing pricing would be pure speculation. In Europe, Renault is aiming for a price under 20,000 euros, which is on the same level as the Hyundai Insterwhich has a relatively high drive-away price of $43,342 in Australia (with a Sydney postcode).
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What does the Renault Twingo look like inside?
Parts of the Twingo’s cabin are reminiscent of the original, such as the large round hazard warning switch on the dashboard. The designers actually had to fight for it, as the plan was to use the same type of button used in all Renault models, but in the end the designers prevailed.
In higher equipment variants, the dashboard on the passenger side has a panel in the body color with an embossed Twingo logo and elongated air outlets that can be adjusted using sophisticated plus symbols. This elongated motif runs through the entire design of the car.
Borrowing from Renault’s spares warehouse means the Twingo comes with slightly more in-car tech, including a 7.0-inch digital instrument display and a 10.1-inch multimedia touchscreen running an Android-based infotainment system with Google built-in. Additional apps can be downloaded from the Google Play Store, and Android and Apple smartphone mirroring is also available.
The heated seats are adjusted via the touchscreen, but we like that there are dedicated dials for the air conditioning.
Because it was built with a premium in mind, there’s a lot of black plastic inside, but in most cases Renault has done at least some sort of texturing to make it look and feel a little less plain.
The doors have the same color-coded inserts as the dashboard and there is a small storage area with a cup holder on the floor between the front seats. This can be customized with various inserts, and Renault designers have also borrowed Dacia’s YouClip mounting system, which allows owners to attach various accessories to pre-assembled square tabs located throughout the interior.
The front seats aren’t the most supportive in the world, but given the Twingo’s role as a city car, it’s unlikely that many drivers will spend long periods of time behind the wheel. However, we think Renault missed a trick by not offering more vibrant upholstery options as seen on the 1990s Twingo.
There is a surprising amount of space in the rear, as the Twingo is only a four-seater and both rear seats can be moved independently of each other.
This also means that the trunk volume can vary from 360 liters in the largest case up to 260 liters and with both rear seats folded down there is a total loading volume of around 1000 liters. The front seatbacks also fold flat, making the interior long enough for a surfboard or other long items.
| Dimensions | Renault Twingo |
|---|---|
| length | 3789mm |
| Width | 1720mm |
| Height | 1491mm |
| wheelbase | 2493mm |
| Loading capacity | 360L |
What’s under the hood?
A single powertrain is offered in the Renault Twingo, comprising a 60 kW electric motor driving the front wheels and powered by a 27.5 kWh LFP (lithium iron phosphate) battery.
| Specifications | Renault Twingo |
|---|---|
| Drivetrain | Single engine electric |
| battery | 27.5 kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) |
| Performance | 60kW |
| Torque | 175 Nm |
| Drive type | Front wheel drive |
| Weight | 1200kg |
| 0-100 km/h (claimed) | 12.1 seconds |
| Claimed area | 263km |
| Max. AC charging rate | 11kW |
| Max. DC charging rate | 50kW |
When it comes to cutting the fabric accordingly, Renault has found the right solution for the Twingo’s powertrain. The 60 kW engine is not overwhelmed in the compact car, and with 175 Nm of torque and a modest curb weight, the result is balanced performance.
How does the Renault Twingo drive?
Racing through the city center at low speeds is an easy task for the Bijou Renault. After all, this is probably where it will spend a lot of its time.
The raked windshield provides excellent visibility, and because the front and rear overhangs are short, it’s easy to slip through tight gaps and squeeze into smaller parking spaces without touching the elongated bumper pads.
On these roads, the Twingo’s torque makes it feel quick without feeling strained. The light steering combined with a tight turning circle of 9.87 meters makes it a champion on the typical daily urban assault course.
On paper, the 60kW output may not seem like much, but given its relatively light weight, the Renault EV’s performance seems pretty well judged. The right pedal is not particularly sensitive to input and the force is delivered evenly and linearly.
It’s not that the Twingo can’t be pushed forward; In fact, it’s possible to hear a strange chirp from the front tires when accelerating out of a corner or away from a steep speed bump, but it’s a car that’s more in its comfort zone just carrying on as normal.
In lower speed environments and stop-start scenarios, the one-pedal driving mode – selectable by pulling the paddles behind the steering wheel – is very effective and helps extend range. We have achieved energy consumption in the single digits and suspect that around 9 kWh/100 km could easily be achieved over a longer period of time.
On the way out of town, the Twingo doesn’t hesitate to hit speeds of 80km/h and beyond, feeling slightly quicker than its claimed 0-100km/h sprint time of 12 seconds would suggest.
There is some road and wind noise, but nothing to worry about, and the suspension tuning and ride comfort are good overall.
The relatively long wheelbase certainly contributes to the secure driving experience, and we liked how normal the whole thing felt on the road. There is some slight body roll in the corners, but nothing that detracts from the overall experience.
What do you get?
Renault plans to offer the Twingo in only two trim levels in Europe, with the entry-level model getting 16-inch steel wheels with trim instead of alloy rims. In some markets, this “Evolution” version is offered without a DC fast charger for cost reasons. The higher-spec Techno variant features 18-inch alloy wheels, 50kW DC charging, one-pedal driving, automatic air conditioning, a rearview camera and heated seats.
Equipment highlights of the Renault Twingo 2026:
- 18-inch alloy wheels
- 7.0-inch digital instruments
- 10.1-inch infotainment touchscreen
- Android Auto
- Apple CarPlay
- LED headlights
- Arkamys stereo system with 6 speakers
- Four-stage energy recovery
- Heated front seats
- Automatic windshield wipers
- Sliding rear seats
Is the Renault Twingo safe?
We do not yet have an assessment of the new Twingo by Euro NCAP. However, we expect it to receive a reasonably good rating as it has the same chassis as the larger Renault 5 and is equipped with the same safety and assistance systems.
Standard safety equipment includes:
- Automatic emergency braking
- Safety trainer
- Speed limit warning
- Blind spot warning
- Rear cross traffic warning
- Lane keeping assistant
- Emergency braking when reversing
- Alarm for safe occupant exit
- Hill start assistant
- Advanced driver monitoring
- Traffic sign recognition
- Automatic high and low beam
How much does it cost to run the Renault Twingo?
As well as the impressive energy efficiency we experienced, the Twingo is likely to follow the Renault 5’s maintenance schedule of every two years or 20,000km.
CarExperts opinion on the Renault Twingo
The Renault Twingo is a really attractive compact electric car that’s just oozing with charm and, given what we’ve seen in Europe, very affordable too.
Looks aside, it’s extremely practical inside, rides beautifully – especially around town – and is good enough to win over more than a few skeptics.
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