Renault 4 review: Vive la Renaulution!

November 12, 2025 Matt Allan

The Renault 5 has been a runaway success but can the Renault 4 emulate that in the ultra-competitive compact SUV market?

Anyone with any interest in electric cars must have noticed that Renault is on a bit of a hot streak at the minute.

The excellent Megane and Scenic laid the groundwork then the Renault 5 came along and scooped up just about every award going.

The R5 was, of course, inspired by Renault’s famous hatchback of the 1970s and 80s. So, for its next trick Renault has gone for another hit of heritage in the shape of the Renault 4.

Designed in the 1960s to be compact, practical, rugged and affordable, the original R4 is credited with inventing the hatchback segment and opening the way for successors as the Renault 5.

There’s no such opportunity for this 21st-century reimagining to be so groundbreaking. Like the original, it’s aiming to be compact, practical and affordable but that throws it directly into the already well established and fiercely competitive small SUV market.

Rivals? Everything from the BYD Atto 2 and Ford Puma Gen-E to the Jeep Avenger and Suzuki e Vitara.

So there’s plenty of competition and very little space to be revolutionary, but based on the same excellent underpinnings as the R5, the new Renault 4 still has plenty of room to shine.

Design, interior and technology

Renault’s design team are on an absolute tear at the moment, blending inspiration from historic models with a modern outlook, and the Renault 4 is another example of that.

Like its hatchback relative, the Renault 4 manages to pay homage to the original car without straying into pastiche. It has the same boxy proportions, the same flat bonnet and angled tailgate and the same squared off wheel arches, but with a more sculpted, less utilitarian feel. The round headlights in an oblong surround have been brought right up to date with LED units either side of an illuminated badge and with a thin light bar wrapping around the whole affair. At the rear, there’s a neat nod to the upright three-piece tail lights of the past. It’s all very charming in a way that not many rivals can match.

Inside, there’s a lot less connection with the past. The original’s basic approach has been replaced with more focus on comfort and convenience. Largely, the R4’s cabin is lifted from the R5, which isn’t a problem.

There’s the same twin-screen setup with 10.3-inch displays for the touchscreen and instruments – well placed physical climate controls and a stepped dashboard with a neat R4 logo that changes colour depending on the drive mode.

Like the R5, all the key touchpoints are of decent quality although there are a few cheaper plastics low down. Lower-grade versions get an interesting fabric finish on the dashboard while my high-spec Iconic car had a faux leather dash-topper with contrast yellow stitching. It also had some of the most eye-catching seats of the year. The 80s-inspired squared-off pews were wrapped in black leather with grey fabric contrast panels and an offset yellow, red and black stripe clearly inspired by the old ELF sponsorship colours.

The R4 is nearly 19cm longer than the R5, but at 3.92m long is still definitely at the more compact end of the segment. You’ll fit four average-sized people aboard but putting the front seats all the way back robs the rear of virtually all its legroom. There are five seatbelts, but realistically, this is a four-seater.

While some rivals offer more passenger space, the Renault 4 has one of the biggest boots in its segment, with 420 litres – it’s only outdone by the Citroen E-C3 Aircross and far larger cars like the Kia EV3 and Skoda Elroq. It also features a fold-flat passenger seat for carrying long items.

Like the R5, the central screen uses a Google Automotive-based system and comes with the usual Apple and Android wireless mirroring and connected services. The system isn’t quite as advanced or feature-rich as in my long-term Scenic, but the fundamentals are still great. There are big, clear icons for the menus and the Google operating system and interface make operation a doddle, including planning routes with charging stops based on real-time data from the car.

Battery, motor and performance

Unlike the Renault 5, which gets a choice of two batteries and motors, the Renault 4 comes with just one powertrain.

It’s the more powerful, longer-range one offered in the R5, which means a 148bhp motor and a 52kWh battery. That returns an official range of 247 miles and charges at up to 100kW for a 15-80% refill in 30 minutes.

That’s all pretty average for the class. Some more expensive models have bigger batteries and range but the R4 sits happily among similarly priced rivals.

renault 4 review driving image — The Renault 4 feels at home in town or on the open road

In the real world, of course, the range falls short. Throughout a damp autumn week, I saw a realistic estimate of around 200 miles and average efficiency of 3.8m/kWh.

When I was young, nearly 150bhp was getting towards hot hatch territory. Now it’s bog standard even for small crossovers. There’s certainly nothing hot hatch-y about the Renault 4. A 0-62mph time of 8.2 seconds is respectable for the class but not exactly quick. Thankfully the responsive throttle means it feels perky enough around town and there’s enough oomph across the range to keep up with traffic.

While it uses the same platform as the Renault 5 (and Alpine A290), the Renault 4 rides higher and feels more softly sprung, as befits a crossover. It’s comfortable but composed, with well balanced damping and body control. Mercifully, it also avoids the jitteriness that sometimes afflicts smaller cars. There’s a pleasant feeling of connection with the steering that some Chinese rivals could learn a lesson from. You won’t go hooning but it’s a settled, competent feeling thing. Whether you’re pottering around town or on high speed roads, it feels at home in either environment.

Price and specification

The Renault 4 range starts at £25,695 for the Evolution trim, and rises to £31,095 for the range-topping Iconic.

That’s the model I drove which, with optional paint finished off at £31,645.

Evolution cars come with 18-inch alloy wheels, the 10.3-inch touchscreen, rear-view camera, auto-dipping lights and automatic air conditioning.

Techno trim adds cosmetic upgrades such as tinted windows and roof rails, and brings extra functions such as adaptive cruise control, ambient light and hands-free parking. It also replaces the seven-inch instrument cluster with a 10.3-inch unit and adds wireless phone charging.

Iconic brings the light-up grille, a gloss-black roof and fancier alloys as well as heated seats and steering wheel, a powered tailgate and more advanced driver assistance. Plus that amazing upholstery.

renault 4 seat detail close-up — Those seats…

You can also spend hundreds personalising the car with add-ons ranging from a wicker baguette holder to different drive selector caps and 3D-printed centre console covers.

Verdict

The Renault 4 is another triumph for the French brand.

It’s charming to look at, nice to drive and offers useful day-to-day range and charging speeds.

Its user-friendly interior and stylish interior are a breath of fresh air in the segment and it offers compelling value even in the face of keenly-priced rivals.

It may not be groundbreaking in the way of the original, but this new version does its namesake proud.