Renault 4 E-Tech Electric: The other charmer of the French

From the cheap city car of the second half of the 20th century, the R4 developed into a compact family SUV in the 21st century. This is also evident in the model hierarchy: the « little one » now measures 4.14 meters – only 9 cm shorter than a capture, but 22 cm longer than an R5. With cleverly inserted design references to the ancestor, it still looks compact: the rear side windows, the rear lights with the three « light bulbs » and the beads on the underside are clear allusions. The front with round LED headlights, which are integrated in a black band with light contour and illuminated Renault logo, is particularly striking-a novelty for the brand. Even if the « Wow » effect is not as strong as the R5-the charm is there.

Practical

There are little surprises in the interior – the dashboard comes directly from the R5. It offers two razor-sharp displays, integrated Google services (from the second equipment line) and well-chosen materials. However, specific equipment details are new, as in the tested techno model with a jeans look. The big advantage: significantly more space, especially for the legs in the rear. The back seat is comfortable, even if it is difficult to push your feet under the driver’s seat when it is deeply set. For passengers over 1.80 meters, the headroom can be scarce due to the high seating position. But from the end of the year, a large fabric panorama roof (Plein Sud) ensures fresh air-irresistible!
The trunk convinces less with volume (420 liters) or variability (divided back seat 1/3-2/3) than through clever details: a shared loading floor with removable compartment offers additional storage space-very practical.

More comfortable

The technology comes from the R5: Either urban range with 120 hp and 308 km range or comfort range with 150 hp and 408 km – we tested the latter. However, the driving behavior is not a mere copy of the original: the R4 is more comfortable, especially in the back of the suspension – to match family -friendly claim.
At the wheel, typical Renault electro properties and clever details: assistance systems can be adapted to a button with a double pressure, the recuperation can be controlled via steering wheel paddles (from equipment line 2), including « one pedal » mode, which delays up to the standstill. Very pleasant in the city, even if the delay is less strong than with the competition – a little more foresight is required here.

Charging -friendly

And what about longer trips? No problem! In mild weather and mixed route, the consumption was 13.6 kWh/100 km – exactly in the target, which makes the promised 408 km realistic. Loading from 10 to 80 percent takes around 30 minutes – standard in the segment. And: A charging card bathroom will no longer be absolutely necessary-some columns automatically recognize the car and start the charging process. That is also practical.