I thought I would create a thread for people to write their thoughts from test drives.
I have to say this is the first EV that I am looking forward to seeing in the flesh, unfortunately my nearest Renault dealer isn't that close, so am interested to read people's thoughts if they've taken a test drive.
My only reservation would be that coming from a Golf Mk7.5 GTI, I might miss some the practicality that car offers as well as the performance, oh and the matrix headlights
Being a VW fan boy I really, really wanted to like the new ID3 GTX, but at £46k+, it's a no from me!
Looking forward to hearing people's test drive thoughts.
Test drove a Techno Comfort range on Tuesday and loved it, great fun to drive.
Very quiet in the cruise and very peppy acceleration from all speeds. Maxed it out at 96mph - on a track obviously!
Surprised how big the car was, it looks like a mini SUV, which is a good thing for space. However it still felt like a small hot hatch to drive and handled the twisty stuff brilliantly. It also felt solid and well built, very much like the BMW Minis I have had previously
You can really throw this car around, and the top speed is so obviously electronically limited, presumably so it doesn't step on Alpine's toes! I bet a good tuner could hack the electronics and release more power, the car could easily handle it.
It is just about fast enough as standard, although you tend to floor it everywhere, but it feels so easy and smooth as there is no engine screaming at you and no gear changes.
It sounds like I drive like a lunatic, but I honestly don't, it's just that this thing is so easy to get carried away in, just you wait and see!
This little pocket rocket R5 will be a very welcome addition to the family stable!
Thats because I loved it so much that I bought a Ronand Garros limited edition in white today!
I had a test drive a few weeks ago. Loved it as soon as i sat behind the wheel. Felt very at home in it. Love the feel of that steering wheel. Seats hold you in nice and firmly. Felt like my old XR2i for some reason.
The dealer let me open it up a few times and it's does have some oomph but not quite in the 'hot hatch' category. It put a smile on my face driving around some twisty lanes. It handles very nicely, with not too hard a ride.
I want one and am going to order today. I'm taking the plunge with the green pop.
So, I've never considered an EV before, mainly because they're: A) stupidly expensive, and B) they're almost all bloated SUV's. I commute about 40 miles per day, and 99% of the time, it is only me in the car, so I don't need something huge. Currently have a Mercedes A-Class. Saw a Renault 5 driving around one day - the bright green caught my eye first, but the design of the car just stood out from everything around it.
So yesterday I had a 30 minute test drive...and I absolutely loved it! It was a Techno in Midnight Navy, stunning looking car, probably the trim and colour I'd go for (although it was missing any option for heated seats which is odd). It drives brilliantly, so smooth, quiet and most of all, intuitive. I really liked having physical controls as I find the big displays in some cars quite distracting to use. The drivers display was excellent, with really crisp visuals and loads of customisation. The main display was also great, perfect for navigation and music without being obtrusive.
It took me a little while to get used to the gear selector (coming from a manual), but other than that, I literally cannot fault the car. The driving position is good - not too high, but enough to give you a nice clear view of the road. The seats are really supportive and the fabric feels nice and premium. Steering was a little light at first, but I'm pretty sure it firms up a little as you gain speed. I was surprised at the level of power - probably because I came from a diesel, the instant acceleration was incredible. And the car is so, so quiet. Slight wind noise at 70mph, very little tyre noise. And it's whisper quiet around town.
Finally efficiency and range - the things that would likely most worry me coming from a long range diesel car. The 5 was at 90% battery, and showed a remaining range of 230 miles. The salesman reset everything for me, so I could get a good sense of my own driving habits effects on the range. By the end of my 30 minute drive, which included bits around town, a stretch on a 70mph dual carriageway and some 50mph roads, the car showed 4.4 miles/kwh which really impressed me. I wasn't exactly driving it carefully, as that instant acceleration is quite addictive! With a little restraint, I reckon you could easily reach 5 miles/kwh.
M4T2009 wrote: ↑Sat Apr 19, 2025 12:01 pm
So, I've never considered an EV before, mainly because they're: A) stupidly expensive, and B) they're almost all bloated SUV's. I commute about 40 miles per day, and 99% of the time, it is only me in the car, so I don't need something huge. Currently have a Mercedes A-Class. Saw a Renault 5 driving around one day - the bright green caught my eye first, but the design of the car just stood out from everything around it.
So yesterday I had a 30 minute test drive...and I absolutely loved it! It was a Techno in Midnight Navy, stunning looking car, probably the trim and colour I'd go for (although it was missing any option for heated seats which is odd). It drives brilliantly, so smooth, quiet and most of all, intuitive. I really liked having physical controls as I find the big displays in some cars quite distracting to use. The drivers display was excellent, with really crisp visuals and loads of customisation. The main display was also great, perfect for navigation and music without being obtrusive.
It took me a little while to get used to the gear selector (coming from a manual), but other than that, I literally cannot fault the car. The driving position is good - not too high, but enough to give you a nice clear view of the road. The seats are really supportive and the fabric feels nice and premium. Steering was a little light at first, but I'm pretty sure it firms up a little as you gain speed. I was surprised at the level of power - probably because I came from a diesel, the instant acceleration was incredible. And the car is so, so quiet. Slight wind noise at 70mph, very little tyre noise. And it's whisper quiet around town.
Finally efficiency and range - the things that would likely most worry me coming from a long range diesel car. The 5 was at 90% battery, and showed a remaining range of 230 miles. The salesman reset everything for me, so I could get a good sense of my own driving habits effects on the range. By the end of my 30 minute drive, which included bits around town, a stretch on a 70mph dual carriageway and some 50mph roads, the car showed 4.4 miles/kwh which really impressed me. I wasn't exactly driving it carefully, as that instant acceleration is quite addictive! With a little restraint, I reckon you could easily reach 5 miles/kwh.
A great review. You’ll need the Iconic spec for heated seats etc.
I went to Doncaster yesterday and sat in a yellow Iconic and was pleasantly surprised. More room than I expected and a very usable boot.
I actually went to view a Cupra but really couldn’t justify the £10k + over a 5. The Renault was a lot more comfortable, I thought the seats held you in better.
Yes, you currently need Iconic for heated seats, although that might change in the future once the initial rush is over (ie you might be able to have the Techno trim and then option the electric seats). On that point, one thing with an EV is that there isn't really any warm up time as the heater is electric so as soon as you turn the heating on, it gets warm. So heated seats perhaps not quite as necessary as in a ICE car.
We have had ours a week now and people are constantly admiring the colour. Yellow is also the safest colour as easily spotted as you will note when looking for it in a car park. Some insurers even have a lower fee because of this so lots of positives
