With the all-electric Renault 5 E-Tech hatchback being fabulously well-received in recent months, the French firm has enjoyed some success by looking to the past for inspiration when coming up with its all-new, all-electric vehicles. It’s no surprise, then, that our Gallic chums are at it again, this time with the Renault 4 E-Tech crossover.
Having previously teased us with a first look at what a new Renault 4 electric SUV might look like with the 4Ever Trophy concept car shown at the Paris Motor Show back in 2022, the production version was unveiled at the same event in October 2024. And as we thought, once the concept car’s more flamboyant design touches - such as the super-lofty suspension, the knobbly off-road tyres and the roof-mounted spare wheel, all of which made it look like some sort of Dakar-Rally-style off-roader - had been stripped away, the basic shape of the new 4 was there for all to see.
And, now we’ve moved from the concept stage to the production stage, there’s now a lot more information about the car that buyers will actually receive. Here’s what we know so far.
2025 Renault 4: Price, specs and release date
- 2025 Renault 4: styling and dimensions
- 2025 Renault 4 interior design and practicality
- 2025 Renault 4: motors, batteries and dynamics
- 2025 Renault 4: price and release date
2025 Renault 4: styling and dimensions
It’s not just the concept car that the new Renault 4 bears more than a passing resemblance to: the design pays proper homage to the original Renault 4, which was sold from 1961, right up until the 1990s in some markets.
There are seemingly countless examples of the original 4’s features being reimagined in a respectfully retro but also appealingly modern way. Take the front grille: well, Renault calls it a grille, but it’s actually a solid plastic panel on the nose of the car. Like the iconic ‘mask’ worn on the front end of the original, the circular headlights (now LED matrix items) sit within the panel itself, either side of an illuminated Renault logo in the centre, and the whole thing is surrounded by a single illuminated strip to accentuate the classic shape.
Then there are the rear light units: These protrude slightly from the part of the car’s body that they sit on, and have a three-part design, both elements that nod to the knobbly rear light units of the original, but in a thoroughly modern way.
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There are loads of other examples: the horizontal bonnet that curves softly downwards into the vertical grille, the near-triangular rear quarterlight windows, the abrupt drop of the roofline at the back of the car. As hat-tipping exercises go, this one is very comprehensive.
There will also be a version of the new 4 called the Plein Sud (this translates from the French into ‘due south’), which apes another part of the classic 4’s offering. This will have an electrically opening canvas roof that gives a large opening above your head of 92cm long and 80cm wide.
Unsurprisingly, the 4 will be built on the same small electric car platform as the Renault 5 - called AmpR Small, if you’re interested - but will be a bit bigger. Renault gives its dimensions as 4.14m in length, 1.89m in width, and 1.57m in height, with a wheelbase of 2.62 metres. For context, that makes it precisely 9cm longer than the Renault Clio, and 9cm shorter than the Renault Captur.
Seven paint colours will be offered, along with the option of a contrasting black roof.
In terms of rivals, you’ll be looking at other small-platform SUV-inspired electric cars such as the Citroen e-C3, Hyundai Inster, and the BMW MINI Aceman.
2025 Renault 4 interior design and practicality
Like in any modern car - even a retro-designed one - the interior will be dominated by screens. The 4 will have two of them, both landscape orientated. One sits behind the steering wheel to act as your driving instruments, while the other sits in the middle of the dashboard and controls all the car’s other infotainment functions with its touchscreen functionality.
The former measures 7.0 inches or 10.1 inches depending on trim level, while the latter is a 10.0-inch screen on all versions. This central screen runs Renault’s celebrated OpenR Link operating system with Google Built-in: this means satnav powered by Google Maps, and the ability to download and use various apps directly from Google Play store. There’s also a voice-controlled digital personal assistant called Reno, that uses ChatGPT artificial intelligence.
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The interior of the Renault 4 will get a different mix of materials and colour schemes depending on the trim level you go for, and most of the fabrics used are made from 100% recycled content.
In entry-level Evolution trim, there’s a light colour for the fabric on dashboard and door panels, alongside dark grey textile upholstery on the seats, with stitching in the colours of the flag of France. Mid-range Techno trim, meanwhile, delivers a denim effect, with dark blue cloth with copper stitching on the seats, complete with copper rivets on the side. Similar fabric with quilted squares is found on the dashboard and doors. In range-topping Iconic trim, the fabric upholstery comes partly in a black quilted finish, and partly in a grey houndstooth pattern.
Having not yet got up-close-and-personal with the car, we can’t make much comment on how practical or how spacious it’ll be. However, Renault has stated that this was a very big area of focus in the project, so expect it to be pretty strong relative to its modest size.
We do know that the boot volume is given at 420 litres beneath the powered tailgate, and that there’s a 35-litre underfloor storage for keeping you charging cables in. The boot also features various lashing hooks, bag hooks, and rubber bands for holding items in place. Renault also claims a usefully low loading sill.
2025 Renault 4: motors, batteries and dynamics
We’ve already said that the new Renault 4 shares its platform with the Renault 5, but that’s not all: 68% of all the 4’s components are shared with the 5. With any luck, that should help make it similarly good to drive.
Renault says it’s ‘been optimised for a smooth and comfortable ride’, so we’d expect that to be the focus rather than sharp handling. That’s also pointed to by the fact that the 4’s suspension has been raised by 4cm in ride height compared to the 5. As well as aiding comfort, this should also improve ground clearance for easier tackling of speed bumps and potholes.
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There are two all-electric powertrain options available, both of which get a standard heat pump for maximising range in cold weather, plus vehicle-to-load (V2L) and vehicle-to-grid (V2G) charging capability.
The powertrain option that Renault is making most noise about uses a 52kWh Nickel Manganese Cobalt (NMC) battery, powering a 148bhp electric motor. Initial figures suggest a 0-62mph sprint time of less than 8.5 seconds, and a range of 250 miles. This version supports DC rapid charging of up to 100kW, making it capable of taking on a 15%-80% charge in 30 minutes at a powerful enough charger. AC charging times are quoted at 4.5 hours on an 11kW connection, but most UK residences are limited to a maximum of 7.4kW due to the electrical systems they use, so when topping up at home overnight, expect it to take more like seven or eight hours.
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There’s also a 40kWh battery option that powers a 118bhp motor for a range of 186 miles, and which gets 80kW DC charging, but other than that, details about this powertrain are very sketchy at this point.
Renault promises that the car will have a One Pedal function, meaning strong regenerative braking that slows the car down markedly as you lift off the accelerator pedal, and that’s capable of bringing the car to a full stop without intervention from the driver. This can make city driving a touch easier when done well.
2025 Renault 4: price and release date
Both the price and the release date of the new car are yet to be announced by Renault at this point, but we’ve been told to expect it some time in the middle of next year. We’ll update this article as soon as we know more. In the meantime, if you’re super-keen on the 4, you can pay Renault £150 for an R-pass, which when the time comes, allows you to place your order 10 days before everybody else, ensuring you’ll be one of the first customers in Europe to receive your car.