Renault Twingo: Cult toddler to cuddle
Now it's back with a bang: the Renault Twingo is back! Like its ancestor, it offers great charm at a low price and proves that electric is easy for everyone.
Really now? Opening windows! We are so amazed that it deserves an exclamation mark: the rear of the new Renault Twingo has hinged windows, just like before. Sounds sparse. Don't worry: despite costing only 18,900 (higher equipment variant 20,900) francs and thus being one of the cheapest electric cars, the Twingo is not diet food, but genuine full-value mobility.
From 1993, the first Twingo was a bestseller. Numbers two and three lacked charm. Now the «real» Twingo is back: stylish and affordable. And looks at us with googly eyes, a stroke of design genius like the R5. We are amazed: the Twingo face even works at the back, where the original never had it. A likeable guy that you're happy to let pull in politely.
French cheerful
Inside, we are greeted by cheerful details in body color, some sheet metal, hard plastic and even visible Torx screws. Bad? Oh no: that's just the way small cars are, and the Twingo lives this so stylishly and self-confidently as well as with great quality and good equipment that we whisper «Stinginess is cool!». Great: buttons instead of just a touchscreen (which navigates well with lots of Google and has no secrets). Even better: press a button, cruise control is silent. We sit and see well, and behind us the rear seats can be moved by 17 centimeters, giving us the choice: luggage or guests? However, the Twingo can't work its magic on a length of 3.79 meters: headroom in the rear is tight, knee room is good to passé depending on the seat position.
Fun with Sparplus
Effortless: this term sums up the driving experience in a nutshell. The Twingo's suspension is effortless and more comfortable than usual in the league. Nevertheless, it never wobbles and masters bends with fun and - correctly judged - effortlessly. Drive? We repeat ourselves: 60 kW/82 hp sounds poor, but 147 Nm of torque for 1.3 tons and E-typical spontaneity feel effortless. A diesel pulls away uphill in front of us? We see it again at the red light.
In figures: 12.1 seconds to 100 km/h, top speed 130 km/h, standard consumption extremely low 12.2 kWh/100 km, which we even undercut on a mild spring test drive. So everything is great? Well, almost: 262 kilometers of official range and a maximum charging power of 50 kW are nothing to write home about, and in winter the 27.5 kWh battery won't last 200 kilometers. On the other hand, the test drives show a range of 244 to 272 kilometers - enough for everyday use, even for a relaxed Sunday outing and almost back from Zurich to Bern. The Twingo will make its way.
