The new Renault 4 has been previewed in concept form at the 2022 Paris motor show. The electric crossover will blend retro styling with a practical interior and an impressive battery range. Read on for everything we know so far.
2025 Renault 4: styling and dimensions
Strip away some of the 4Ever Trophy concept car’s more flamboyant touches in these pictures – its extreme ride height, exposed chunky tyres, exterior luggage straps and, yes, the roof-mounted spare wheel – and you’re left with the basic shape of the new Renault 4.
It’s a fine example of retro hat-tipping to the original model, which was sold from 1961, right through to the 1990s in some markets. The concept car’s bonnet – which curves into a flat grille – is pure Renault 4, as is its near-triangular rear quarter light and steeply dropping boot line.
The old model had a raised ride height to help it negotiate poorly surfaced roads and tracks, and you can expect the new model to sit higher than a regular car, too, helping it deal with modern obstacles like tall speed humps and poorly maintained roads.
Plastic body cladding, albeit in a less extreme form than on the concept car, will also likely make it into production, giving the Renault a more rugged appearance and also helping it stave off supermarket trolley scrapes.
More high-tech touches are expected in the form of LED head- and tail lights that will perform a welcome dance when you lock and unlock the car. However, the rear-facing cameras are not likely to make production: if the Audi Q8 e-tron’s are anything to go by, they’ll be an expensive option that isn't as intuitive to use as normal wing mirrors.
2025 Renault 4: interior design, infotainment and practicality
While the 4Ever Trophy concept car gives us a good idea of what the exterior of the new Renault 4 will look like, the interior remains something of a mystery. However, you can expect it to have a retro finish that mimics the interior of the classic 4, with a horizontal line design, a raised centre console housing the car’s drive selector and bright upholstery colours that emphasise fun.
The instrument cluster will likely also pay tribute to the old car, although you can expect to see a free-standing infotainment screen instead of conventional dials. You can bet it will have Apple CarPlay and Android Auto – cheaper (and better) than offering in-built sat-nav - and it also adds handy features like reliable voice activation and music playback from services such as Spotify.
Music to any family's ears is the news that the Renault 4 is expected to be very practical for its size. It’ll have four doors, and its raised ride height will prove a massive boon when you're leaning inside to strap little ones into their child seats. The boot should also have no issues swallowing a pushchair, and you can expect it to have a square shape with next to no load lip.
2025 Renault 4: battery capacity, range, charging speeds, performance and drive
While the Renault 4 will have striking looks and a cool interior, under the skin, it’ll be relatively conventional. It’s likely to share its EV underpinning with Renault Zoe, which already offers a battery range that other small EVs – the likes of the Mini Electric and Honda E – can only dream of.
As a result, the new Renault 4 is expected to come packing a 50kWh battery – large for this size of car – which will likely power a 135 horsepower electric motor turning the front wheels. A four-wheel-drive version would fit the 4’s rugged appearance, but the added cost means it’s unlikely to be offered.
Four-wheel drive would also likely mean the 4 would have a shorter range. Without it the Renault should get well over 200 miles from a single charge: not bad when a retro-styled rival like the Honda e can only manage 105 miles from its 35.5kWh battery.
And while the Renault’s battery is relatively large, expect charging times to be short – you should be able to top up the 4’s battery from 0-80 per cent in around 30 minutes.
That will make it an ideal city car that can still rise to longer trips if needed. EV power means the Renault will be exempt from paying congestion charges, it’ll be capable of relaxing one-pedal driving (with the regenerative brakes activating when you take your foot off the accelerator) and it will offer instantaneous get-up-and-go that’ll make it quicker than its on-paper figures would suggest (expect 0-62mph in around 10 seconds).
2025 Renault 4: price and release date
While the Renault 4Ever Trophy concept gives us a clear idea of what a Renault 4 production car will look like, the show car’s flamboyance also tells us the production model is some way off. We expect to get firm details on the SUV in 2024 with the car going on sale in 2025.
And the price? A figure of close to £30,000 would be a sensible price point for a relatively small electric car, and would allow the Renault 4 to slot between existing Renault EVs like the Zoe and Megane E-Tech.