Renault 5 95 pk Urban Range FIVE – €24.990
Almost every week, the same doubt. Should we do the Renault 5, or something else again? The answer has always been ‘something else’ for Back to basics, because we were simply sure that an earlier article would soon be outdated. After all, Renault already said at the launch of the 5 that the basic version would cost less than €25,000, so we were still waiting for that car.
That wait was quite difficult, and that has everything to do with the appearance of the simplest 5 versions. Even the previously cheapest 5, the Evolution of €27,990, looks great to us. With its body in one (preferably bright) color, black window frames, rod antenna, and especially those hubcaps, it might even look better than a fully equipped Iconiq Cinq or Roland Garros costing thousands of euros more.
Of course, that’s personal, but that simplicity just suits the retro design of the 5. What also helps is that Renault isn’t stingy about the lighting. No ugly, half-switched-off, or even partly filled with incandescent bulbs light units for the basic version here, but just full and beautiful LED units that strongly resemble those of more expensive versions. Nice!
Now that we’re discussing the appearance: with the FIVE, as the new basic version is called, there’s very little to choose when it comes to colors. The exterior is standard in ‘Vert Pop’, loosely translated ‘popping green’, and can only be ordered in black for an extra charge. Stickers on the side are missing in this case, and there are actually no options to do something about that, because there are simply no options for this simplest 5. So if you see a 5 with these hubcaps, but in a color other than green or black, you can be sure that it’s an Evolution. After all, that almost-basic version is also available in yellow or white, which immediately doubles the color range.
Prefer no green? Then it automatically becomes black. And that costs €700.
In the article in which the FIVE version is announced, we could already report that there is hardly any difference in equipment between the cheapest and the next cheapest variant. The big miss is mainly in the area of temperature management, because the FIVE has no heat pump and no automatic climate control. That heat pump means that the simplest five theoretically gets slightly less far on a full 40 kWh battery, although the difference with 310 versus 312 km is negligible in the official figures.
Gray cloth
The interior of the simplest 5s is largely covered in a gray cloth that we think looks great. It forms a nice contrast with the light, almost white pieces on the door panel and dashboard and makes the interior quite cozy. The steering wheel is not covered with leather, but made of a soft plastic. Fine solution, but a feature that is typical of a basic version.
The center armrest is missing, and compared to more expensive 5s, we also miss adaptive cruise control, a reversing camera, ambient lighting, a wireless phone charger, a height-adjustable driver’s seat (!), and two speakers in the FIVE and the Evolution. The 10-inch infotainment screen may seem the same at first glance as that of more expensive versions, but it contains a less extensive Android infotainment system. Specifically, this means no Google Maps, Spotify, or other apps, although you can simply connect your phone with Android Auto or Apple CarPlay. The information screen behind the steering wheel is physically different, and at 7 inches is a lot smaller than the 10-inch version of more expensive versions.
The essential difference between the FIVE and the Evolution is therefore not in the equipment, but in the powertrain. That heat pump has already been mentioned, but especially the fact that you cannot fast charge the FIVE is what kills it for us. That makes the entry-level model unsuitable for even the most occasional long trip, and means that it is actually always smarter to go for the Evolution. If only for the restaarde…
It should also be noted that the FIVE has no options at all, while the ‘Pack Winter’ is available for the Evolution. This offers a more extensively adjustable driver’s seat, a height-adjustable passenger seat and seat heating. The best thing: this package is temporarily free.