- Renault reveals the inside of the 2026 Twingo E-Tech electrical metropolis automobile.
- In contrast to the outside, which is a transparent homage to the Nineties authentic Twingo, the inside has much less persona.
- The Renault Twingo E-Tech has a goal worth of underneath €20,000 ($20,500) and it is set to reach in Europe subsequent yr.
When automakers need to revive a traditional mannequin’s design and reinterpret it in a brand new fashionable automobile, they normally choose autos from the Sixties via the Nineteen Eighties, however hardly any select to revive fashions from the Nineties. Renault has performed exactly the identical up to now (reviving the Alpine A110 and the 5 and the 4), nevertheless it’s additionally taken the daring step of reimagining the primary Twingo, launched in 1993.
The Twingo was a vastly widespread two-door metropolis automobile that saved promoting nicely and stayed in manufacturing till 2007—round 2.4 million have been delivered. It was restyled 3 times throughout its manufacturing cycle, however these minor facelifts by no means actually modified a lot. Take one have a look at the Renault Twingo E-Tech, which is only a prototype for now, and you’ll unquestionably know that you just’re a Twingo.
Photograph by: Renault
Photograph by: Renault
It not solely retains the unique’s general physique form however the define of its headlights and tail lamps has additionally been saved, albeit in a stylized kind utilizing LED strips. It has additionally grown an additional set of doorways to permit rear passengers simpler entry into the again, however Renault has opted to cover the door handles within the C-pillars, so it nonetheless appears to be like like a three-door hatch at first look.
Whereas we now have recognized in regards to the Twingo’s electrical revival since 2024 and Renault has already proven the outside, the producer solely not too long ago revealed what it’ll appear like inside. The unique had a no-frills, primary inside with a centrally mounted digital instrument binnacle and a separate one with warning lights in entrance of the motive force and quite simple controls. The hazard button, positioned atop the sprint above the central air vents, was a semi-sphere, and I at all times thought it was the cutest of its form in any automobile—I nonetheless do.
Frankly, seeing how trustworthy the brand new automobile’s exterior is to the unique’s design, I anticipated Renault to have some recognizable parts inside. Nevertheless, there are none. It appears to be like just like the Renault 5 E-Tech’s inside, with the identical 10.1-inch central show and a further 7-inch display screen in entrance of the motive force. If there have been ever a time that I’d have forgiven a producer for not together with a separate driver’s show, it could have been in a reborn Twingo.
Renault touts the longer term Twingo’s consolation and practicality, that are arguably extra necessary traits than resembling the unique. The form of the seats and the model of their upholstery hark again to the unique, as does the body-colored panel that runs throughout the sprint, complemented by further body-colored trim items on the doorways.
One actually cool characteristic is its rear bench that not solely folds to enlarge the trunk but in addition slides to extend rear legroom. There’s additionally a panoramic glass roof, which doesn’t open, nevertheless it appears to be like enormous within the press images, and it ought to considerably enhance the inside ambiance, particularly for individuals within the again.
The Twingo E-Tech will debut in 2026, with a goal base worth of underneath €20,000 ($20,500). It’s going to sit under the 5 E-Tech within the Renault lineup as a extra inexpensive, much less posh various. Nevertheless, it nonetheless has an uncommon, eye-catching design that can win many consumers, particularly for the worth. The design alone elevates it method above similar-price rivals like the Dacia Spring or the Leapmotor T03, so if Renault retains this design for manufacturing and doesn’t make it too costly, it needs to be successful.