While the original 4 was almost unbelievably basic inside, the new 4’s cockpit is nearly identical to that of the lauded 5, which is anything but. Here you’ll find a variety of playful materials and interesting ideas that, within the class, only the Mini Aceman attempts to match. Think ribbed stitching on the passenger side, puppytooth-esque pattern on the door cards, seats that wouldn’t look out of place in an original 5 Turbo (minus the lurid tones), and small bursts of colour dotted about.
The Mercedes-style gear selector is also finished with a crystal-like tip that has the Renault logo etched into it. It’s a bit of jewellery you might typically expect to find in a high-spec Volvo and would be even better if pushing it placed the car into park. (As is, it does nothing at all.)
The layout impresses too. The two higher grades – Techno and Iconic, which sit above the entry-level Evolution – feature a large, crisp, digital instrument binnacle that merges into the central touchscreen, but in a way that doesn’t feel overbearing. We won’t repeat ourselves too much because our comments in the Renault 5 road test also apply here, but it suffices to say the blend of physical and digital switchgear is well conceived. This is among the more intuitive cabins in the class when it comes to simple commands – skipping a track or turning up the fan speed, for instance.
Crucially, the driving ergonomics are good. The striking floating bolsters of the seats aren’t quite as supportive as the racy look suggests, but there’s a maturity and ease to the driving position itself that makes the 4 immediately relaxing once you’ve slid aboard. You don’t feel unduly perched, either, despite the presence of a battery in the floor.
Practicality is of course the area where this car offers notably more than its 5 sibling. At 375 litres, boot capacity is more than 30% greater than the 5’s, with a squared-off opening and a low, knee-height lip inspired by the original car. This is respectably capacious but doesn’t trouble the Kia EV3 (460 litres, and while the South Korean car is half a class up in the world, it’s priced keenly) and neither do the Renault’s back seats fold down flat, as the Kia’s do.
The 4 does, however, have useful cubbies that the Kia goes without, as well as stretchy fabric tabs for keeping smaller items in place. There’s also a 36-litre bin underneath the floor, which will typically be used for charging cables but has added versatility in being removable and easy to clean. Left-hand-drive cars also have the ability to fold down the back of the front passenger seat, liberating several metres of storage space – you might even slide a double bass into the car. Alas, right-hand-drive cars don’t get this feature.
Second-row space is probably the main reason you would buy the 4 instead of the 5. There isn’t an overabundance of knee room, but there’s enough to make the place habitable for adults for more than very short journeys, which isn’t true of the 5. Renault has successfully squeezed every millimetre of head room out of this package by using a thin, domed trim for the roof, and passengers can easily get their feet under the front seats, which isn’t true of the Ford Puma Gen-E. It isn’t lavish back here but it is usable. An upcoming ‘Plein Sud’ version with a canvas folding roof will boost the sense of light and space further – at least when the weather’s good.
