• Good but not class-leading interior space 
• Large boot with low loading lip  
• Usefully more rear space than a Renault 5 E-Tech  

How much space is there? 

Space up front is good, with loads of headroom and seats that adjust fore and aft enough to suit the very tall and very short. Move to the rear and you’ll find more space than an Avenger or Vauxhall Mokka Electric, if not the Frontera and e-C3 Aircross. Even with the rear bench mounted much higher, headroom is still enough for a tall adult  

There’s an extra 8cm of wheelbase (the space between the front and rear wheels) compared to the Renault 5 E-Tech that shares the same underpinnings, which helps add some much-needed extra rear legroom which is better than average for the class.  

Rear foot space is more of an issue, with the battery case causing an intrusion into the back of the footwell, forcing your feet forwards. This isn’t an issue unless your front passengers have their seats in their lowest height setting.   

Renault 4 E-Tech boot space and storage 

The boot is second only to the Puma Gen E’s and its giant Gigabox underfloor storage. The 4 has 420-litres of space under the rear parcel shelf and 1,405-litres with the rear seats folded. This includes a 55-litre box under the centrally split boot floor, while there are handy straps and cubbies to prevent too much cargo shift on the move. The rear seats have a 60/40 split fold and no load-through facility. 

There’s virtually no loading lip, so heaving in heavy items isn’t too stressful. The flip side is the long boot lid that allows for such a low lip extrudes out a fair bit when opening, something to remember in a tight carpark and why we’re grateful for the dent-absorbing plastic cladding on the bottom of the boot lid. 

Try to push a long, heavy item in with the rear seats folded, and you’ll encounter a very large step up from the boot floor to the backs of the seats, though. A two-level boot floor would sort this but isn’t available. 

Interior space meanwhile offers 23.3 litres dotted around. Rear storage space is a little stingy but up front there’s a generous glovebox, small storage tray that’s ideal of keys and storge in the central armrest that’ll just about hold a 500ml bottle of fizzy pop. The narrow door pockets aren’t quite big enough to safely hold a small bottle and are best left to carrying a bag of crisps.  

An optional wicker baguette holder is small nod to its French roots and a nice – if rather gimmicky – touch.  

Is it easy to park? 

The Renault 4 is a relatively simple car to park. In our testing, it was easy to judge the car’s extremities, thanks in part to the bonnet being visible from the cabin. The rear window is a little small but the generously sized mirrors and slab sides make reversing simple.   

The standard-fit rear-view camera is low resolution by modern standards; a common feature shared across all Renaults. It’s legible but not sharp by any definition. Thankfully useful rear parking sensors are standard across the range, while front, rear and side parking sensors are standard on Techno and Iconic trim.  

Safety 

• Only a four-star safety rating from Euro NCAP 
• The Kia EV3 is safer, if you spec it right 
• Active safety systems can easily be switched off to your preference 

The Renault 4 E-Tech has been crash-tested by Euro NCAP, and it scores a fine but not class-leading four stars out of five. It’s the same score the Hyundai Inster and Ford Puma Gen-E received, but less than the larger Kia EV3 (with optional safety pack ticked) which achieved five stars. The only small electric SUV to achieve five stars is the Volvo EX30, a brand that built its name on safety.

There is a suite of useful safety features included as standard to help prevent accidents. These include adaptive emergency braking, lane departure warning, a safety coach, rear cross traffic alert and occupant safe exit alert. Techno and Iconic models also get adaptive cruise control while Iconic models gain blind spot warning and lane centring.  

For drivers who find the onboard safety bongs a distraction, a double tap of the My Safety Switch next to the steering wheel will silence the speed warning and turn off the lane keep assist. It’s delightfully easy to use.  

Watch: Euro NCAP safety test video