BEST OF 5

Renault's new retro-themed R5 is wowing drivers with its looks, performance and price. Not so long ago it was the Fiat 500e that was hot in the city. How does it fare against its French EV rival?

RENAULT 5 vs FIAT 500e

These delightfully retro electric city cars are turning on the style

WHEN the electric revolution first threatened to take hold, the most optimistic among us felt that the market would be flooded with small, affordable EVs that were light on resources and perfect for short trips. What we got instead was a sea of huge SUVs, which was not surprising in hindsight, given the initial size and expense of the best battery tech available at the time, but still a touch disappointing.

As the cost of EV tech continues to shrink, we're starting to see the cars we'd always hoped for. Here we have two electric city cars that are small in stature but big on style. To take on the best China has to offer, some established European brands have decided that tapping into their heritage is the way to go- and Renault and Fiat have really leaned into that philosophy here.

The Renault 5 is the latest model from a firm that's really on a roll with its EVs. Starting from £22,995, the entry-level model costs much the same as a petrol-powered supermini, but looks like little else on the road. The Fiat 500 is a touch smaller than its rival here, but it competes closely with the Renault on both desirability and price. But which is best?

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Renault 5

RENAULT has hit a rich vein of form over the past few years; not necessarily because its cars have been the outright best in the class, but because they usually come very close yet are competitively priced, too.

On that latter point, the 5 is off to a promising start; the entry-level model starts from £22,995, a price that undercuts most electric vehicles on the market today. Even if you go all out on the top-spec, 148bhp Iconic Five model in our pictures, the line-up maxes out at £28,995.

Fiat 500e