Renault has launched its all-new Twingo across Ireland, with prices commencing from €13,990 or just €139 per month. This third-generation Twingo debuts some firsts for Twingo, with five doors as standard, along with its engine located in the rear of the vehicle under the boot floor, it’s rear-wheel-drive too. The Twingo is seated in the small city car segment which represents just 3.1 per cent of the market, importantly though this segment has seen a 27 per cent increase year to date.
This new Renault Twingo is idiosyncratic and appealing from the exterior and interior. Its rear doors are cleverly disguised with hidden door handles. There is a vast range of personalisation options available to tailor the Twingo to an individual’s taste. Renault’s R & GO connectivity system is fitted as standard, this clever cradle allows you to connect your smartphone to the car’s infotainment system and use a free app to access navigation, telephone, multimedia and trip computer functions. The standard level of equipment is generous with such items as body-coloured bumpers, a rear spoiler, LED daytime running lights, a speed limiter, height-adjustable steering wheel, trip computer and a gear change indicator all included. Despite the engine being located under the boot floor there is 188 litres of boot space, this increases to 980 litres with the rear seats folded.
There are three models on offer powered by a 1.0-litre SCe petrol engine that delivers 70hp and 91Nm of torque. This is available across three trim specifications, Expression, Play and Dynamique. In the Dynamique model with Stop & Start the Twingo can achieve an impressive 4.2l/100km (67.3mpg) on a combined run, along with CO2 emissions of 95g/km. There is also a Dynamique TCe 90 model, this utilises a 90cc turbocharged petrol engine to deliver 90hp and 135Nm of torque. It can return a combined fuel consumption of 4.3l/100km (65.7mpg), with CO2 emissions of 99g/km.
We took the new Renault Twingo on a short test drive earlier today, prior to taking it for our week-long full evaluation test in the coming weeks. The Twingo is entertaining to drive and offers real-world progress with decent acceleration, it’s brilliant around the city. Its chassis is competent and the rear-wheel-drive set-up works well, you’d hardly notice it was rear-wheel-drive. The TCe 90 variant we drove is eager to progress and has a chirpy three-cylinder note. It’s mated to a smooth five-speed manual transmission. The Twingo’s cabin is bright and airy and in some ways reminds us of the quirky ZOE, it really is a pleasant place to spend time in. Take a journey around town in the Twingo and it’s impossible not to drive with a smile on your face. We certainly look forward to the possibility of a RenaultSport variant in the future. For now though, these models are ideal, and with prices commencing from only €139 per month through Renault Finance, we believe Renault are onto a winner.
