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Review: Renault Twingo Dynamique 90 TCe

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Author: | Updated: 15 Dec 2014 11:35

Ask somebody to name a rear-wheel drive car powered by a rear-mounted engine and thoughts immediately turn to the Porsche 911. But now there’s another car that fits the bill, one that also comes with four seats.

Renault will tell me off for making such a comparison, but the fact is the Twingo shares enough similarities that you might be forgiven for thinking it is a mini 911.

Renault's third gen Twingo has justifiable similarities to the Porsche 911

However, the reason for its unusual layout is more to do with another German company. The result of a collaboration between Renault and Daimler’s Smart brand, the Twingo is very much a city car rather than the sports car that the engine layout suggests it might be.

It’s smaller than the outgoing model by some 10cm or so, but has an extra 12cm in the wheelbase, making it roomier inside. It’s also safer, with the lack of an engine up front improving crash safety.

This means that Renault scored a four-star result in EuroNCAP tests. That might sound like one star too few, but new tests introduced at the start of 2014 introduced more stringent guidelines, with bonus points being awarded for technology such as automatic braking that the Twingo doesn’t have.

On the road

Heading out on to the open road, the rear-engined layout suggests the Twingo should be a huge bundle of fun, but it has been engineered to behave in exactly the same way as any other small car.

Push things to the limit and you get computer wizardry kicking to prevent things going awry, but keep pushing and the laws of physics take over. At that point, the Twingo reverts to safe understeer. Tail out fun on wet roundabouts is off the menu then.

What you get is a peppy, zesty little number that zips around town with such ease that you completely forget that driving in the city isn’t fun. Its diminutive dimensions mean you can zip through gaps that a Corsa would baulk at, while a London taxi-rivalling turning circle allows you to change your mind on pretty much any road.

Disgruntled London taxi looks on enviously at the Twingo's turning circle

Ride quality is mostly good, but expansion gaps and broken surfaces thump through to the cabin, especially at moderate speeds.

At higher speeds, things start to get trickier. While it’s finely balanced, the lack of a rev counter and skinny tyres means it’s tricky to get the most out of it. It also gets a little vague and wayward at speeds in excess of the national speed limit.

Get the speed high enough though and something strange happens; as you’re ahead of the engine, and all the noise it creates, it’s a remarkably quiet place to be. It must be what a Concorde pilot felt like…

The cabin's build quality can't match that of the VW Up but it certainly is stylish and funky

A tiny 0.9-litre turbocharged engine produces a reasonably healthy 90bhp that will drag you to sixty in a little under 11 seconds, but it manages to return a very healthy 65.7mpg, at least officially. CO2 emissions are 99g/km, which means you won’t be paying any car tax at all and, if it’s on your company’s list, little in the way of company car tax.

A larger but oddly less powerful engine (thanks to it missing out on a turbocharger) is also available. The 1.0-litre engine option is marginally more economical, but lacks the punch needed to cope with the motorway or, for that matter, the slightest of hills.

At just 3.59m long, it’s almost exactly the same size as the Fiat 500, but manages to squeeze in a boot that’s marginally larger, despite Renault hiding the engine under the boot floor. Fold all the seats down, including the front passenger seat, and there’s enough space to bring a Billy bookcase home from IKEA.

. Fold all the seats down, including the front passenger seat, and there’s enough space to bring a Billy bookcase home from IKEA.

Don’t be misled into thinking that the stubby nose might hide a convenient extra boot though. Instead, it’s filled with suspensions bits, radiators, and the washer bottle. There are extra storage spaces under the rear seats, but the nets to keep toys and maps in place are an optional extra.

Despite its size, there’s plenty of space for four adults in the car, and it feels considerably more spacious than the second gen Toyota Aygo. For the little ones in your life, there are two ISOFIX points in the back, while a third is available as an option for the front passenger seat.

Verdict

As a reasonably practical and frugal city car, the Renault makes a strong case for itself. If you’re a city dweller, then the Twingo makes a great deal of sense. In the Dynamique 90 TCe version tested here, it’s zippy and nimble around town and out on the open road. It’s also exceptionally well equipped and, at £11,695, is competitively priced.

The Fiat 500 Lounge is around the same price, but can’t compete on practicality, while Vauxhall's Adam is an extra £2,000 or so for the entry model, although it’s quite a bit bigger. MG’s 3 could be a rival, especially as it’s significantly cheaper, but lacks the flair and panache of the Twingo.

Quality can’t match that of the Volkswagen up!, but the funky style and tempting price tag should do just enough to get past that obstacle.

Now all we need is a hot-hatch version to take advantage of the drivetrain. Hands up for a RenaultSport Twingo?

If you’re a city dweller, then the Twingo makes a great deal of sense

Twingo at a glance:

Length: 3595mm
Width: 1646mm
Height: 1554mm
Wheelbase: 2492mm
Kerb weight: 943kg
Boot space: 219 litres
0-62mph: 10.8 seconds
Top speed: 103mph
Rivals: Peugeot 108, Smart ForFour, Volkswagen Up, Toyota Aygo

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