New Renault Twingo on sale for £9495

Order books open for third-generation Twingo city car, with prices starting at less than £10,000 and first customer deliveries scheduled for September
Darren Moss
18 August 2014

The new Renault Twingo has gone on sale, with prices starting from £9495.

Revealed at the Geneva motor show earlier this year, the third-generation Twingo takes on a new rear-engined, rear-wheel drive layout, and comes with a choice of two petrol engines at launch.

The first engine is a turbocharged three-cylinder 0.9-litre Dynamique TCe 90, which develops 89bhp and 100lb ft of torque. The 0-62mph sprint is covered in 10.8 seconds and the top speed is 103mph. Fuel economy is a claimed 66mpg on the combined cycle and CO2 emissions are 99g/km.

Also available is a new naturally aspirated three-cylinder 1.0-litre SCe. It develops less power and torque than the TCe, with 69bhp and 91lb ft, while 62mph is reached in 14.5 seconds. This version of the Twingo has a top speed of 94mph.

The new Twingo is available in three trim levels, called Expression, Play and Dynamique. Expression and Play models get Renault's new R and Go docking system, which links a user's mobile phone to the car to provide navigation, infotainment serves and trip computer functions via the use of an app.

Standard equipment includes a rear spoiler, 15-inch wheels, electric power steering, electric front windows, split folding rear bench and remote central locking as well as ESC, hill start assist and emergency braking systems.

Mid-level Play models add air conditioning, a height-adjustable driver's seat and steering wheel and new black wheel accents.

The top-spec Dynamique variant gets 15-inch alloy wheels, front fog lights, cruise control, a start-stop system, leather trim for the steering wheel and gear knob, and rear door bins.

Our Verdict

Renault Twingo 2008-2013

Renault Twingo 2008-2013

The Renault Twingo is fun, versatile and only slightly flawed. It’s a great effort

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The TCe 90-powered Twingo in Dynamique specification also gets variable gear ratio steering, which Renault says makes the car "more agile and reactive at lower speeds". A Sport pack is also available and adds 16-inch alloy wheels, red and black upholstery inside and red exterior trim accents. 

Personalisation options include interior trim colours, different alloy wheels and vehicle decals, while buyers can also specify luxuries such as rear parking sensors and camera, an upgraded stereo, heated front seats, climate control and Renault's R-Link infotainment system.

Prices for the new Twingo start at £9495 for the SCe 70 in Expression trim, rising to £11,695 for the TCe 90 in Dynamique Energy specification. The SCe 70 in Play guise, expected to be one of the best-selling models in the range, costs £9995.

The Twingo shares its underpinnings with the new Smart Forfour, while a shortened version of the same platform is used in the Smart Fortwo. The Twingo is built alongside the Forfour at Renault's plant in Slovenia.

Speaking to Autocar at the Geneva motor show earlier this year, Renault design boss Laurens van den Acker said the shape of the new car was not only an homage to the 1992 original, but was also inspired by the classic Renault 5. 

At 3.59m long, the new Twingo is 100mm shorter than the current car, but has a 120mm-longer wheelbase and 220mm of extra space inside.

Boot space is set at 219 litres with the rear bench in place, rising to 980 litres with it folded down.

Rivals for the new Twingo include the Smart Forfour, the Volkswagen Up and its associated Skoda Citigo and Seat Mii siblings, as well as the city car trio of the Toyota Aygo, Peugeot 108 and Citroën C1.

Order books are open now, with first deliveries scheduled for late September.

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Will86

18 August 2014
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dipole

18 August 2014
They are not letting any of the magazines test this and that doesn't bode well for Driving Characteristics. I expect it is going to feel skittish on faster roads and they have probably engineered the suspension to keep costs down.
I want to like this car but not letting journalists behind the wheel until just before release is a very bad sign so it looks like the VAG Triplets will remain best in class w.r.t. driving dynamics.
The non-turbo engine is just a fraction too slow to be class competitive and the 90bhp engine a fraction too expensive; you could get top of the line i10 and VAG cars for considerably less.

Mini2

18 August 2014
dipole wrote:

They are not letting any of the magazines test this and that doesn't bode well for Driving Characteristics. I expect it is going to feel skittish on faster roads and they have probably engineered the suspension to keep costs down.
I want to like this car but not letting journalists behind the wheel until just before release is a very bad sign so it looks like the VAG Triplets will remain best in class w.r.t. driving dynamics.
The non-turbo engine is just a fraction too slow to be class competitive and the 90bhp engine a fraction too expensive; you could get top of the line i10 and VAG cars for considerably less.

I agree that this seems odd. However, when I went to the Geneva Motor Show in March, it was also inaccessible to the public; you could look, but you couldn't touch or get inside. Very bizarre and I think an opportunity missed. I really hope it does well and that the press like it, because this is another make-or-break-er for Renault. £9495 seems expensive though, especially given you can have base-model VAG triplets or PSA triplets for closer to the £8,000 mark.

Velvet Munchkin

18 August 2014
I want to see a pic. How big?

JH307

18 August 2014
Sadly there is no front boot. When Chris Bangle went around the Geneva Motor Show with Steve Cropley he pointed out this was an opportunity missed. There's only access to fluids etc

xxxx

18 August 2014
Wonder if all your food shopping gets cooked on the way home, especially without air-con. Could save time

Velvet Munchkin

18 August 2014
Idiots. I was just starting to like this car. The same French stupidity is shown off in the Citroën Catcus - controlling heating and ventilation via an LCD screen and, worse, sub-menus.

Twats.

marj

19 August 2014
JH307 wrote:

Sadly there is no front boot. When Chris Bangle went around the Geneva Motor Show with Steve Cropley he pointed out this was an opportunity missed. There's only access to fluids etc

The 34cm space is no good for storage other than a brief case. However, not having a boot means that the front wheels can create a really tight turning circle. On paper it does seem an opportunity missed but it is a really small front end.

Harry P

18 August 2014
Rivals for the new Twingo include………. Surprised the Fiat 500 wasn’t mentioned in the article as the two cars appear so similar? Let’s hope that Renault have sorted the suspension and drive of this vehicle as it would be good to see Renault doing well with this car, as it certainly looks the part. It would also be good if the shared underpinnings can provide Smart with a decent riding vehicle as the old Smart Fortwo was truly terrible.

Beastie_Boy

18 August 2014
...a 500 has no rear doors. This Twingo looks to be a fine and funky little car. I prefer my little city cars to be a bit more utilitarian. That's why I'd choose the base model Fiat Panda over this and all the other city cars on offer today.

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