► Alpine’s first full EV driven in the UK
► 217bhp, less than 1.5-tonnes, 0-62mph in 6.4 seconds
► Does it drive like a proper hot-hatchback?
If there’s an electric hot hatch with the world on its shoulders, surely, it’s the Alpine A290. It takes the Renault 5 E-Tech – a car we rate so highly you’d be forgiven for thinking it was sliced bread, David Beckham, and Concorde rolled into one – and aims to turn it into a hot hatch worthy of the Alpine badge.
There’s more. Renault has a rich tapestry of excellent hot hatches stretching all the way back to the original 5 Alpine Turbo of the ’70s – called the 5 Gordini in the UK for boring legal reasons. And with iconic Williams and RenaultSport models also propping up the lineage, the A290 has big shoes to fill, exacerbated by the one-dimensional driving dynamics that often hamper electric drivetrains.
But if anyone can challenge that perception, then surely it’s Dieppe’s finest. We loved the Alpine A110, and as comeback cars go, it’s up there with the all-time greats. So what can they do with a sporty version of the Renault 5? Is the A290 a properly enjoyable small, cheap(-ish) electric hot hatch? Keep reading to find out.
At a glance
Pros: Characterful looks, real-world pace, neat handling
Cons: Powertrain is not rewarding, no cupholders
What’s new?
As mentioned, the A290 is based on the Renault 5 and it’s not hard to see the similarities in the basic shape of the car. However, Alpine’s design department has gone to town on the exterior. For starters, that squat, muscular stance has been enhanced partly because the car itself has a 60mm wider track than the 5 but also thanks to flared wheelarches and side skirts.
An air damn on the bonnet, chunky rear diffuser and eye-catching spoiler add further presence, while the French flag on the C-pillar, ‘Alpine Swoosh’ cutout on the rear three-quarter and DRLs designed to look like rally foglamps are all exceptional details. It has all the visual drama you’d expect from a good hot hatch.
19-inch wheels with a design referencing either the classic Alpine A310 or snowflakes – a nod to the Alps – house 4-pot, 320mm front brakes. There are four available body colours too – Deep Black, Nival White, Matte Tornado Grey and Alpine Vision Blue, the latter three all available with or without a contrasting black roof.
What are the specs?
The A290 is available in four trim levels – GT, GT Premium, GT Performance and range-topping GTS. GT and GT Premium get 178bhp and 210lb ft of torque, while GTS (which we’re testing) and GT Performance deliver 217bhp and 221lb ft, both through a single motor on the front axle.
All models get a 52kWh battery with a 226- or 236-mile range and 100kW DC charging capability, giving a 15-80% charge in 30 minutes. Heat-pump and bidirectional V2L (vehicle-to-load) and V2G (vehicle-to-grid) functions are standard.
As for equipment, the GT includes Iconique 19-inch wheels, heated sports seats, wireless smartphone charging and more, while GT Premium improves on this with a focus on comfort and refinement (Nappa leather upholstery and a Arkamys premium audio system all feature). Top of the range GTS, meanwhile, gets Snowflake alloy wheels, a heated steering wheel and even more upmarket Devialet audio system.
How does it drive?
The first thing that stands out about the A290’s driving experience is that, by the warped standards of EV performance cars (and EVs in general for that matter), it’s not that quick. 0-62mph takes 6.4 seconds in the 217bhp model, rising to 7.4 seconds in the lower-powered car.
Granted, it won’t be taking part in any drag race ‘giant killings’ with numbers like that, but it’s very much in the performance bracket of recent petrol hot hatches like the Fiesta ST and i20N. This means that you can keep your foot pinned for a good five seconds or so and find you still have headroom to the national speed limit.
However, without the neck-snapping speed to distract you, there’s not an awful lot going on in a straight line. You flex the accelerator pedal, there’s a very slight delay and the car surges forward to the tune of one of two switchable sound profiles – or near silence, if you prefer. There’s no modest but characterful powertrain to thrash and no sense of having to work for the speed you’ve gained. As an emotional experience, it’s lacking.
Thankfully, there’s still joy to be had in the corners. Alpine’s engineers reckon they’ve nailed the 57:43 weight distribution and as we flick the A290 into an empty, greasy roundabout off-throttle, the rear end duly obliges and arcs round in an easy-to-control burst of rotation.
That the A290 can throw these shapes in a way that a Abarth 500e – for example – feels reluctant to, is perhaps down to a very clear longitudinal transfer of weight. Accelerate hard at any speed south of 80mph and the front end lifts and the rear squats noticeably. Not ideal for getting the power down on corner exit (especially with no proper limited-slip diff – it’s torque vectoring by braking), but great for shifting weight off the rear into a corner.
We’d like a bit more heft in the steering, but there’s a nice sense of positivity across the first few degrees that breeds confidence and allows you to place the A290 with precision. With drives on both freshly ironed Spanish roads and the crumbling excuse we have for tarmac in the UK, we’re happy to report that the A290 handled imperfections and expansion joints with relative ease. It’s notably firmer than a regular Renault 5, but nowhere near as spine-disintegrating as the Mini JCW Electric.
Our time on track with the A290 was brief but fun. The near 1.5-tonne kerb weight is, of course, far more evident with extra space and speed to take advantage of and mid-corner understeer is available on tap if you’re not careful. Crucially, though, it’s chuckable, adjustable and approachable enough to allow you to drive like a hooligan and not pay a huge price if you overstep the mark.
The brake pedal is also worth a mention. Alpine’s engineers were keen to highlight the work they’ve done on the brake-by-wire system and it’s hard to fault the end product. A solid enough pedal with decent feel and consistency – not to mention stopping power – it’s an impressive effort on what can be a weak point for EVs.
Meanwhile, several hours of driving on a variety of roads suggested that a real-world range of 160 miles would be achievable on the GTS model. Indeed, the lower-powered specs may in theory deliver a few more miles, but not enough to warrant their choice on the basis of additional range.
What’s the interior like?
If you’ve seen the inside of a regular Renault 5 you’ll see all the same basic shapes and some familiar switchgear. That’s no bad as the quality interior is a highlight of the R5, and Alpine has done a belter of a job of adding an expensive ambiance to the cabin with plenty of premium materials and bespoke infotainment graphics.
The steering wheel is different too and supposedly pays homage to an F1 car. In practice there’s a dialable switch for the brake regen, and a button for the drive mode. The big red overtake paddle is rendered pointless given the same level of performance can be accessed by pushing the accelerator beyond its kickdown point. It is additive to use on a slip road though, like using the mushroom power-up in Mario Kart.
It must be said, though, that other features that could be written off as gimmicks are more successful. In addition to live vehicle data (G forces, brake temps, throttle position), Alpine Telemetrics provides coaching and challenges. The former gives tips on how to achieve things like lift-off oversteer, while the latter provides goals to achieve (0-62mph time, max G etc) and gives you a bronze, silver or gold medal depending on your score. It won’t be for everyone, but the element of fun is harmless and nicely presented.
The driving position is well-judged and – in top-spec GTS there’s Napa leather (sustainable, natch) aplenty – plus physical climate control dials (bravo, Alpine) and a responsive and easy to navigate touchscreen.
And huzzah, one of the criticisms we can level against the Renault 5, the over-reliance on column stalks has been sorted. Buttons for drive, neutral and reverse – like you’d find in an A110 – can be found in the centre console as opposed to the column shift arrangement found in an R5.
There is a trade-off however, this setup mean the A290 has no cupholders whatsoever. There’s a rather pointless key holder in the centre console but nowhere whatsoever to place a takeaway coffee.
Before you buy
We suspect Alpine has one eye on the headline entry-level price with the GT – which is a relatively reasonable £33,500. The kit they offer is perfectly acceptable, but we suspect that 180hp will feel underwhelming in a 1.5-tonne performance car. The £2,500 increase to GT Performance and its extra performance seems like a fair trade-off.
Verdict: Alpine A290
In many ways the A290 is job done for Alpine. As a performance car, it’s superior to the Abarth 500e and MINI Cooper Electric and provides a neat step up for those that the looks and feel of a Renault 5 but with added motorsport credentials. Alpine’s done well to hide the 1.5-tonne kerb weight and the performance levels are cleverly judged, stopping short of falling into the trap of unnecessary levels of easy power. The levels of adjustability (and genuine fun) in the handling also needs to be commended, as does the car’s ability to team this with excellent everyday driving manners.
However, while comparing the A290 to a small, front-wheel drive petrol performance car might seem unfair, for fans of the hot-hatchback genre it will be the obvious benchmark. And it’s here that we arrive at a dilemma. There’s clearly not the same level of enjoyment to be had from the powertrain and this is a problem that’s anything but unique to Alpine, but on a type of car that traditionally rewarded you for working its modest powertrain to 11/10ths it feels as though there’s something missing from the recipe.
Specs are for GTS model.