Practical experience: shared sorrow is half sorrow?
Renault could not have aimed better in 1992: the Twingo hit the mark. The success lasted for a long time, because after a few facelifts, the original was only succeeded in 2007 by a very serious model. The third – and unfortunately also the last – Twingo is fortunately a bit more fun, but even more special is the technical implementation. What do owners think of it in practice? You read it here.
The new Twingo shares its basis with the Smart ForFour, both cars deviate considerably from the applicable standard. For example, the engine is in the back, they have rear-wheel drive and a double floor. Although this bottom was intended to house a battery pack from the start, such an electric Twingo did not see the light of day until 2020. Just in time, because a year later Renault pulled the plug on the petrol Twingo. If you now absolutely want to buy a new Twingo, it is by definition electric, just like its successor: the slightly larger Renault 5.
Is the Twingo spacious enough?
If we look at the length, the third-generation Twingo measures a few millimeters less than its predecessor. “In terms of space, it works fine, even if you want to sit in the back with two growing (tall) children, even if it is fitting and measuring,” says the owner of a Twingo TCe 90 Dynamique. “Then you had more space in the back in the Twingo 1,” he adds. Anyway, that Twingo also had about fifty liters less trunk space. “The Twingo is still quite spacious despite the engine in the back,” writes a Twingo SCe 70 driver, who touches on a number of practical points. “The rear seats can be folded down in parts and, more importantly, you get a level loading floor. The co-driver’s seat can also be folded forward in its entirety, so that you can extend the loading floor a bit further.”
“Then the ultimate test as a shopping car: The weekly shopping for a family of four adults,” writes another SCe 70 driver. “It works! Because the length of the luggage compartment is large, you can use a large shopping crate lengthwise. If necessary, you can move the seat back a little forward. Very nice is that you can slide the groceries in and out, you don’t have to lift them over a high threshold. Fine with heavy crates.” Are there any points of interest? “We have to be careful with frozen products, because the bottom of the luggage compartment does get a little warmer. Quickly home with the groceries so…”
The owner of a 2017 Twingo has an addition to that last point. He previously had a copy from 2014 and therefore has comparison material. “One improvement is the insulating mat on the rear engine lid. This insulates better, so the heat in the trunk is much less.”
Seating comfort and position Twingo
We see it more often in this section, the very personal experience of seating comfort. “What I don’t like are the seats, they look nice, but because the headrest is included in the seat, it cannot be adjusted, which is annoying for shorter people,” writes a driver who also experiences that the headrest and rear-view mirror cause blind spots. Another critical note: “The floor is quite high, so you have the feeling that your knees are too high.”
This driver proves that things can be done differently: “The seats are comfortable and firm. I also wonder if the Twingo is now a Smart with a Renault sauce. I’m not used to such a sturdy seat in a French car.”
Road behavior Renault Twingo
Rear engine and rear-wheel drive: if you want to get close to a Porsche 911 for a modest budget, you have to go to the Renault Twingo. At least that’s what you might think when you look at the layout. The practice turns out to be more unruly, with very pronounced pluses and minuses. To start with the positive: “It is fun to drive. The beautiful leather steering wheel goes nice and firm and gives a good, sometimes light feeling when steering. The small turning radius is great! Nice to be able to turn in your street without having to cross and easy to park,” emphasizes the driver who described the Twingo as a good shopping car. And indeed, with 8.7 meters, the turning circle is very small. It is not for nothing that several owners highlight this positively.
The design also has a downside, as this driver of a 2015 Twingo describes. “I liked driving it up to 110 km/h, but not anymore. The noise level then increases considerably and it becomes very searchy due to the location of the engine. In the same category: straight-line stability in wind. Two hands on the wheel are really necessary. Due to the combination of little weight at the front and fairly narrow and high, it is extremely sensitive to wind.”
This wind sensitivity is a common complaint. “The wind sensitivity continues to amaze me. You get used to it, but you still have to hold on to your handlebars in windy conditions,” writes a less satisfied owner in this area. Renault was apparently aware of this phenomenon and built in a crosswind assistant as a precaution. “When the car threatens to become unstable due to wind pressure, it intervenes by braking according to the ABS principle,” this driver explains. “So short braking interventions, as everyone knows with braking on ice with ABS.”
There is also a bright spot, according to the owner who traded in his 2014 model for a 2017 Twingo Parisienne. “The Parisienne is still sensitive to wind, but what is striking is that the crosswind assistant does not intervene as panicky as with the 2014 Twingo.” The electric Twingo also seems to have considerably improved handling. “Because the battery is located under the front seats, the car is better balanced, heavier in the nose and therefore less sensitive to wind. And the car weighs 200 kg more than the petrol models, so that also contributes to the stable feeling, also on the highway,” writes the owner of a frivolously executed Renault Twingo Electric Vibes.
And the engines?
Those who do not choose an electric Twingo get a three-cylinder with 70 (SCe 70) or 90 hp (TCe 90) power, where in the latter case a turbo provides the extra push. “The 70-hp engine is fine, but don’t expect spectacular performance. Particularly on the highway, the Parisienne is quite slow to accelerate,” said the previously quoted driver who is now working on his second Twingo. “There is not much traction at the bottom, then it goes up to about 80 km/h nice and fast,” writes another SCe 70 driver. “After that the energy is gone.”
For those who are curious about the fuel consumption of the Renault Twingo in practice: we already examined this in an earlier article.
Looking for a Renault Twingo as an occasion? Then watch this purchase advice video.
How reliable is the Twingo?
So far, the idiosyncratic Twingo has not convinced everyone, but when it comes to reliability, the car turns out to be considerably less idiosyncratic. Owners report no structural problems, although occasionally something breaks. For example, one owner reports a creaking tailgate, someone has problems with the Bluetooth connection and a starter motor died very early. Annoying for a TCe 90 driver with EDC automatic transmission: “It thumps when upshifting to some gears, the degree of thump depends on the power you ask for. The dealer cannot find the cause.”
In most cases, these are relatively minor problems. Bottom line, the third-generation Twingo seems like a reliable companion, but its character doesn’t suit everyone. The space available, the easy loading and the short turning circle turn out to be positive highlights, on the other hand there are modest engine performances (SCe 70) and unstable handling in crosswinds. Although the crosswind assistant would intervene more subtly in later years of construction, the electric Twingo is probably the best driving variant.
– Thanks for information from Autoweek.nl