We were already pretty excited about the new Renault 5, and then the French company’s performance spin-off, Alpine, announced it would be making a go-faster version. It’s called the A290, and it slots in at the foot of Alpine’s range, single-handedly doubling the number of cars it makes in one fell swoop, while also providing competition to the likes of the MINI Cooper SE and the Abarth 500e.
With retro rally styling and boisterous hot hatch proportions, the A290 is set to make an already very capable small EV even more exciting. Yes, it will command a premium (if and when it ever comes to Ireland), but Alpine has promised more agility and more sporting intent, as well as more power from the high-performance model.
So we headed off to France to test the A290 on the road and on track in this, our first drive of the model, with the aim of finding out whether Alpine has made good on its promises, and whether it can knock the MINI from its perch at the top of small, but already fiercely competitive compact electric hot hatch market.
What does the new Alpine A290 look like?
In short, it’s very cool indeed. The basic shape is taken from the Renault 5, but Alpine has modified it significantly with a wider stance, more aggressive bumpers and wide side skirts that make getting in and out a little more difficult. But who cares when the additions look that good? And that’s before we’ve got to the little ducktail spoiler on the boot, the ‘alpine’ snowflakes on the front bumper and the front-mounted lights designed to look like rally car spotlights. In fact, the X graphic in the lights is designed to look like the tape that was once used on rally car lights to reduce the chances of them shattering.
But for all the retro stuff, the A290 somehow still manages to look modern, particularly if you get a Premiere Edition model with one of four cool liveries. But even in a more conventional form, the A290 has this brutish, bulldog attitude that we find really endearing. It’s ridiculous in a way, but we still really like it.
A look inside the Alpine A290
As well as being a sporty version of the Renault 5, the A290 is also intended to feel more upmarket than the Renault. So, as well as fitting sporty seats, Alpine has also given the A290’s dashboard a stylish, premium makeover with some more upmarket materials and specific badging. It all feels reasonably posh, but there is some evidence of either weight- or cost-saving on show, so it never feels any more premium than a MINI Cooper SE.
It isn’t as funky as the MINI, either, preferring a more classic design, albeit interspersed with sportiness and modern technology. There’s a cool two-screen layout, although we can’t quite work out why they don’t seem to match in terms of footprint, and Alpine has gone nice and retro with the seat shape, which is blocky and looks like it came from the 1970s, yet still supportive and cool.
Alpine has also gone mad with the steering wheel, fitting a host of buttons in slightly odd places to make it feel a little more like the wheel in an Alpine Formula 1 car. That means there’s a blue rotary switch for adjusting the regenerative braking (a better idea than you might think), and a red overtake button for, erm, overtaking. And that’s in addition to the Alpine drive selector buttons on the centre console.
But for all the tweaks, the cabin is still the same size of that of the Renault 5, so rear space isn’t especially generous - you can fit adults in, but they won’t be amazingly comfortable - but the boot is much more impressive. At 326 litres (300 if you choose the range-topping GTS with its posh sound system), you get much more space than you’d find in a MINI Cooper SE or an Abarth 500e.
The Alpine A290’s on-board technology
In spite of the focus on styling, technology is still at the front and centre of the A290, and the screens are essentially inherited from the Renault 5. That means you get a nice clear digital instrument display (that’s configurable and shows you a neat ‘warp-speed’ graphic when you use full power) and a large central touchscreen.
The former screen is competent, but not all that spectacular, while the latter is a bit more interesting. It uses a Google operating system derived from Android smartphone technology to make it sharper, more responsive and more intuitive, and it works. It’s one of the best in-car touchscreens we’ve come across.
That’s partly because it doesn’t have too much to do. Alpine has kept the physical switchgear below the screen for climate control and various other features, so there isn’t too much crammed into one display, and the apps that are in there are largely useful. We particularly like the Google Maps system that tells you when and where to charge and tells you how much battery you’ll have when you get where you’re going. It’s better than using the Google Maps system in your phone.
But some of the features are still a bit superfluous. The telemetry system that shows off driving data is a bit of a gimmick, but the ‘challenges’ are even worse. Designed for track use, they allow you to pass different challenges, such as standing starts or top-speed runs, and collect virtual kudos for your achievements. To us, it’s a silly idea that’s only likely to make people drive badly on the road.
How fast is the Alpine A290?
How well the A290 performs will largely depend on which version you choose. The base ‘GT’ car comes with a 177hp electric motor that drives the front wheels, while the GTS model we tested comes with a 218hp motor. But both get the same 52kWh battery slung under the floor, and both offer similar range, despite the power difference.
Naturally, the 177hp option is the more efficient, offering 380km to a charge on the official WLTP efficiency test, but the 218hp motor only cuts 16km from that figure, despite offering about 40hp more. In the real world, both cars will probably do something in the order of 300km or so to a charge, as long as you don’t enjoy the performance too much.
And that might be an issue for some, because there’s some good fun to be had from the A290’s motor. Opt for the GT, and you’ll be able to get from 0-100km/h in about seven-and-a-half seconds, while the GTS is around a second faster. And both cars have the overtake button on the steering wheel that gives you maximum torque at anything other than a nominal accelerator input. It doesn’t make the car any faster per se, it just gives it a little more punch than is normally mapped into the electric motor’s delivery.
That delivery is also controlled by driving modes, which can sharpen or blunt the responsiveness depending on your needs, but solid performance is still available in the most efficient setting - you just have to wait a moment for it to arrive. Perhaps more remarkable is the Sport mode, which comes with a clever sound system derived from motor noise but wholly unrecognisable. Alpine seems quite proud of it, especially as it will hesitate when there’s wheel slip detected, but it doesn’t add much to proceedings, and we preferred it in its off setting.
Driving the Alpine A290
Aside from the noise and the power delivery, the driving modes don’t have too great an effect on the way the A290 drives, but that’s no problem because it’s quite an enjoyable car anyway.
Perhaps the most remarkable thing about it is the comfort, which is often seen as a problem for hot hatchbacks, and especially electric ones. You wouldn’t want to go far in an Abarth 500e, for example, even if you could. Anyway, the A290 isn’t like that, with a ride that doesn’t exactly put you in mind of magic carpets but does absorb the bumps better than you might imagine. It isn’t quite smooth, but it’s mature and composed, and it never feels unduly harsh.
However, it seems comfort wasn’t really the focus for Alpine’s engineers when they overhauled all the car’s suspension, leaving only the Renault 5’s rear axles in situ. The A290 has a completely bespoke suspension set-up, designed to add to the Renault’s agility. And it does so with sharp steering and lots of grip from its bespoke tyres, as well as a relatively low kerb weight of just under 1.5 tonnes (assuming you don’t get in). That makes it nimble and lively, although the steering is a bit lacking in feel, and there is a fair bit of body roll, even if it is relatively well controlled.
Overall, then, the A290 is genuine fun to drive, but it isn’t a track car. Yes, it has all the track challenges and using its full potential is enjoyable, but it rinses the battery at that speed, and you get the impression it’s more at home being driven on a good road. That said, the track is a good test of the A290’s brakes, which use conventional discs with callipers from the Alpine A110 coupe to provide ample stopping power and more feel than you might normally get from an electric hatchback. They feel very natural, despite using regenerative braking to harvest energy.
The final aspect of note is the refinement, which is to be commended. There’s little wind and road noise, even at higher speeds, and the motor obviously goes about its business very quietly. As long as you switch the synthetic sound off, that is.
How safe is the Alpine A290?
The short answer is we don’t really know. Neither the A290 nor the Renault 5 have yet been assessed by Euro NCAP, so there’s no word on how safe they’ll prove. That said, Renault has a good reputation for safety, having achieved plenty of top five-star ratings in the independent tests over the past 20 years or so.
In the case of the A290, safety equipment is in plentiful supply, with a fleet of 26 systems to help drivers keep away from trouble. Emergency lane correction, autonomous emergency braking and ‘safe occupant exit’ technology (which tells you if there’s something coming when you’re opening the door) are all included.
However, Renault is aware that some safety systems perform better than others in various different conditions, so the ‘My Safety Switch’ button on the dashboard essentially allows drivers to load their own favourite settings, then access them through the switch every time they turn the car on.
How many child seats can you fit in an Alpine A290?
The A290 comes with three ISOFIX child seat mounting points, with one on each of the outermost rear seats and one in the front passenger seat. Space in the cabin isn’t enormous, which might make fitting bulky child seats a challenge - especially with those side skirts getting in the way - but there are options, depending on whether you would rather fit a seat in the front or the back. That flexibility isn’t always forthcoming from small cars.
How much does the Alpine A290 cost in Ireland?
With no formal presence in Ireland, Alpine hasn’t yet announced any pricing for this market, but we’re optimistic it will go on sale here at some stage in 2025. We do know the A290 will be more expensive than the Renault 5 in other markets, and we’ve no reason to expect things will be any different when it comes here.
There are four different trim levels available elsewhere, with the basic GT version still getting plenty of kit. Heated sports seats, adaptive cruise control and 19-inch alloy wheels are all standard, along with the two screens in the dashboard. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are included, too, and you get a reversing camera and parking sensors.
Moving up to GT Premium adds some comfort-orientated features such as leather upholstery and a heated steering wheel, while the GT Performance gets the 218hp motor and Michelin Pilot Sport 5 tyres, as well as red brake callipers.
But the GTS tested here crowns the range, combining the specifications of the GT Premium and GT Performance, but taking the latter’s motor. Or it would crown the range (and it eventually will) were it not for the GTS Premiere Edition, which offers some cool liveries and is limited to just 1,955 examples worldwide.
The reasons you’d buy an Alpine A290
Although the A290 doesn’t feel quite as complete a hot hatch as it could have been, Alpine has struck a nice balance that sees it work brilliantly on the road, no matter whether you’re driving hard or not. Combine the all-round capability with a cool image and a relatively practical cabin, and you’ve got a very appealing electric hatchback that’s destined to be niche, but still has its place in the market.
Ask us anything about the Alpine A290
Should you want to know any more about the A290, the Renault 5, or any other car currently on sale in Ireland, why not head to our Ask Us Anything page. From there, you can post your questions, and our experts will get to work finding you the answers you need. We’ll help you make your next car-buying decision, and best of all, it’s completely free.
