First pictures of new electric Renault 4 as reveal date nears
Renault's utilitarian hatchback is reborn as a retro EV crossover to rival the Jeep Avenger
The reborn Renault 4 has been spotted in production form just days before the debut of its supermini sibling, the new Renault 5.
The 4 is due on the market in 2025 as an evolution of 2022's chunky, Dakar-inspired 4Ever Trophy concept and will ride on the same Ampr Small EV architecture as the lower-slung 5.
A direct rival to the Jeep Avenger and upcoming Mini Aceman, the electric crossover takes obvious visual inspiration from its 1960s namesake, which sold more than eight million units worldwide over a three-decade production run and is widely considered to be the world's first mass-produced hatchback.
As demonstrated in these first spy shots, the new 4 rides significantly higher but retains the general proportions and distinctive slanted C-pillar of the original car. Retro lighting designs at each end, and no doubt a smattering of 1960s-themed trim details inside and out, will enhance its retro appeal.
The concept's more outlandish off-road-inspired design elements – its heavily flared wings and prominent plastic skirts – have been removed for the production car, which will be rather more overtly positioned as an urban-focused compact crossover, while adopting a few rugged cues that nod to the nameplate's utilitarian origins.
The concept's designer, Sandeep Bhambra, previously told Autocar that the original 4 "was a car you could drive in the countryside, you could drive off road, you could drive in the city. So that versatility was part of the brief: we wanted to make the 4 the most versatile car in the segment, whereas the 5 is more of an urban city car."
It is expected, nonetheless, to be offered exclusively with front-wheel drive, like the 5, and to major on in-town manoeuvrability and refinement.
It is also expected to share the supermini's 52kWh battery for a range of nearly 250 miles and to be available with a 134bhp motor that should allow it to perform broadly in line with its rivals.
These early images give a first look at the 4's cabin too, which will mark an obvious visual departure from its Mégane and Scenic range-mates but still be centred around the latest generation of Renault's infotainment system.
Renault has not said when it plans to reveal the new 4, but a likely venue would be the Paris motor show in October.