I have just three gripes with the Renault 5. First, it doesn’t have the one-pedal driving capability of the R4, but that should be added at some point. Next, I’ve found you have to be very firm with the gear selector going from drive to reverse. And because of where it is on the steering column, I still occasionally turn the wipers on when doing quick manoeuvres.
Finally, there’s the AI-powered ‘Reno’ voice assistant. I wasn’t convinced it would be all that helpful anyway, but it became genuinely annoying when the Microsoft paperclip wannabe started to randomly pipe up, even when I didn’t summon him. Needless to say, I quickly turned him off, partly because I kept feeling guilty seeing Reno’s sad expression when I told him to go away.
But frankly, I’ve loved the Renault 5 since I picked it up from the factory in France. So much that a wheel would probably have needed to fall off to spoil my opinion of it.
Renault 5 E-Tech Iconic Five: second fleetwatch
Renault’s AI ‘Reno’ can help on the move, but its unprompted interruptions are testing my patience
I’m not sure if putting AI in cars is a good idea or a gimmick, but I’m hoping my new friend ‘Reno’ will help make my mind up. Renault’s equivalent of the Microsoft paper clip is powered by ChatGPT, and can lower the windows and give driving tips. I’ve warned him against any back-seat nagging, but he’s started popping up unprompted already. Sterner words may be required to get him in line.
Renault 5 E-Tech Iconic Five: second report
We compare our beloved R5 with Alpine’s closely related A290
