New Alpine A290 GTS 2025 review: a fun and engaging electric hot hatch

In a straight line, a little torque steer revealed itself, too. Some will find metering out the throttle precisely in a car like this rewarding; others might just consider it a bit irritating. We were hoping for the diff to behave more like the mechanical set-up in previous RenaultSport stars like the Mégane RS Trophy R, as that uncanny slingshot effect would make the A290 even more thrilling. 

As with the 5 on which the A290 is based, the cabin is fantastic. Alpine has put its own touch on the Renault layout, with dark blue textured leather-effect on the dash, doors and seats. While another electric sporty hatch, the Abarth 500e, has an undeniable sense of occasion, it can’t match the Alpine’s quality of finish. The three gear selection buttons in a redesigned centre console mimic those of the A110 (ditching the 5’s slightly fiddly column stalk in the process), but thirsty drivers might rue the lack of a cup-holder. 

That’s only a minor gripe though, compared to the two main drawbacks that hold the A290 back from greatness. The first is the range. During our time behind the wheel, the Alpine was promising a range of around 150 miles. Yes, it was quite cold during our time behind the wheel, and yes, we were also driving a little more enthusiastically than one would on an average day, but we can understand if that figure might put off some prospective buyers. Of course, if you’re looking for an engaging second car to sit alongside a more serious petrol-powered performance machine, this might not be an issue.

Then there’s the price. The 178bhp model kicks off from £33,500, and the least expensive 217bhp option starts from £36,000. Anyone who gets what the A290 is about might think those figures will be worth it, but in the context of a small, sporty supermini, that’s a lot of cash – especially when the base Renault 5 starts from a fiver under 23 grand.