# Renault 4 returns: everything we know inside and out

The Renault 4 is back. More than 30 years on, the French brand has chosen to bring one of its most iconic models out of the history books. In Portugal in particular, it was once a familiar sight on the roads and earned the affectionate nickname “four tins”.

In many ways, this return is a clear tribute to the original Renault 4L - yet in other respects, shaped by today’s realities, it aims to be far more than a simple throwback.

It was unveiled today at the Paris Motor Show, but we were able to get ahead of the public reveal. Here is everything, inside and out:

A restrained take on retro

Renault insists it did not simply lift the old Renault 4L recipe and reproduce it. “The inspiration from the original model is obvious, but we preferred a contemporary approach,” one of the designers responsible for the Renault 4 project told us.

And a quick look at this new Renault 4 makes it easy to understand why the brand decided to revive the formula. The model still occupies such a strong place in the collective imagination that it feels instantly familiar.

One of the biggest hurdles was aerodynamics. The rounded lines of the original Renault 4 were not particularly efficient in aerodynamic terms, so Renault’s engineering team had to work harder in other areas - especially around the rear section - to avoid undermining driving range.

Renault 4 goes fully electric

Alongside the historic Renault 4 name, the French brand has added a new badge: E-Tech. This is the designation Renault uses for all its 100% electric models. Plans for a combustion-engined version have been completely ruled out.

The approach will be to offer two power outputs and two range options. The more powerful version, with 110 kW (150 cv), will use a 52 kWh battery and is rated for 400 km of range on the WLTP cycle.

The more affordable, less powerful version, with 90 kW (122 cv), will use a 40 kWh battery that should enable a total range of around 300 km on the WLTP cycle.

The same spirit, a different position in the market

The original Renault 4L was among the first models to make car ownership accessible to the masses in Portugal. That positioning earned it the title of “the poor man’s jeep” as well as the “four tins” nickname. For many decades it was the choice of thousands of Portuguese families, and it was even produced at Renault’s now-closed Setúbal plant.

It paired simple yet tough mechanicals with space for five passengers, a useful boot, and an affordable price. It remains a model in strong demand on the used market:

In this new Renault 4 you can still find many of those attributes, but its place in the line-up has changed. Society is less rural and more urban, and according to brand representatives it “had to keep pace with that change”.

Pricing will sit above the Renault 5 - a model with which it shares almost all components - and below the Renault Megane E-Tech. There are still no confirmed prices for Portugal, but it is worth remembering that the entry-level Renault 5 will go on sale from 25 thousand euros.

That means Renault Portugal will need to position the new Renault 4 between the Renault 5’s 25 thousand euros and the Megane E-Tech’s 32 990 euros. All the details in this video:

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