Renault Updates the 5 E-Tech With More Range and Smarter Tech, Keeps the Price the Same

Renault has announced a MY27 update for the 5 E-Tech in the UK, and nothing about it costs the buyer more. According to Renault’s official press release, both battery versions get more range, the car gains a new automatic driving mode and Google Gemini joins the infotainment system, while the price stays exactly where it was. It’s a meaningful update too, given that the Renault 5 was the UK’s best selling EV back in April.

More Range Without a Bigger Battery

Renault has improved the aerodynamics rather than fitting a larger battery. Changes to the lower body and door mirrors, combined with optimised battery electronics, are behind the increase in range.

That’s a modest increase over the outgoing car, which topped out at around 402 km (250 miles) WLTP on the Comfort Range version according to Renault’s UK site before this update. An earlier, broader European announcement from Renault in late August quoted slightly higher figures, up to 430 km (267 miles) for Comfort Range and 315 km (196 miles) for Urban Range. For UK buyers, though, the figures in the latest UK release are the ones that matter: 417 km (259 miles) and 317 km (197 miles) respectively.

SmartMode Picks the Driving Mode for You

The biggest change is SmartMode, which switches between Eco, Comfort and Sport automatically depending on how the car is being driven. Put your foot down to overtake and it can use Sport’s sharper throttle response, then switch back to Eco once you’re crawling through a village.

Renault has removed the dedicated Multi-Sense button from the steering wheel as part of the change, although drivers can still select a mode manually through the OpenR Link touchscreen or by voice. The car also gets a new Qi2 wireless phone charger with active cooling. Renault says it can restore up to 50% of a compatible phone’s battery in an hour. The eCall emergency system has also been updated to work over 4G and 5G networks.

Google Gemini is coming to the Renault 5 through an optional over-the-air update to the existing Google Assistant system. Unlike a voice assistant built around fixed commands, Gemini is designed to handle more natural conversations, including follow-up questions, interruptions and switching languages during a conversation.

New Colours and a Cheaper LFP Version for the Continent

Two new exterior colours, Flame Red and Shadow Grey, will join the range later in the year. Midnight Blue versions of the techno+ and iconic five+ trims also get a contrasting red roofline. The iconic five+ swaps its yellow upholstery for a mottled blue design, while new sticker packs add more personalisation options. The four-model UK lineup itself doesn’t change. The evolution keeps the 40 kWh Urban Range powertrain, while techno+, iconic five+ and roland garros+ all use the 52 kWh Comfort Range setup. Both versions are built at Renault’s ElectriCity plant in France, which recently took on 350 extra staff to keep up with EV demand.

What the UK release doesn’t mention is the cheaper Five version Renault detailed for the wider European lineup back in August. It pairs a 110 hp motor with a 36.5 kWh LFP battery for up to 305 km (190 miles) WLTP and adds 80 kW DC rapid charging, according to Rivervale.

Price and Availability

The updated Renault 5 E-Tech continues to start at £21,495 on the road in the UK, unchanged from before, and remains eligible for the full £3,750 UK Electric Car Grant. The grant is automatically applied by the dealer to qualifying EVs priced below £37,000. Orders open in the UK on 22 September 2026, while the updated car will make its public debut at the Paris Motor Show, which runs from 12 to 18 October.

I think it’s great that Renault has improved the 5 E-Tech without raising the price, and SmartMode sounds like the kind of feature you stop thinking about once you get used to it, which is probably exactly what Renault wants. The bigger question for European buyers is whether that LFP entry version will make it to more markets. A Renault 5 with a 36.5 kWh battery and 80 kW DC charging could become a very different proposition if Renault manages to keep its price below €20,000, putting it well inside the range of the more affordable EVs already sold on the continent.

Featured Image: Renault