First Drive Review
Beloved in France, the Renault Twingo that arrived in 1993 was undoubtedly one revolutionary little car. Small, but with a roomy (for its size) interior, the Twingo's big round headlights and squat stance earned it the nickname of la grenouille ("the frog"). Roughly 2.4 million copies were sold during its life span, but after 14 years on the market and a couple of mild face lifts—plus countless special editions—the original frog had finally croaked its last. The new, more refined and mature Twingo arrived in France this past summer and officially bid adieu to the wide-eyed headlights and egg-shaped body of the original.
Not Quite as Cute as the Fiat 500
Unlike its equally new big brother, the Laguna, the tiny Twingo manages a smidgen of cuteness. Its tall greenhouse, very short front and rear overhangs, and upright silhouette have a jaunty charm. Far from being as adorable as the new Fiat 500, the Twingo is at least as visually appealing as the similarly sized Toyota Aygo or Volkswagen Fox. The Twingo's 141.7-inch length (about four inches shorter than a Mini Cooper) makes it perfect for squeezing into tight parking spots and zipping through traffic.
Our Twingo was in Initiale trim, which is a bizarre mix of luxury (leather seats and a large sunroof) and austerity (hard interior plastics, so-so stereo, and no tach). Thankfully, the Twingo manages to ride like a car one or two sizes larger, and the variable-assist power steering provide surprising amounts of feedback. The car's simple strut-front suspension and torsion-beam rear axle provide a comfortable ride and soak up bumps well, in spite of the short, 93.1-inch wheelbase. However, even with a beefy, one-inch front anti-roll bar, the Twingo never gets close to what we'd call a sporty feel.
Excellent Use of Limited Space
Our 2200-pound Twingo had the most powerful engine option, the 1.1-liter TCE (Turbo Control Efficiency) four-cylinder, which makes 99 horsepower and 106 pound-feet of torque. The chunky shifts provided by the five-speed manual transmission and the easy-to-modulate clutch mean that the Twingo is a revelation in city driving—even if revving the engine past 4000 rpm means lots more noise and no perceptible increase in oomph. Renault quotes a 0-to-62-mph time of 9.8 seconds for the TCE-equipped Twingo, which is much quicker than a 70-hp Smart Fortwo. On French autoroutes and at speeds up to 80 mph, the Twingo was far less noisy than a Smart and the equal of a Fiat 500 fitted with a 100-hp, 1.4-liter four-banger. And according to the European combined cycle, the Twingo gets 40 mpg.
If the exterior lost some of its original charm, the cabin of the new Twingo remains a lesson in how to make excellent use of limited space. The leather seats are supportive, and each bucket seat—two front and two rear—rolls forward and back. Plan on hauling three passengers and no luggage? Slide the rear seats back the full 8.6 inches of travel, and your passengers have an amazing amount of legroom. Of course, carrying three friends and loads of luggage means that someone (or something) is going to be seriously squashed.
Not the Frog It Once Was
The Twingo is an incredibly easy car to wield, and like the driving controls, the cabin ergonomics are similarly simple to master; the buttons for the radio and HVAC unit are quickly committed to memory. The interior plastics do feel hard to the touch, and there are some rough edges here and there, but the light colors, combined with the optional sunroof, lend an open and airy feel to the cockpit. The large windows provide excellent sightlines, although even after endless adjustment, we always felt as if we were sitting too high in the front seats.
The new Twingo isn't perfect. Its styling is too tame, and options can quickly push the Twingo's price up to that of cars in a class above. But considering how dated the old model was, the new Twingo makes a huge break with the past and a strong case for itself in the competitive city-car segment. A decently peppy engine, a clever cabin, and an easy-to-drive demeanor make the Twingo a very appealing small car. Even if it's no longer the frog it once was.
