The Renault 5 at 120 euros per month is not a good deal
This page is translated from the original post "La Renault 5 à 120 euros par mois n’est pas un bon plan" in French.
- 29/07/2025 18:07
With Social Leasing, Renault’s electric gem is offered at a great price, but there is a catch…
Announced with much fanfare as part of Social Leasing and new electric access offers, the Renault 5 E-Tech Electric, in its “Five” version assembled in Hauts-de-France, starts at just 120 euros per month. Voted Car of the Year 2025, it combines an irresistible neo-retro design with a WLTP range of 312 km. But behind this attractive offer lie several limitations that deserve attention.
The problem with this version is the lack of fast charging in direct current (DC). Unlike most recent electric cars, the Renault 5 Five only offers an 11 kW charger in alternating current (AC). Charging from 15 to 80% battery takes at least 2 hours and 37 minutes, and a full charge will require at least 4 hours! It’s safe to say that using it for long trips quickly becomes cumbersome, if not discouraging, without adequate charging infrastructure or meticulous planning.
The fault lies not with Renault but with the Social Leasing system
This technical choice places the Renault 5 Five in a very specific niche of users. Households looking for a second car, or urban or suburban dwellers whose daily trips do not exceed a few dozen kilometers. And especially users with a personal charging point, at home or at work. For them, the promised range is comfortable, and the entry price seems attractive. However, this category of drivers certainly does not fit into the “low income” box to qualify for Social Leasing!
The system is aimed at a population looking for a primary car that can meet all short and long-distance needs. City dwellers without access to a private charging point will struggle because public chargers are still too rare, often occupied, and charging costs more. As for long professional trips, they will turn into a grueling ordeal, and the lovely Renault 5 Five is likely to become more of a burden than a solution.
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In conclusion, while the offer at 120 euros per month may seem appealing on paper, it will only suit a limited audience that is well-equipped and fully aware of the model’s limitations. In other words, it does not target the low-income audience attempting the transition from conventional to electric. Those who leap at this opportunity without understanding the constraints could quickly find themselves with a car unsuitable for their daily lives.
READ ALSO: How to take advantage of Social Leasing to drive electric at a lower cost
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