Twingo vs R5: Will Renault’s City Cars Cannibalize Each Other?

The revival of the Renault Twingo as an electric car priced at 20,000 euros raises the question of coexistence with the R5 in the catalog.

Better is the enemy of good. By resurrecting the legendary Twingo, Renault may have just burdened the R5, which has been highly anticipated for many months. Because abundance of options is not easy to manage in a catalog where electric city cars with very similar features could disrupt the message.

In reality, the Twingo aims to be an entry-level offering in the electric universe of the diamond brand, with a price of 25,000 euros before ecological bonus. But due to its size and two doors, it will have a tough time competing with the new Citroën C3, which is priced similarly and already has concrete advantages.

The Twingo, the R5, and also the upcoming R4 SUV (the 4L for us), all tap into nostalgia and their charming appearance to tug at our emotions. Watching how Renault will position them in reality will be interesting. The R5 is more likely to be a direct competitor to a Mini Cooper (manufactured in China), and the Twingo to the Fiat 500. The Fiat 500 is offered at 79 euros/month. It’s easy to make money at such a price point when you are a manufacturer…

As for market depth, it’s hard to estimate. A city car priced around 20,000 euros already enters a sphere where the customer will be limited. The Dacia Spring—or its future successor—still has a card to play if it can lower its prices.

Currently, tomorrow’s electric mobility remains expensive to purchase, and it will very likely be necessary to turn to subscription offers (LOA or LLD) to move around at a reasonable cost. The Twingo has made a promise: to be compatible with the “social leasing” at 100 euros/month, as promoted by Emmanuel Macron.

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