Renault Twingo Review
Published: 8th January 2008
Renault Twingo
Inside, the instrument nacelle is centrally placed on the fascia and is angled towards the driver. I say on the fascia and not in because it sits proud. Curiously, it doesn’t look like an afterthought, unlike the rev-counter that sits atop the steering column in a similar manner to that of the MINI. The digital speedometer is very easy to read at a glance and the lack of clutter behind the steering wheel adds to the airy feel of the cabin.
The New Twingo comes as a three-door hatch, only so a new seat-folding mechanism and larger doors have been included to make it easier to get in and out of the two rear seats. These seats slide individually, fore and aft, by up to 220mm for extra legroom or to increase the load area. Under normal circumstances, there is between 165- and 285-litres of load capacity available. This can be increased to 959-litres with the rear seats folded and according to Renault; the Twingo has the biggest boot in the small car class.
The seats are well contoured and supportive but there is no height-adjustment for the driver and the steering column is adjustable for rake, only. Nonetheless, it is quite easy to find a comfortable driving position. Twingo may be big on quirky charm but when it comes to creature comforts, you have to dig a bit deeper into your pockets for the add-ons.
For instance, the standard, single CD/RDS radio with two speakers can be upgraded with the £225, Sound Pack comprising, two extra speakers, two tweeters, MP3 compatibility, a separate, dashboard display and TunePoint (MP3 and iPod connection) in the glovebox. There’s also an integrated Bluetooth, hands-free telephone control system that goes with the Sound Pack costing £250, another Bluetooth system with colour display for £225 and, with a black and white display, it is £200. In all, there are six, optional Packs and a host of individual extras, including a variety of decals. However, the ‘must-have’ item is the panoramic sunroof, which available in its own, priced at £600 or as part of the Cool Pack and Cool Pack Plus.
The GT badge suggests a high-powered engine but the Twingo houses a 1.2-litre petrol unit, in two formats. The Dynamique’s engine produces 75PS and is priced at £8,375 or £8,900 with air-conditioning. On the other hand, the £9,995, GT houses a 1.2TCE 100 engine. TCE stands for Turbo Control Efficiency. The idea was to make this small engine behave like a much bigger unit, and it works. It produces 100PS at 5,500rpm and 145Nm at 3,000rpm, which propels the lightweight, GT from 0-62mph in 9.8 seconds and achieve a top speed of 117mph.
