Renault 5 vs Citroen e-C3: which cheap electric car is the best?

You’re spoiled for choice when it comes to small, cheap electric cars these days. There’s the quirky Leapmotor T03, the cool-customer Hyundai Inster, the tech-filled BYD Dolphin Surf – but two of the best are the Citroen e-C3 and the Renault 5. They’re also both available with £1,500 off thanks to the government’s electric car grant.

The Renault 5 is the best car the French brand has released in years. It’s super-stylish with its retro looks, it’s great to drive, and it’s also a bargain, available from just over £21,000 through Carwow.

However, the Citroen e-C3 is a strong alternative. It’s much more practical thanks to its tall body, and it represents a saving of almost £3,000 over the already cheap Renault 5. So should you save a bit of cash and opt for the practical, comfortable C3, or go for the retro-styled goodness of the Renault 5?

Remember, you can buy a brand new or used car right here on Carwow. And you can sell your car, too. We’re here to help you through every step of your car-changing journey.

Renault 5 vs Citroen e-C3: prices and deals

There’s a few thousand pounds separating the Renault 5 from the Citroen e-C3. If you’re buying from Renault, an entry-level 5 will cost you from £22,995. That nets you a model in Evolution trim, with the smaller 40kWh battery and 120hp electric motor.

This model gets 18-inch alloy wheels, a 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system, LED headlights, wireless smartphone connectivity and cruise control, so it’s not exactly Spartan. But you can step up to Techno trim to bring customisable driving modes and interior ambient lighting, or Iconic Five for heated seats and diamond-cut alloys.

You can upgrade to the bigger battery and 150hp motor for £26,995, which comes in Techno trim as standard – but this can also be had as the stylish Roland Garros range-topper.

By buying through Carwow, though, you can save a packet – the Renault 5 starts from just £21,051 at the time of writing, and across all versions you’ll save an average of more than £2,000.

The Citroen e-C3 has a simpler model line-up – there are just two trim levels, named Plus and Max, and both get the same battery and motor. Plus models come with 17-inch alloy wheels, LED lights, a two-tone paint job, 10.25-inch touchscreen with wireless smartphone connectivity, and manual air conditioning. They cost from £20,595.

Or, for £23,040, the Max model gets electric rear windows, fog lights, heated seats, a wireless phone charger, climate control and a reversing camera.

Buy your Citroen e-C3 through Carwow and you’ll save a whopping average of £4,065 off the manufacturer list price – bringing the starting price down to just £18,192 at the time of writing.

Renault 5 vs Citroen e-C3: interior and practicality

The Renault 5 is a bit of a mixed bag when it comes to practicality. Its boot is a generous 326 litres in capacity, and it’s a nice square shape, too. There’s also a useful underfloor storage compartment for charging cables.

However, the 5’s rear seats are really tight. The front seatbacks are quite thick, and there’s not much legroom – a six-footer won’t be comfortable for anything but the shortest of journeys, and you might struggle to squeeze a bulky car seat in.

The e-C3’s back seats are better, as the car’s tall body means a more upright seating position. A six-foot adult can just about sit behind a driver of a similar size. The 310-litre boot is a little smaller than the Renault 5’s, and does without any underfloor cable storage – but in outright capacity terms, there isn’t too much in it.

When it comes to interior quality and ambiance, there’s no competition. The e-C3’s interior feels great for a small car thanks to the clever use of fabric trim masking some of the cheaper plastics – its touchscreen is simple to use and has wireless smartphone connectivity as standard, and there are a few neat touches.

However, the Renault 5’s dashboard blows it away. It feels high-quality and the stacked design is an interesting callback to older Renault models. The seats are fantastic, too – they’re really supportive and you can get them in fun colours that brighten up the interior.

The real highlight is the technology. The Renault 5’s infotainment system runs Google software, just like an Android smartphone. That means you get native access to Google apps like Maps and the Google Assistant for voice commands. It’s nice and responsive and infinitely customisable. If we’re being critical, the 5’s cupholders are a bit tucked away and awkward to use – but that’s a small niggle.

Renault 5 vs Citroen e-C3: electric motors, range and driving

The Renault 5 comes with two electric motor options but for the purposes of this comparison you’ll be looking at the entry-level unit. This gets 120hp and a claimed range on a full charge of 192 miles. In terms of power, it’s plenty – the 5 feels nippy around town even if you may need to plan your overtakes or sliproads a bit more than you would in something more powerful.

It’s really efficient around town, returning close to or over the claimed range – but the figure tumbles on the motorway, leaving you a range of about 140 miles.

The e-C3 has a 113hp electric motor and a maximum claimed range of 201 miles, so there’s not too much separating the two cars. It has similar performance and, like the Renault, the range drops off significantly when you’re on the motorway.

The Renault 5 does get a heat pump, though, which isn’t available on the e-C3. This should mean better efficiency in the winter when you’re using the heating.

To drive, both cars have their plus points – it depends on what you prioritise. The Citroen e-C3 is comfier, thanks to its soft suspension. It irons out bumps around town and on the motorway, but on the flip side it leans quite a lot through fast bends. The light steering is a doddle around town but doesn’t inspire much confidence when you get out onto a country road.

The Renault 5 lives up to its sporty heritage – it feels eager in the corners, and it’s a real pleasure to drive down a twisting country road. It’s a bit firmer over bumps in town and on the motorway, though.

Renault 5 vs Citroen e-C3 verdict: which should you buy?

It depends what you want from your small electric car. The Citroen e-C3 is a bargain – the entry-level model undercuts many petrol-powered small cars in price, and for that you get great practicality, a simple interior and a comfortable drive.

For a few thousand pounds more, though, we’d find it very difficult to ignore the Renault 5. It’s better to drive out on a country road, and feels more substantial inside. The tight back seats aren’t great, but the boot is large enough, and it’s so cool that we can forgive a few practicality demerits.

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