Summary
The Alpine A290 is a performance version of the Renault 5 E-Tech small electric hatchback. It was launched in the summer of 2024, with the first customer cars arriving in the UK in the spring of 2025.
The A290 is the second model in Alpine’s range under its rebirth, alongside the longstanding Alpine A110 sports car. Unlike the A110, however, the A290 is based on a Renault rather than being a bespoke model – in this case, the reborn Renault 5 electric hatch.
There are five trim levels: GT, GT Premium, GT Performance, GTS and Première Edition. The first two get a 180hp electric motor, while the top three levels get an upgraded 220hp motor. The battery is the same size for all models at 52kWh. This gives the 180hp models an official driving range of 236 models, while the higher-performance model officially gets 226 miles from a full charge.
Early media reviews have been positive, although actual review scores have been fairly average. While journalists have praised the A290’s performance and styling, the consensus is that the Alpine deserves a bigger performance advantage over the ordinary Renault 5 to make it worth the extra money.
As of December 2025, the Alpine A290 has a New Car Expert Rating of A, with a score of 75%. It scores top marks for its low running costs and zero tailpipe emissions, while its safety rating and media review scores to date have also been good. However, Alpine’s new car warranty coverage is only average. with other brands offering more.
- Renault 5 E-Tech (2024 onwards) – Expert Rating
- More Alpine Expert Ratings, new car reviews, news and features
Key specifications
Body style: Small hatchback
Engines: Single electric motor
Price: From £33,500
Launched: Summer 2024
Last updated: N/A
Next update due: TBA
Image gallery
Media reviews
Highlighted reviews and road tests from across the UK automotive media. Click any of the boxes to view.
Featured reviews
“The compact Alpine A290 oozes personality and is heaps of fun to drive, but the Renault 5 E-Tech isn’t much slower and has a cheaper price tag.”
Model reviewed: GTS
Score: 7.4 / 10
Read full review
The Car Expert
Matthew MacConnell
“The Alpine A290 is a small electric hot hatch that puts an emphasis on putting a smile on your face – whether that be every time you look at its baby rally car looks or in the brilliant way it drives.”
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
Read full review
Carwow
Darren Cassey
More reviews
Auto Express
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“The new Alpine A290 all-electric hot hatchback is a rounded, well priced and very funky new model that’s got desirability in spades.”
Author: Shane Wilkinson
Read review
Model reviewed: A290 GTS
Score: 8 / 10
“The Alpine A290 is a fantastic electric hot hatch, but it comes with a hefty price tag.”
Author: Alex Ingram
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Auto Trader
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 9 / 10
“With its retro, rally-inspired styling and sporty manners, the Alpine A290 is primed to compete with the likes of the Mini Cooper SE and Abarth 500e, while the upmarket cabin is a step up from the Renault 5.”
Author: Dan Trent
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Business Car
Model reviewed: GTS 220
Score: 8 / 10
“The new Alpine A290 impresses, has real ‘want’ factor, and deserves any future fleet success.”
Author: Martyn Collins
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Car
Model reviewed: A290 GTS
Score: 8 / 10
“In many ways the A290 is job done for Alpine. As a performance car, it’s superior to the Abarth 500e and Mini Cooper Electric and provides a neat step up for those that the looks and feel of a Renault 5 but with added motorsport credentials.”
Author: James Dennison, Ryan Gilmore
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Carbuyer
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“The Alpine A290 is a very desirable small car with a talented chassis. Proof the hot hatch is alive and well with zero emissions.”
Author: Charlie Harvey, Alex Ingram
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Driving Electric
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“The Alpine A290 is a desirable, all-electric hot hatch that’s hard to resist.”
Author: Paul Adam
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Electrifying.com
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 9 / 10
“The Alpine A290 is an absolute joy. Sure, a Cupra Born is more practical and is good fun, but the Alpine is another level when it comes to driver entertainment and sheer ‘want one’ factor. It really is a brilliant little package, and I suspect it’ll win over a lot of buyers who may previously not have considered an electric car, at all.”
Author: Ginny Buckley
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Evo
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“The A290 is a more characterful and enjoyable car than the VW ID.3 GTX, and its Cupra Born sister car. A closer match for character is the Abarth 500e, which generates less power and torque than the Alpine.”
Author: Yousuf Ashraf, James Taylor
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Fleetworld
“The Alpine A290 GTS is not a cheap car, but then hot hatches never were, even in their 1980s heyday. Naturally, leasing takes the sting out of this and you get a lot of kit included with the GTS trim. What you don’t get is a particularly long driving range and that is a frustration in a car that you will want to drive for the fun of it.”
Author: Al Suttie
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Green Car Guide
Model reviewed: A290 GTS
Score: 10 / 10
“The Alpine A290 is a hot hatch for the electric age. It’s huge fun to drive, with quick throttle responses and sharp steering, and effective brakes. What really sets it apart is its compact size and relatively light weight, which results in genuine agility. It also looks the part, with large alloy wheels and sporty styling details.”
Author: Paul Clarke
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Honest John
Model reviewed: Range overview
“The Renault 5’s retro-informed modern styling has been working out in the Alpine A290. It’s performance credentials look good on paper, and it’s priced competitively with key rivals. It’s significantly costlier than the R5 E-Tech, though. Will brand awareness prove a stumbling block in the UK?”
Read review
Motoring Research
Model reviewed: A290 GTS
Score: 8 / 10
“As a hot hatchback, the Alpine’s shortcomings are those you’d expect from an electric car: a lack of drama from its drivetrain, plus a rather high seating position that results from locating batteries beneath the floor. However, by keeping weight down and sprinkling on some Renault Sport fairy dust, it avoids the stodgy, one-dimensional feel of some EVs.”
Read review
Parkers
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8.2 / 10
“If you want a small, fun electric car, the Alpine A290 is worth your time. Its handling is a cut above rivals, it looks the part and the interior is a great place to sit. If you’re intending to swap your petrol hot-hatch in for the A290, we would advise managing your expectations somewhat. As performance cars go, it’s a work in progress, but one that’s certainly got enough to offer in the here and now.”
Author: James Dennison
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The Independent
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 7 / 10
“Alpine’s first all-electric hot hatchback is a sporty version of the brilliant new Renault 5 with a bit of know-how from the Alpine Formula One team thrown in for added spice.”
Author: Steve Fowler
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The Sunday Times
Model reviewed: A290 GTS
Score: 8 / 10
“Fun but needs more puff.”
Author: Will Dron
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Top Gear
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 7 / 10
“The Renault 5 spawns a hot-hatch with reasonable results. Decent enough, but not a latterday Renaultsport Clio”
Read review
Safety rating
Independent crash test and safety ratings from Euro NCAP
Overall score: 4 stars
Date tested: December 2024
Read the full Euro NCAP review
Adult protection: 80%
Child protection: 80%
Vulnerable road users: 76%
Safety assist: 68%
The Alpine A290 shares its safety rating with the Renault 5, which was assessed by Euro NCAP in December 2024 and scored a four-star safety rating. While it meets the 80% threshold for five stars in adult impact protection and child impact protection, and the 70% threshold for five stars for vulnerable road user protection (pedestrians and cyclists), it fell short of the 70% threshold for accident-avoidance technology.
However, it should be noted that Euro NCAP testing gets tougher almost every year, so a four-star score in 2024 can possibly be a better result than a five-star score from five years ago, depending on results from each test.
Eco rating
Independent economy and emissions ratings from Green NCAP
No eco rating
As of December 2025, the Alpine A290 has not been assessed by Green NCAP.
The Green NCAP programme measures exhaust pollution (which is zero for an electric car) and energy efficiency. Electric cars are much more energy-efficient than combustion cars, so the [Model] is likely to score very highly in Green NCAP testing if and when it takes place. Check back again soon.
Running cost rating
Monthly cost of ownership data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by Clear Vehicle Data
| Battery range | Average | Score | Variation | Score |
| EV models | 231 miles | C |
| Electrical efficiency | Average | Score | Variation | Score |
| EV models | 4.4 m/KWh | B |
| Insurance group | Average | Score | Variation | Score |
| All models | 28 | C |
The Alpine A290 is a relatively affordable car to own and run, according to whole-life cost numbers provided exclusively to The Car Expert by our data partner, Clear Vehicle Data. As with any electric car, this is quite dependent on where you charge your car – if you can charge at home or work with cheap electricity tariffs, it will cost peanuts in energy compared to buying petrol or diesel. If you’re relying on public charging all the time, the advantage is much less.
Electrical efficiency (the EV equivalent of fuel consumption in a petrol car) is pretty good, while insurance should also be competitive. However, as yet we don’t have official servicing cost data so we’ll update this section once that becomes available.
Reliability rating
Reliability data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by MotorEasy
No reliability rating
The Alpine A290 is a brand-new model, we don’t have enough data to generate a reliability rating.
The Car Expert’s reliability information is provided exclusively to us using workshop and extended warranty data from our partner, MotorEasy, sourced from both official dealerships and independent workshops.
As soon as MotorEasy has sufficient data on the A290, we’ll publish the results here.
Recalls
Official DVSA safety recalls that have been issued for the Alpine A290
As of December 2025, we are not aware of any DVSA vehicle safety recalls affecting the Alpine A290. However, this information is updated very regularly so this may have changed.
You can check to see if your car has any outstanding recalls by visiting the DVLA website or contacting your local Alpine dealer.
Awards
Significant UK trophies and awards that the Alpine A290 has received
2025
- The Car Expert Awards – Best Hot Hatch
- European Car of the Year (joint winner with Renault 5)
Similar cars
If you’re looking at the Alpine A290, you might also be interested in these alternatives.
Abarth 500e | Abarth 600e | Cupra Born | MG 4 XPower | Mini John Cooper Works Electric | Renault 5 E-Tech | Volkswagen ID.3 GTX
The number of electric hot hatches is gradually increasing, although not as fast as other areas of the new car market.
More information
More news, reviews and information about Alpine at The Car Expert
Buy an Alpine A290
If you’re looking to buy a new or used Alpine A290, The Car Expert’s partners can help you find the right car.
Find your next used car with Motors. Find out more
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Lease an Alpine A290
If you’re looking to lease a new Alpine A290, The Car Expert’s partners can help you find a competitive deal.
Personal contract hire deals from Leasing.com. Find out more
Personal contract hire deals from Carparison Leasing. Find out more
Personal contract hire deals from Select Car Leasing. Find out more
Subscribe to an Alpine A290
Subscriptions are becoming a very popular way for consumers to try an electric car for a few weeks or months to help decide whether it’s a suitable alternative to a petrol car. If you’re interested in a car subscription, The Car Expert’s partners can help. (PS: What’s a car subscription?)
Car subscriptions from SelfDrive.
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Car subscriptions from Cocoon.
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Car subscriptions from Just Vehicle Solutions.
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