Renault Twingo Expression 1.2 16v 3dr Car Review - March 2012

The Twingo Expression has a 1.2-litre, 4-cyinder 16v 1149cc petrol engine, whose maximum power of 75bhp proves to be great for town driving. It is a little slow for the motorway though and will need to be worked hard to keep up with traffic. Peak torque figures of 79 lb-ft prove to be too low to give a racy performance.

The 5-speed manual gearbox is efficient but is sometimes overwhelmed by the car’s acceleration rate. The throttle pedal too is light and sensitive; you will have to learn to engage it gently to avoid having the car hurled back and forth every time you step on and off of it.

Superb handling makes the Twingo Expression great fun to drive. Grip levels are high and the car has excellent body control. Steering is light, precise and has great feel. Suspension leans on the firm side though and this affects the ride quality.

The Twingo is not the quietest of city cars. The engine has a gentle drone which will not irritate you, unless you had really stressful day and cannot tolerate any kind of noise. A bit of wind and road noise can be heard through the cabin too.

Large windows and small pillar ensure good, all-round visibility.

The 3-door, 4-seat city car has distinct lines and an eye-catching, hatchback styling. The front is modern, with a wide grille and catchy, angular headlights joined to a narrower grille that bears the Renault badge. The rear features the classic hatchback slope and new-shape taillights.

The cabin is glamorous and well designed, with soft-touch fabrics, detailed finishing and dark colours used on the dashboard.

Standard equipment offering matches that of most rivals in the class and includes power steering, central locking, electric front windows, driver airbag, passenger airbags, immobiliser, MP3 connectivity and CD player.

There are numerous cost options, which thankfully, are not expensive. They include air con worth £575, alloy wheels worth £420 and metallic paint worth £455.

Renault has a good image and is a highly reliable brand. The rebranded Twingo has a better build and even though it is far from being the most powerful city car, it should not have any mechanical problems.

The car’s performance at the Euro NCAP crash test was unsatisfactory. It got only 4 stars for occupant safety and 2 for pedestrian safety. With stability control and side airbags missing and not even available as a cost option, it is easy to see why it could not get the highest rating.

Not everyone will enjoy a good driving position. The steering wheel adjusts for height only, but you can slide the seat a bit – just a bit so as not to upset the distance between the seat and the pedals.

It is unfortunate that the three-door layout restricts access to the rear when the Twingo Expression is such a roomy little car. Four adults will sit in relative comfort and enjoy plenty of head, leg and elbow room.

There is plenty of cabin storage, from the glove box to cubbies and bottle holders. At 230 litres, the boot is a decent size for this class and increases to a staggering 959 litres with the seats down.

Renault Twingo’s list price is on the same level as top rival Toyota Aygo. Renault has strong residual values and even though the Twingo faces strong opposition from top city cars, it should hold its value well.

Fuel costs are low, with the engine returning an impressive 55.4 mpg, which is okay for the class. Emissions average 119g/km to earn the car a place under road tax band C, where you will enjoy driving tax free for the first year, and thereafter paying £30 each year. It sits in insurance group 10 so premiums should be low. An 18,000 mile service interval is lengthy and further brings maintenance costs down.