Renault Twingo (2012 – 2014) Review

Renault Twingo (2012 – 2014) At A Glance

2/5

+Practical cabin layout, with sliding rear bench. Comfortable ride.

-Only one trim and engine option. Not the best car to drive. Interior materials showing their age.

Insurance Group 9
On average it achieves 97% of the official MPG figure

The first generation Twingo never made it to the UK, but its blend of cute styling and a practical cabin made it popular on the continent. The second generation car arrived in 2007 and offered more of the same but with sliding rear seats to maximise useful interior space. It struggled to find fans in the UK so Renault facelifted it in 2012 with the aim of giving it more appeal.

Renault has steadily reduced the number of variants on offer and when it revised the Twingo there was just one trim level and engine to choose from, although there’s more choice with used cars, including a fun 133PS Renaultsport version and a 100PS Gordini.

This updated Twingo is powered by a 75PS 1.2-litre petrol, which isn’t particularly remarkable. It has enough pep for town driving, but refinement is unimpressive and the drive itself could be better. The handling is fine with plenty of grip and agility thanks to the light weight, but the steering feels spongy and the gear change action could be better.

Thankfully the 1.2-litre engine is reasonably clean and economical, with emissions of 108g/km and an official consumption figure of 60.1mpg. Those figures make it an affordable car to run, but many rivals, such as the cheaper Hyundai i10, manage emissions of below 100g/km and are even more efficient.

Unfortunately the Twingo's practical layout isn’t enough to make it a wise buy. The single trim available offers a good level of standard equipment including air conditioning and cruise control, but it’s still too pricey to compete with more recent, cheaper small hatchbacks like the superior Volkswagen Up and Hyundai i10. Both are better to drive, better-built and are available in a wider range of trim levels.

Real MPG average for a Renault Twingo (2012 – 2014)

RealMPG

Real MPG was created following thousands of readers telling us that their cars could not match the official figures.

Real MPG gives real world data from drivers like you to show how much fuel a vehicle really uses.

Average performance

97%

Real MPG

54–60 mpg

MPGs submitted

7

Diesel or petrol? If you're unsure whether to go for a petrol or diesel (or even an electric model if it's available), then you need our Petrol or Diesel? calculator. It does the maths on petrols, diesels and electric cars to show which is best suited to you.

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Ask Honest John

Renault Twingo oil leak - can I make a warranty claim?

"I purchased a used 2013 Renault Twingo from a Ford main dealer many miles away. It was purchased over the phone and came with a three month warranty including mechanical, electrical and multimedia. The Renauilt had an oil leak, evident after a month, which I've just had fixed by a local independent Renauilt specialist. The supplying retailer now wishes me to deal directly with their warranty firm to discuss reclaiming the cost. Should I do this or should I insist on dealing with the retailer directly?."
A warranty insurer could not be held liable for an oil leak that pre-existed taking out the warranty. Normally the dealer would be liable for the first six months, but you should have referred the matter to the dealer first. See: http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/faq/consumer-rights/
Answered by Honest John

Small cars with moveable rear seats?

"Can you advise me of any small, five-door family cars that include a rear seat that is moveable while upright/erected? I have found the Nissan Note has this feature. Low insurance grouping is important, with preferably a maximum size of 1.4 litre engine. Recommendations will be greatly appreciated."
FIAT Panda, Renault Twingo, Citroen C3 Picasso.
Answered by Honest John

My new Renault Twingo has not met my pre-delivery specification - is there anything I can do?

"Earlier this year, my daughter bought a Renault Twingo which was made to her specification over ten weeks. She ordered what she believed to be the top model with the Cup chassis and Black Pack as extras. Upon delivery in September, it soon became clear that items shown in the literature were missing, in particular the Multifunction Display and the Automatic Pack. Following correspondence with Renault and, ultimately, Motorcodes, she has been told simply that specifications are subject to change and she therefore has no redress. She has asked for the items to be fitted but Renault have said it is not possible to have them fitted retrospectively. Is there anything she can do?"
This was reinforced by the courts on Johnson v HWM Motors 1997. It is actually impossible for manufacturers to guarantee to build a car precisely to the specification in a brochure because of the vagaries of components supply. If they were compelled to, then the supply of many cars would have been shut down entirely this year due to components shortages created by the tsunami in Japan and the subsequent floods in Thailand, where a lot of Japanese electronic parts production had been moved as a result of the Tsunami damage. Remember, Renault/Nissan is half Japanese. Not only that, Renault has massively contracted its UK range now and the only facelifted Twingo available is the 1.1-litre Dynamique.
Answered by Honest John
More Questions

What does a Renault Twingo (2012 – 2014) cost?