"Its only hot hatch is the Alpine A290 EV, which is the spiced-up version of everybody's favorite retro-inspired city EV, the Renault 5. Having recently driven the Renault 5, I would say it's about as good as EVs get right now. It looks great inside and out, it feels grown-up, it's quick and the software that defines it is remarkably good too."
"That's where the Alpine A290 comes in, with extra power, a wider track, more aggressive suspension tuning and other sporty touches. It's still a front-motor, front-wheel-drive setup, but power is upped to 177 hp in the GT variant or 217 hp in the range-topping GTS. It's the latter that you want because its extra oomph imbues the car with a fun, wayward character that is similar to hot hatches of old, complete with plenty of torque steer."
"Its benchmark sprint time to 62 mph drops to 6.4 seconds, and with its retuned suspension, it provides a surprising amount of liftoff oversteer through the corners. It's good enough to impress veteran car journalist Steve Sutcliffe, who is known for really putting a car through its paces and wringing out everything that it has to offer through the corners."
Renault no longer sells traditional hot hatches; the Alpine A290 EV serves as the performance variant of the retro-inspired Renault 5. The A290 adds power, a wider track and sportier suspension, with the GTS offering 217 hp, stronger torque steer and a 0–62 mph time of about 6.4 seconds. The retuned suspension encourages liftoff oversteer for a playful, old-school hot-hatch feel despite front-motor, front-wheel-drive packaging. The classic Clio Williams remains lighter and more immediately engaging on twisty roads, though the A290 provides an admirable and genuinely fun modern EV hot-hatch experience.
Read at InsideEVs
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