Renault Zoe review

Bought outright, the Zoe starts at £27,595 after the government’s plug-in car grant (or £30,595 if you want the new R135 motor, which isn’t available with the base trim level). That’s about the same as the Peugeot e-208, Vauxhall Corsa-e and Honda e. Leasing, meanwhile, starts at £199 a month. If you’re a professional seeking the Zoe Van, prices start at just over £25,000 excluding VAT.

Renault used to offer a battery lease scheme. You’d buy the car then effectively lease the 52kWh battery from Renault, splitting the costs and potentially saving money in the long haul. This scheme is no longer on offer as the Zoe’s much-improved residual values – perhaps thanks to the ongoing public acceptance of EVs – means it’s easier to just sell the car the traditional way.

For the first time the Zoe supports 50kW DC charging. Well, it does if you go for Iconic trim upwards. So equipped, it’ll get you to 80 per cent charge in 1hr 10mins. It’s worth bearing in mind that competitors such as the Honda e and Vauxhall Corsa-e/Peugeot e-208 support 100kW charging, which gives an 80 per cent charge in 30 minutes. But then you have to actually find a 100kW charger...

There are three trim-levels to choose from - Play, Iconic and GT Line, plus occasional specials like the Riviera. The former is only available with the little R110 motor, but has the headline grabbing sub-£30k price. Nonetheless it still gets full LED headlights, a 7in touchscreen, cruise control and air con. Iconic adds the option to upgrade to the R135 motor, wireless phone charging and some assistance systems. Meanwhile GT Line gets the big infotainment system (you can spec it on Iconic), nicer trim, blind spot warning and 16in alloy wheels.

Your Zoe comes with a five-year/100,000-mile warranty as standard, with the battery boasting an eight-year warranty.