Renault ZOE review: interior, dashboard & comfort
The Renault ZOE has a well-appointed interior and comes with a large array of standard equipment
The Renault ZOE pinches much of its cabin from the petrol-powered Renault Clio; that’s a rather good thing as the French brand’s supermini offers one of the plushest and most tech-focused interiors in its class, all centred around a large portrait touchscreen. As you’d hope from a £30,000 car, standard equipment is strong, too, with all versions of the Renault ZOE coming with the creature comforts we’ve all come to expect.
Renault ZOE dashboard
Some electric cars at this price point sacrifice interior quality to achieve appealing headline figures. However, Renault has managed to provide the ZOE with a high-quality cabin while also keeping its entry price relatively affordable. The chunky textile material that lines the ZOE's dashboard, doors and seats looks and feels great, and lifts the whole interior ambience.
Electric cars are all about sustainability and the ZOE’s upholstery is actually made from recycled seatbelt material. Renault has also recycled old plastic bottles to construct much of the trim you see around the cabin, which gives off more of an upmarket finish than you might think.
Digital dials are standard across the range and are a really neat touch that helps further brighten the cabin, alongside snazzy gold stitching on the seats. The display itself is easy to read in most light conditions and offers configurable graphics that, while not as flashy as Audi’s Virtual Cockpit, display plenty of relevant information such as the sat nav maps and your current range.
Equipment, options & accessories
The entry-level ZOE Techno is well equipped, with 16-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, the aforementioned 10-inch digital instrument cluster, a 9.3-inch centre touchscreen, keyless entry, cruise control, automatic climate control, wireless phone charging, heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, all-round electric windows and parking sensors, a reversing camera and a suite of safety aids including blind-spot monitoring and lane-keep assist.
A CCS connector port enabling 50kW DC rapid charging can be added to Techno cars for around £1,200; stepping up to the range-topping Iconic model costs a further £800 and includes this tech, alongside larger 17-inch alloys and gold exterior trim.
Infotainment, apps & sat nav
The Renault ZOE’s 9.3-inch EasyLink portrait centre touchscreen has a whiff of the original Tesla Model S about it; this is no bad thing, as it helps the Renault supermini to feel more hi-tech than rivals. The system, while not quite as responsive as the Google-based unit in the new Renault Megane E-Tech, is relatively easy to use and comes with plenty of useful features. All cars get built-in sat nav as well as DAB digital radio, plus Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Renault also offers a ‘MY Renault’ app, which allows you to plan routes in advance and send them to the car, as well as to set charging parameters and pre-heat or cool the car ready for when you expect to leave.
