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Why it’s IMPOSSIBLE to make a FUN electric car

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This is the brand new Alpine A290!

The A290 is based on among Mat's favourite electrical cars to date, the Renault 5. However, it's now been turned up to 11 with more power, more aggressive looks and even some modifications to the interior … The question is, can a hot EV hot hatch truly be enjoyable? Well before we discover that out let's take a closer look at what comprises the Alpine A290

At the front you have an aggressive grille with two rally influenced DRLs that look like Call of Responsibility struck markers. Moving to the side you have large arches as well as indentations in the rear doors to mimic the air vents you got in the initial Renault 5 Turbo, further increasing the aggressive appearances. At the back, you have a brand-new rear diffuser and a boosted rear spoiler.

Being an Alpine, naturally it has to have more power than the lesser Renault 5. We now have 220hp and 300nm of torque. That power goes to the front wheels alone and it's expected to do 0-60 in just 6.4 seconds. But can it actually do that when it weighs 1,479 kg?

Transferring to the inside, we retain the physical environment controls that were in the Renault 5 but there's new stitching throughout the cabin, a brand-new Alpine special steering wheel and the drive choose buttons have actually moved to the centre console.

Prices begin with ₤ 30,245 for the GT model the rise up to ₤ 32,745 for the GT Efficiency and lastly, for the automobile in this video (the GTS) you'll be parting with ₤ 34,245. Is it worth it though? Stick with Mat to discover!

Chapters:
00:00 Introduction
01:00 Design
02:30 Engine
03:30 0-60
04:45 Price
06:26 Interior
08:19 Brake Test
09:20 Country Road Driving
13:20 Bads
16:53 Boot
17:47 Town Driving
20:19 Verdict

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Comments

62 responses to “Why it’s IMPOSSIBLE to make a FUN electric car”

  1. @kingdomofcraziness Avatar
    @kingdomofcraziness

    That’s Alpine’s F1 car btw

    Reply
    1. @r4id3n_pt11 Avatar
      @r4id3n_pt11

      💀

      Reply
    2. @nicalev Avatar
      @nicalev

      Is that supposed to be a joke 🥱🥱

      Reply
    3. @mdo Avatar
      @mdo

      Wrong. For the F1 car they went with a detuned version of this 🙂

      Reply
    4. @MTLoveridge Avatar
      @MTLoveridge

      Still faster than the Aston F1 car

      Reply
    5. @mdo Avatar
      @mdo

      ​@MTLoveridgeagreed. AMS decided to repurpose a John Deere tractor

      Reply
  2. @carwow Avatar
    @carwow

    Change your car with Carwow: https://bit.ly/-Change-Your-Car-0502

    Reply
    1. @Lucasisa_kid Avatar
      @Lucasisa_kid

      yes

      Reply
    2. @blakRizvi Avatar
      @blakRizvi

      U shud review the haval gwm

      Reply
    3. @rajex69 Avatar
      @rajex69

      Hi Mat,
      I’ve been watching your recent content about importing the 5-door Suzuki Jimnys from Japan and the headaches with waiting times and premiums. I wanted to reach out with a tip that might save you time and significantly lower the cost per unit.

      You might already be aware, but the 5-door Jimny is not actually manufactured in Japan. It is manufactured exclusively by Maruti Suzuki in India (at the Gurugram plant) and then exported to Japan.

      Currently, your supply chain looks like this:

      India (Production) ——>Japan (Import/Markup) ———> UK (Your Import)

      Since you are already bringing them in via the IVA (Individual Vehicle Approval) route to bypass the official EU/UK emissions restrictions, you don’t necessarily need a “JDM” spec VIN to get them on the road.

      Why not import directly from India?

      Cost: The retail price of a top-spec Jimny Alpha (comparable to the high-spec global version) in India is roughly £14,000 – £15,000 (brand new, tax paid). Export prices would likely be even lower (ex-VAT/GST). This is likely significantly cheaper than what they are auctioning for in Japan.

      Availability: There is no massive waiting list in India right now; production is stable.

      Specs: Since India is the global manufacturing hub for the 5-door, the “Indian spec” is the original spec. It’s RHD (like the UK), and since you are already doing the legwork for IVA compliance (fog lights, speedometer conversion, etc.) for the Japanese cars, the process for Indian units should be similar.

      It seems inefficient to pay a premium to ship an Indian-made car all the way to Japan, only to ship it all the way back to the UK. Sourcing directly from the source (Maruti Suzuki India) could drastically improve your margins and reduce lead times.

      Love the channel and the new business venture—hope this helps you get more Jimnys to the people who want them!

      Best regards,
      case reference is 01588216
      Instagram: rjex07
      Youtube: Geosuppose

      Reply
    4. @8190930 Avatar
      @8190930

      Petition to bring Tiff as guest driver

      Reply
    5. @purwantiallan5089 Avatar
      @purwantiallan5089

      ​@blakRizvihaval GVM Compact car even is slightly better than Alpine A290.

      Reply
  3. @PhilipCollins-b3h Avatar
    @PhilipCollins-b3h

    There No point of the hot hatch in the uk anymore Matt where the whole country is covered in speed cameras and average speed check areas

    Reply
    1. @skylineXpert Avatar
      @skylineXpert

      And pot holes which only get fixed when someone paints a vulgar picture on top of the road.

      Reply
    2. @baganrbagan Avatar
      @baganrbagan

      Totally agree , been a professional driver over 30 yrs ,no fun in driving anymore , it’s a liability and health hazard now ,

      Reply
    3. @jonc-1989 Avatar
      @jonc-1989

      @skylineXpert Was literally about to say this. Driving around the Peak District where I live you cannot get up to the 50mph speed limit on most of the roads (most are 50 round here) due to pot holes everywhere

      Reply
    4. @manilove2pwn Avatar
      @manilove2pwn

      Not my area lol

      Reply
    5. @John...44... Avatar
      @John…44…

      Only in built up areas and motorways. All the fun roads dont have speed cameras on them

      Reply
  4. @mrshaikh6953 Avatar
    @mrshaikh6953

    U put kia 😂😂 i saw it 🤣🤣

    Reply
  5. @slickidrich490 Avatar
    @slickidrich490

    I would like to see it’s 0-60 in the dry

    Reply
    1. @VeveSigma Avatar
      @VeveSigma

      i managed to do 5.37 with launch

      Reply
  6. @ronhonhola Avatar
    @ronhonhola

    0:20 what about the i3 s? 15hp less but 300kg lighter! Stiffer chassis. Rwd.
    And it looks like a sleeper!

    Reply
    1. @NurburgringUP Avatar
      @NurburgringUP

      Much better

      Reply
    2. @ronhonhola Avatar
      @ronhonhola

      ​@NurburgringUPand 1/3 of the price for 3x the quality 😂

      Reply
    3. @nomoreheroes93 Avatar
      @nomoreheroes93

      ​@ronhonholahow is it 3x the quality

      Reply
    4. @Howdy606 Avatar
      @Howdy606

      Except the BMW I3 is a totally fugly anonymous looking car.

      Reply
    5. @billymays7210 Avatar
      @billymays7210

      With bicycle tires.. 😂

      Reply
  7. @bordersw1239 Avatar
    @bordersw1239

    I was going to comment that it’s a small car, it doesn’t really need room for people in the back – then I remembered that my mate drove 4 of us plus luggage, Birmingham to Edinburgh, then to the Isle of Skye in his Renault 5 – in 1984.

    Reply
    1. @affectedrl5327 Avatar
      @affectedrl5327

      yeah i think you could do that in this too right? its just not up to modern comfort standards like

      Reply
    2. @fredbrackely Avatar
      @fredbrackely

      Did a similar journey in a fiat 127, all the luggage strapped to the roof.

      Reply
    3. @jadamsnz Avatar
      @jadamsnz

      So you did that when you were 42 years younger. I bet there are a lot of this you did back then that you wouldn’t want to do now 😉

      Reply
  8. @OK247OK Avatar
    @OK247OK

    The best Alpine is the one you ski down

    Reply
    1. @user-xu5vl5th9n Avatar
      @user-xu5vl5th9n

      The A110 is impressive.

      Reply
    2. @luiwammes4193 Avatar
      @luiwammes4193

      That would be an Alp.
      If mentioning a car radio / stereo, I wouldn’t be argueing you there.

      Reply
    3. @arunps7719 Avatar
      @arunps7719

      ​@user-xu5vl5th9nit’s fucking awesome

      Reply
    4. @yeahyeahblah Avatar
      @yeahyeahblah

      @user-xu5vl5th9n Can’t wait for the A110 EV Spyder releasing in a couple of years.

      Reply
  9. @DAC83 Avatar
    @DAC83

    Shame the range is terrible…………undeniably cool though!!

    Reply
    1. @Anticitizen666 Avatar
      @Anticitizen666

      I’ve had one for 6 months now – I drive it pretty hard on country roads most of the time, and in summer was getting a realistic 150 miles. I could push it to 200 driving more sensibly. In winter it’s more like 110-120 miles though – not unusual for an EV. To get down to 75 I have no idea what he was doing, honestly.

      Reply
    2. @Piotrekx3 Avatar
      @Piotrekx3

      @Anticitizen666 Still a crap range. Would rather use my 3.0 petrol and visit petrol every 300 miles…

      Reply
    3. @Anticitizen666 Avatar
      @Anticitizen666

      @Piotrekx3 It’s ideal for me – I do maybe 30 miles a day max now, if I’m not working from home – that’s why I bought it. If I needed more range I’d probably have gone for a BMW EV. It’s my first EV – owned a lot of BMW M cars, Lotus, a couple of Porsches, Japanese Turbos etc over the years (used to modify them a lot too – my last M5 was putting down 850HP to the wheels on a dyno), and I don’t think I’ll ever go back to petrol again. My next car will likely be one of the ridiculously quick Chinese makes if they’re over here by then. Also bought my parents the Renault R5, and they love it. Costs next to nothing to charge at their home, and they only potter around locally, so the 200+ mile range is irrelevant.

      Reply
    4. @TTOOS Avatar
      @TTOOS

      🤣🤣😂😂 To think that is cool you must have to be 60!!!!

      Reply
    5. @Anticitizen666 Avatar
      @Anticitizen666

      @TTOOS What does your mummy drive you to school in?

      Reply
  10. @PIGEON-i9g Avatar
    @PIGEON-i9g

    17:58 I like to think the people living in those houses stare out the window all day waiting to see Mat driving along in a new shiny car that hasn’t been released yet and get really happy when they see him

    Reply
    1. @afctaylor12 Avatar
      @afctaylor12

      I saw one last year parked in layby outside Iceland in Leigh on sea. Last year

      Reply
    2. @mephistovonfaust Avatar
      @mephistovonfaust

      @afctaylor12 what?

      Reply
  11. @bxnxneproductions Avatar
    @bxnxneproductions

    And this is alpine’s new 2026 f1 challenger for the title

    Reply
  12. @bernardoberner4 Avatar
    @bernardoberner4

    1:24 its a nod to the 1970s Alpine A110 to be more precise

    Reply
  13. @Curiosity99-l6g Avatar
    @Curiosity99-l6g

    I’ve never heard 50:50 weight distribution, flat cornering and low centre of gravity put across as negatives 😂

    Reply
    1. @MadThornbergs Avatar
      @MadThornbergs

      That’s because he’s British and the car isn’t powered by decomposed dinosaurs. Mat has gotten OLD!

      Reply
    2. @MML66 Avatar
      @MML66

      Don’t you hear? He was talking about fun not the practicality or that it’s more stable Most cars that are fun have a short wheelbase or are hatchbacks It’s like owning a race car having a soft suspension isn’t a flaw the issue exists in any car

      Reply
    3. @hadlee89 Avatar
      @hadlee89

      You cant win with journalists. No one cares whether you lift off and the nose tucks in or doesnt…in real life

      Reply
    4. @wwanimator Avatar
      @wwanimator

      @hadlee89then why do things like hot hatches even exist? Just buy a regular boring SUV…

      Reply
    5. @MadThornbergs Avatar
      @MadThornbergs

      @hadlee89 Exactly, opinions are like arseholes. Everybody’s got one. All in all he’s positive, and the car is brilliant. That’s my understanding, from this slightly confusing review.

      Reply
  14. @Howdy606 Avatar
    @Howdy606

    You need to do the review again, on a dry day.

    Reply
  15. @blondiebxl Avatar
    @blondiebxl

    7:55 You shouldn’t drink and drive, Mat. Luckily Alpine thought of that!

    Reply
  16. @cylentone Avatar
    @cylentone

    Tomi loves his little Alpine A290

    Reply
  17. @xc43t Avatar
    @xc43t

    That cup holder is a clear deal breaker. Standard Renault 5 looks like better deal.

    Reply
  18. @carloveuk6326 Avatar
    @carloveuk6326

    that end frame the car looks amazing

    Reply
  19. @darewill3525 Avatar
    @darewill3525

    looks like a hot hatch, isn’t a hot hatch

    Reply
    1. @uwes8928 Avatar
      @uwes8928

      Yeap more like a lukewarm hatch 😅

      Reply
    2. @TheSwedishBirder Avatar
      @TheSwedishBirder

      Wait till the battery burst out in flames. It will be a very hot hatch then

      Reply
  20. @Syntax.error. Avatar
    @Syntax.error.

    The Renault 5 are really fun cars. I also like that people chose bright colours like Yellow and Green in the sea of gray and black cars.

    Reply

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