Auto Car Reviews The 2016 Renault Zoe R90 ZE 40 Signature

Now that the new and improved Renault Zoe has been available for a bit of time, more and more reviews are popping up. Amongst which is an interesting review of the 2016 Renault Zoe R90 ZE 40 Signature that was recently posted by Auto Car.

The basic appraisal communicated in the review? To use their own words: “Much-improved range and same suite of strengths make the Zoe an EV that more people than ever before can now consider.”

After expanding on the fact that perceived range limitations are the primary barrier to wider adoption of electric vehicles, and the fact that the “low-end” Tesla Model S is really the only other long-range and possibly “affordable” offering out there (in the UK), the review noted that the new Zoe upends things somewhat.

Here’s the exact statement from Auto Car:

“Despite costing a whopping £34,345 less than the Tesla, the R90 is theoretically capable of travelling up to 250 miles on a charge — only 17 miles short of the premium US saloon. Granted, in real-world driving conditions that astonishing figure is predicted to fall to just 186 miles, but that’s still 80 miles more than the entry-level 20 kWh Zoe. …

“Like the car it replaces, the R90 turns in keenly and stays flat while resisting understeer, thanks in part to a centre of gravity that’s lower than that of the latest Clio. Granted, it’s not as sharp as its petrol-powered sibling once the road becomes tight and twisty, but that’s to be expected of a car with a kerb weight of 1480 kg… Not everything has improved with this facelift, however. Renault now offers a new top-level Signature Nav trim, which should, in theory, bring the Zoe’s interior closer to that of the luxurious i3. But in reality, the leather upholstery, Bose sound system and brash bronze colour scheme does little to lift what is effectively a dated Clio cabin. …

“On top of that, the Zoe, viewed simply as a conventional car, is still a practical 5-door hatchback with a well-equipped interior, a smooth ride and a torquey engine. If you’ve been tempted to take the plunge into EV ownership, the Zoe now makes an even stronger case for itself than it did before.”

An interesting review. Are any of our readers planning on purchasing one of the new Zoe R90 ZE 40s?