BRUSSELS: The Alpine A290 and Renault 5 E-Tech have been jointly chosen as the 2025 European Car of the Year.
This internationally recognised award crowns the first model of a new electric generation for the Alpine brand.
The votes of 60 automotive journalists from 23 countries chose the winners. This year's European Car of the Year award was announced at the 2025 Brussels motor show.
The A290 and Renault 5 E-Tech electric duo took first place with 353 points, succeeding the 2024 winner, the Renault Scenic E-Tech electric.
“The Alpine team is very proud today to win the Car of the Year award from the COTY jury, for its A290, the brand's first hot hatch," said Alpine CEO Philippe Krief on Friday.
"This award is all the more symbolic as the A290 inaugurates the 100% electric Dream Garage, a first step in the development of an Alpine-style electric sportiness."
The A290 marks a decisive step for the A-arrow brand, inaugurating in style Alpine's 100% electric Dream Garage, presented in 2021 as part of Luca de Meo's "Renaulution" plan. The A390 sports fastback and the new A110 will soon join it.
This sporty city car opens the way to a broader customer base while resurrecting the category of hot hatches, appreciated for their driving pleasure.
The first of Alpine's 100% electric era, the A290 is also the brand's first vehicle to win Car of the Year.
Developed on the AmpR Small platform shared with Renault 5 E-Tech electric, the A290 is designed to be compact, agile and offers high performance easy to harness while guaranteeing comfortable day-to-day use.
The A290 is produced in France at the Manufacture de Douai, part of ElectriCity, and its electric motor, available in 180 and 220 bhp versions, comes from the Cléon site.
In 2024, Renault reinvented R5 with an all-electric version, designed to increase the pace of electrification on the European market.
Following the launch of Megane and Scenic in the C segment, Renault is extending its E-Tech electric range to the B segment with Renault 5 and Renault 4, which will be launched later this year. These last two models play a key role in accelerating the uptake of electric vehicles and strengthening Renault's position in the new era of sustainable mobility.
The R5 E-Tech measures 3.92m in length with a 2.54m wheelbase, offering interior space comparable to the Clio V. Like the A290, it is built on the new AmpR Small platform. It maximises space with a 326-litre boot and 19 litres of additional cabin storage, enhanced by customisable 3D-printed accessories.
The vehicle features two battery options: a 52 kWh version providing up to 400km (WLTP) range and a 40 kWh version offering 300km. Powered by wound rotor synchronous motors, the car offers two power ratings—110 kW (150hp) and 90 kW (120hp)—with a maximum towing capacity of 500kg. DC charging reaches up to 100kW.
The 5 E-Tech Electric prioritizes comfort with advanced soundproofing, including a patented cocoon material and acoustic windscreen, and a heat pump for efficient climate control. Safety innovations include a reinforced battery structure, advanced crash resistance, and fire safety measures like Pyroswitch technology.
The vehicle’s efficient design extends to its lightweight powertrain and modular battery architecture, with the 52 kWh version 20kg lighter than its predecessor. At launch, the car will feature the 110 kW motor paired with the larger battery, enabling a 0-100kph sprint in under 8 seconds.
