The Renault Zoe is an electric city car that has been with us since 2012. It is a fully electric car that has undergone quite a bit of development over the years.
We have currently tested its modernized version offering light optical retouches of the exterior, and the interior of the car itself has also undergone significant innovations. The main thing that the modernized Zoe comes with is the possibility of fast charging with a power of 50 kW, a more powerful electric motor and also a larger battery capacity.
Exterior
In terms of exterior design, the modernized Renault Zoe won me over quite quickly. In terms of appearance, this is an ideal car for the city, because wherever you park it, it will simply "light up". Yes, to some extent the blue color that the tested piece had is to blame for this, but also the shapes of the car itself are very pleasing and imaginative as a result.
Overall, the car is very "smooth" and only occasionally is something effectively cut into this "sucked candy". For example, fairly large holes are cut into the front bumper (evoking the air supply to the brakes), into which the fog lights are elegantly inserted.
I also like the slight transitions of the bodywork between the bumpers and fenders themselves, which are actually only visible thanks to the presence of individual joints. I must also praise the headlights, which have an elegant design and an interesting light signature. The rear lamps will also offer sequential turn signals.
Interior
The current modernization of the car had the most visible impact on its interior. The dashboard is no longer so playful in the first place, but gives a quite mature impression. The fabric upholstery that appears on the seats, the side panels of the doors or the central tunnel was also widely used on the dashboard. A pleasant and cozy solution.
The dominant feature of the dashboard is the vertically oriented 10" on-board infotainment display, which we know from other Renault cars. Its graphic environment will offer a very good resolution, and of course it is also possible to connect to the Apple Car Play or Android Auto system. Optically, the on-board infotainment display is elegantly connected to a relatively subtle central tunnel.
Within the central tunnel, I must also mention the gearbox selector. It has a quite original shape and the absence of the "P" position. The car is thus parked by engaging "N" and applying the electric parking brake. As with other electric cars, the "B" position is very simply selected in the Zoe, in which the car recovers otherwise excess energy more significantly.
The instrument cluster in front of the driver is fully digital and offers a pair of circular indicators, the displayed content of which can then be personalized as desired. The central part of the display is dedicated to information from the on-board computer, and the navigation map itself can also be displayed here.
The Zoe offers plenty of space for the crew in the front seats. However, the lack of height adjustment of the front seats freezes. Personally, I would choose a much lower position behind the wheel.
Don't expect so much space in the rear seats, as the rather bulky front seat backrests, which also have integrated headrests, contribute to the feeling of being slightly cramped.
The luggage compartment has a decent volume, namely 338 litres, which is also easily accessible and offers a double bottom.
Powertrain and driving impressions
Renault currently offers the Zoe with an electric motor with a basic output of 80 kW (108 hp), and there is also a more powerful one with 100 kW (135 hp). In both cases, the electric motor is supplied with electricity from a 52 kWh battery, thanks to which the Zoe promises a range of up to 395 km. In terms of range, it is of course the same as with other electric cars, so it depends on many factors.
We tested the stronger of the pair of electric motors, 100 kW of power and 245 Nm of torque is quite sufficient for the Zoe, the car is thus pleasantly nimble and nimble and quite nimble in urban areas. It accelerates to 100 km/h in 9.5 seconds, and its maximum speed is limited to 140 km/h.
The combination of chassis and steering is very well tuned to the environment in which Zoe feels most confident, i.e. the city. The chassis offers decent comfort accompanied by good interior sound insulation. The steering has an ideally adjusted booster, Zoe also immediately responds to steering wheel commands.
I test the Zoe in conditions where the heating is on full time, I indulge in the option of a heated steering wheel, so with the consumption in full comfort, in the month of December and mainly in urban areas, I move slightly below the limit of 19 kWh/100 km. The Zoe doesn't do very well on the highway, and the consumption here rises above 20 kWh/100 km. Higher consumption values are then an adequate reflection of the current season. However, on a longer-term average, I assume that you will be somewhere in the range of 14-17 kWh / 100 km.
Charging the car itself is very comfortable and fast thanks to the new possibility of using up to a 50 kW charging station. In this way, Zoe can recharge an almost empty battery (to 100%) in about an hour and a half. However, it is significantly worse when recharging from a standard household socket, here expect almost 34 hours. The home-made 11kW Wallbox, which can do it in about 6 hours, becomes the golden mean. An inherent advantage of Zoe, which remained even after the current modernization, is the possibility of charging with alternating current with a power of up to 22 kW.
In conclusion
The current price list informs me that the basic Zoe (LIFE equipment) with a weaker 110-horsepower electric motor and a 52 kWh battery is available at a special price from CZK 735,000 including VAT. The ZEN equipment, which is a step higher, is already offered by Zoe with both a weaker and a stronger electric motor, again within the promotional price from CZK 775,000, or from CZK 800,000 including tax.
The highest tested INTENS equipment with a more powerful 135-horsepower electric motor and a 52 kWh battery within the promotional price starts at CZK 835,000 including VAT.
Thanks to its current modernization, the Renault Zoe has matured considerably. A more powerful electric motor, a battery with a higher capacity or an additional fast charging option (+ CZK 25,000) are all advantages that make living with this electric car significantly easier and more pleasant. Slight retouches of the exterior and redesigned interior only underline the very good impression.
The modernized Renault Zoe is therefore an interesting choice in the given segment, which is also supported by a fairly reasonable purchase price.
Source: Author's text
Image source: Author's own photos
