Alpine A290 review

Just like the Renault 5 it shares its bones with, the Alpine’s interior feels fresh but not generic, and digitally controlled but not exclusively so. There are plush materials everywhere, especially in the top-spec GTS that gets the seats, dashboard, and door panels upholstered in blue and grey Nappa leather, while the soft but supportive seats – unique to the Alpine – are a triumph.

A 10.25in instrument cluster is joined in one single monolithic slab to the 10.1in central infotainment display, which works rather well. In short, from the inside, it feels like a more expensive car than it actually is. But as with the outside, the cabin is a bit overdone, all triangular graphics and unnecessarily fussy detailing.

Any space for your mates and their bags?

Some… climb in the back and a 5ft 8in passenger can happily sit behind a 5ft 8in driver, but the battery raises the floor level and means there’s little room to get your toes under the seat in front. Considering the outward size of the A290, packaging could – and should – have been better.

You don’t have to look far for the compromise. The boot is small in depth (downwards), but deep (y’know, forwards).

In such a compact cabin the nine-speaker, 615W Devialet sound system punches pretty hard. The waffle-style headliner is a carry-over from the R5, but adds some interesting texture if staring at the ceiling is your thing.

The more you poke around, the more you discover the thought that’s gone into the insides. A Tesla-style route planner that tells you the charger you need to stop at and for how long via the built-in Google Maps, is – potentially – all you’ll ever need. Or there’s Apple CarPlay and Android Auto if you want to stick with what you know.