Renault Twingo review

It doesn’t matter that you’re not a keen driver and will only be popping to get your hair done – you need the turbo engine. The 0.9-litre TCe adds a welcome dose of charisma to the Twingo that the flatter 1.0-litre SCe fails to do – it just makes the whole car feel more lively and enthusiastic. In this instance, bigger does not mean better.

However, don’t go expecting a mini Porsche 911 experience. Most of the time you’d be hard pushed to tell the engine was in the back, which, we’re sure, is exactly what Renault intended. But the benefits of the engine’s position (you leave the noise behind you, tight turning circle, etc) shouldn’t be underestimated and, on the whole, it drives gamely. OK, it’s lacking real Panda-esque pizzazz, but it’s got more charm than an Up (and siblings) and more life in it than the 108/C1/Aygo triplets.