{"id":35889,"date":"2026-06-15T19:24:11","date_gmt":"2026-06-15T19:24:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/france\/35889\/"},"modified":"2026-06-15T19:24:11","modified_gmt":"2026-06-15T19:24:11","slug":"first-drive-the-renault-4-plein-sud-brings-sunshine-into-driving-the-irish-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/france\/35889\/","title":{"rendered":"First Drive: The Renault 4 Plein Sud brings sunshine into driving \u2013 The Irish News"},"content":{"rendered":"

What is it?\"It’sIt\u2019s surprisingly refined with the roof down (Thomas Antoine) <\/p>\n

Ever since the 4 E-Tech was revealed to the world, Renault has been teasing us with thoughts of a more\u2026 alfresco version. After a whole year of waiting, it\u2019s finally arrived: meet the Renault 4 Plein Sud.<\/p>\n

Think of it as a convertible version of the 4 and you won\u2019t go far wrong \u2013 though if we\u2019re being pedantic, it\u2019s really more of a big fabric sunroof. The name, by the way, roughly translates as \u2018due south\u2019: a hint that this is a car predominantly aimed at warmer climates.<\/p>\n

Well, warmer climates, and Britain. We buy more convertibles per capita than any other nation, so Renault is hoping the Plein Sud will attract plenty of sales on our shores too.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s new?\"TheThe roof can be raised or lowered at speeds of up to 55mph (Thomas ANTOINE\/Cetadi Prod) <\/p>\n

In short, the roof. Renault\u2019s engineers have taken a tin opener to the 4\u2019s top half, replacing metalwork with a full-length piece of canvas. It opens electrically, folding back to sit just above the rear passengers\u2019 heads.<\/p>\n

\"Northern<\/a>\"Review:<\/a><\/p>\n

Unlike a regular convertible, though, there\u2019s almost infinite adjustment: open the roof a little, or a lot, the choice is yours. It\u2019ll open or close at speeds of up to 55mph too, which is more than most drop-tops can manage.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s all a bit of a throwback, not only to the original 4, but the Twingo of the 1990s. It\u2019s all got a bit sophisticated since then though. Rather than a simple piece of fabric, Renault says the Plein Sud\u2019s roof has been built with a clever \u2018multi-layer\u2019 construction in a bid to cut down on road and wind noise.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s under the bonnet?\"TheThe interior is largely unchanged over the standard Renault 4 (Thomas ANTOINE\/Cetadi Prod) <\/p>\n

The Plein Sud, unsurprisingly, gets the same electric motor you\u2019ll find in the regular Renault 4. That means a grand total of 148bhp, 245Nm of torque, and a 0-60 time of around 8 seconds \u2013 not exactly sluggish.<\/p>\n

Its 52kWh battery pack is also carried over unchanged, though the addition of a not-so-slippery fabric roof means a slightly lower range figure: in Techno+ trim, 242 miles compared to 245 of the regular car.<\/p>\n

Naturally, actually opening the fabric roof does add some considerable wind resistance. How that affects the range rather depends on the speed you\u2019re travelling at, but Renault reckons that for around 30mph or below, the difference is negligible.<\/p>\n

Charging speeds remain unchanged, meaning the Plein Sud is capable of a distinctly average 100kW on a DC rapid charger, or (slightly more impressive) 11kW from an AC slow charger.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s it like to drive?\"TheThe folding roof means that there\u2019s a small drop in range (Thomas ANTOINE\/Cetadi Prod) <\/p>\n

Believe it or not, the Plein Sud drives\u2026 like a Renault 4, which is to say very pleasantly indeed. It\u2019s definitely focussed on comfort rather than performance, and is all the better for it in some ways.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a little more softly sprung than the 5, for example, so while you do lose a bit of edge in the way it corners, the 4 more than makes up for it when introduced to a rough and gnarly surface.<\/p>\n

Credit to Renault, there\u2019s very little between this and the regular 4 in the way they drive: no noticeable loss of rigidity, and only around 19kg more weight for the Plein Sud.<\/p>\n

Perhaps most impressive is how quiet it remains with the roof closed. Even at higher speeds, the Plein Sud feels very well insulated from wind and road noise \u2013 in fact, it\u2019s easy to forget that there\u2019s just a few layers of fabric between you and the sky.<\/p>\n

Peel back the roof and, of course, things get a bit louder \u2013 but again, it\u2019s far from unbearable. There\u2019s no horrible buffeting noise or sensation, even at higher speeds, and remarkably there\u2019s not even that much wind intrusion for front passengers.<\/p>\n

But put all that aside: the main thing about the Plein Sud is just how much more joyful \u2013 and daft \u2013 it is to drive around in. If you want a car that puts you in mind of a sun-kissed holiday on a Greek island, this is probably it.<\/p>\n

How does it look?\"Renault(Thomas ANTOINE\/Cetadi Prod) <\/p>\n

Renault hasn\u2019t changed much externally over the normal 4 \u2013 at least not at first glance. The only changes are pretty much down to the roof, with the Plein Sud doing away with the roof bars you\u2019d ordinarily find on Techno+ and Iconic+ trim levels.<\/p>\n

The fabric roof itself isn\u2019t even that noticeable: it only comes in black, which is the same roof colour you\u2019d find on most 4s in the first place.<\/p>\n

Fold that roof all the way back and you\u2019ll find that, while it\u2019s not exactly the neatest-looking solution, aesthetically it does suit the car. And so it should: the original 4 had a very similar arrangement.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s it like inside?\"TheThe interior is largely unchanged over the standard Renault 4 (Thomas ANTOINE\/Cetadi Prod) <\/p>\n

The regular 4 has one of the best interiors of any small electric car, so the Plein Sud is already off to a great start. Materials are pleasant and thoughtfully chosen, and while it\u2019s a bit less whimsical than the smaller 5, there\u2019s still some fun accent colours here and there.<\/p>\n

The dash is sensibly laid out, with plenty of physical switches for climate control, volume and so on. The 4\u2019s steering wheel is shared with other Renaults, and gets the same big-button layout that\u2019s incredibly easy to get to grips with.<\/p>\n

Where the 4 excels is in roominess: it\u2019s a much more space-efficient design than the 5, despite sharing its basic underpinnings. The boot is a very reasonable 420 litres, and rear leg room is quite impressive too. In the Plein Sud, headroom in the back has taken a slight hit though, so taller passengers will find themselves brushing the roof lining.<\/p>\n

Despite its new roof arrangement, visibility remains very good. Open or closed, there\u2019s no real difference when you glance in the rear view mirror, and the 4\u2019s squared-off shape means it\u2019s easy to see out of all around.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s the spec like?\"TheThe huge roof brings an open-air experience (Thomas ANTOINE\/Cetadi Prod) <\/p>\n

The Plein Sud skips the entry-level \u2018Evolution+\u2019 trim level, leaving you with either \u2018Techno+\u2019 or \u2018Iconic+\u2019 \u2013 both of which are very well equipped.<\/p>\n

\u2018Techno+\u2019 gets pretty much everything you could need: climate control, wireless phone charger, adaptive cruise control, 10.1-inch infotainment screen, with CarPlay, and that all-important heat pump to help conserve your range in winter.<\/p>\n

\u2018Iconic+\u2019 adds pretty much anything else you could imagine: heated front seats and steering wheel, an electric hands-free boot lid, and a 9-speaker Harmon Kardon stereo upgrade. There are also a few more driver aids, including a more advanced adaptive cruise system that centres you within your lane, blind spot warnings and rear cross traffic alert.<\/p>\n

Whichever you go for, you\u2019ll get Renault\u2019s fantastic Google-based infotainment system, complete with Google Maps and various other apps built in. It\u2019s so good that it\u2019s worth using over CarPlay or Android Auto \u2013 offering most of the same features, but with a much more usable interface.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re choosing between a Plein Sud and a regular 4 though, here\u2019s the sting in the tail: it carries a \u00a31,500 premium. On a monthly payment, that may not end up being much different \u2013 but it\u2019s worth bearing in mind.<\/p>\n

Verdict<\/p>\n

Renault has made a proper joy machine with the 4 Plein Sud, and remarkably, one that\u2019s almost completely free of compromises. It\u2019s still a roomy, practical and comfortable small electric crossover \u2013 just one with an added party trick for those sunny (or even not so sunny) days.<\/p>\n

Alright, so it\u2019s not strictly a proper convertible \u2013 but who cares? Having a full-length fabric roof gives you all the open-top thrills with none of the downsides.<\/p>\n

The Renault 4 is already an immensely likeable car, but with the Plein Sud, things have only got better.<\/p>\n

Model as tested: Renault 4 Plein Sud Techno+Price as tested: \u00a327,445 (after \u00a33,750 government grant)Engine: Single electric motorPower: 148bhpTorque: 245NmMax speed: 93mph0-60mph: 8.2 secondsBattery: 50kWhRange: 242miles (WLTP)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"What is it?It\u2019s surprisingly refined with the roof down (Thomas Antoine) Ever since the 4 E-Tech was revealed…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":35890,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[13063],"tags":[14619,25317,25316,25318,12198,955],"class_list":["post-35889","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-renault","tag-14619","tag-convertible","tag-motoring","tag-plein-sud","tag-renault","tag-uk"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/france\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35889","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/france\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/france\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/france\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/france\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=35889"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/france\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35889\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/france\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/35890"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/france\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=35889"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/france\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=35889"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/france\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=35889"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}