I miss the good old days of cars like the Ford Fiesta ST, the Renault Clio RS, or the Abarth Grande Punto — I swear I never thought I’d say that. Pumped-up cars, with modest power outputs but with mechanics and a chassis setup that made them immediately fun (the Fiesta ST above all, for me), and prices that were all in all accessible to most people, or at least to most enthusiasts. Because even those cars, back in the day, were seen by many as pointless. I miss them, and I’m fairly certain they won’t come back. The Alpine A290 GTS, however — or the Alpine A290 in general for those who don’t want to go that far — goes some way to filling that gap.
OK, let’s forget about the price of a Clio RS, because the Alpine A290 starts at around €31,000 (200,000 DKK ca) and the GTS tested here costs a full €41,000 (Danish prices are still on the way). Which is still a lot less than today’s hot hatch prices, whether electric or combustion: it costs significantly less than a Ioniq 5N (our test drive here) and an EV6 GT (test drive here), but also less than a Cupra Leon VZ, Golf GTI, and Golf R.
Everything else, however — from the driving dynamics to the acceleration — is reminiscent of that era, and you can trust me when I say that the absence of an engine roar is not a problem. Several small but enthusiast-focused electric cars are on their way, by the way: this year, for example, it will be the turn of the Cupra Raval and the Volkswagen ID.Polo GTI.
Prices in Scandinavia
Alpine A290 GTS: the legacy of the R5 Turbo
As mentioned, it costs much less than the average modern hot hatch. And it’s smaller too, though not tiny. Despite being less than four metres long, it is wider (by 4 mm, at 1,820 mm) and significantly taller (by 100 mm) than an Audi S3 — a car you’d expect to be much bigger.
The car is a sporting evolution of the R5 E-Tech (review here) and, at least in concept, the successor to the much-missed R5 Turbo. But while the overall silhouette is similar to the electric Cinq, almost every detail is new. It runs 19″ wheels in both versions, available in two designs: an “iconic” square-shaped style referencing the old A310, or a less divisive “snowflake” pattern.
It has wider wheel arches, deeper side skirts, a four-light front cluster referencing the A110 but with cross shapes evoking old rally cars with taped-up headlights. Many friends asked me what the point of those was — to me, they’re simply beautiful.
The charge indicator on the bonnet changes from the number “5” to Alpine’s “A”, the rear doors have a shape referencing the old R5 Turbo, and at the back you’ll find a deeper diffuser and a strip across the tailgate that Alpine optimistically calls a “ducktail” spoiler. In my view, all of this makes the design of the R5 E-Tech — which I’ll admit had already started to bore me after a year — far more interesting, characterful, and removed from the often sterile minimalism of modern cars (though it’s well known that the French have a great love of detail and the baroque). It’s simply stunning, and even more so in pearlescent white as tested.
Inside, the concept mirrors the exterior. There’s a unique steering wheel with various functions, including an “OV” button that delivers full boost for exiting corners or overtaking. There are also four levels of regenerative braking, selectable via a dial, and quick access to driving modes: Save, Normal, Sport, and Personal.
The seats are unique, with good lateral support yet still comfortable. The centre console houses the gear selector buttons and wireless charging, but there are no cupholders. Material quality is excellent (save for a few slightly rough plastics): soft stitched leather and a large screen stretching from the steering wheel to the centre of the dashboard. Illuminated logos and ambient lighting create a sense of luxury and occasion.
Well equipped
The evolution over the R5 is not merely aesthetic — in fact it’s primarily mechanical. In addition to more powerful motors (178 hp for the GT, 220 hp for the GTS), there are revised anti-roll bars, stiffer suspension, track widened by 60 mm, specially developed Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tyres, and hydraulic bump stops to improve comfort.
It’s impressive, and the chassis feels solid and cohesive, but the steering is the one real weak point: it completely lacks feedback. The battery, rear multi-link axle, and AmpR Small platform are shared with the R5. The weight is considerable: 1,479 kg (though it is 200 kg lighter than the equivalent electric Mini). The boot offers 326 litres of capacity, above average for this class.
Heavy as it is, no other sporty electric car comes close to being this light, and lately no hot hatch does either. This means it always feels like a little toy — almost a kart, but in a good way — with the added benefit that, thanks to the battery, it sits planted to the ground in a win-win dynamic. That is: it’s safe, but not impossible to get the rear stepping out a little if you put in the effort.
On top of that, it pairs its sportiness with all the comforts of a modern car, from ADAS to the Open R Link system with Android Automotive, integrating Maps and all other Google services.
Road test and range
All very fun — but how far will it take me? The answer is that, like all sporty cars, it drinks deeply. Alpine promises a WLTP range of 380 km, but I suspect this homologation figure was achieved by driving the A290 GTS in entirely the wrong way — i.e., very slowly. In reality, during this cold winter I rarely exceeded 200–250 km, and while I certainly had fun with it, I didn’t always drive it hard. In short, it’s fine for a day trip out of town, but if you want to do a long journey, be prepared for plenty of charging stops.
On the charging side, nothing changes from the R5: it’s still a maximum of 100 kW, meaning around half an hour to recover 80%.
Its faults, then, are not lacking. But I’ve managed to forgive them. And even though it’s not a hot hatch in the mould of the old icons mentioned at the start — because it’s heavier and less communicative through the steering — it is lively, playful, and, like all true cars of this type, shows its best side on fast back roads, because it lets you adjust your line with a small lift of the throttle and grips hard when you take it by the scruff of the neck.
But above all it is a modern sports car: on one hand it seems designed by someone who paid close attention to handling details and knows how a hot hatch should behave; on the other, it’s a car you can comfortably commute in every day, appreciating its comfort and ease of use. Think of it as an urban hot hatch — perfect for city driving and built-up areas.
