The Zoe is a small five-door hatchback with futuristic styling inside and out. The charging port is cleverly hidden behind the front Renault badge. It’s quite a tall car because the batteries are mounted under the interior floor. That puts the seating position quite high, which gives you a great view out.
The Zoe is really easy to drive around town thanks to its small size, automatic gearbox, light steering and great view out. Like all electric cars, it can accelerate surprisingly quickly from a standstill if you put your foot down hard. It feels comfortable and solid on the motorway and is even quite enjoyable on a twisty road. Post-2019 cars also have a ‘B mode’ that allows ‘one pedal’ driving. It amplifies the regenerative braking that both recharges the battery and slows down the car to the extent that you rarely need to touch the brake pedal. It takes a bit of practice to get used to it but it’s the most efficient way to drive the Zoe.
The Zoe is a small hatchback with five doors and five seats and is about the same size as the Renault Clio and Ford Fiesta. The seats are quite high off the ground which can feel a bit odd at first, but you soon get used to it. That height is potentially useful for people with mobility issues, as you simply step into the Zoe, rather than lower yourself down into the seat. Legroom and headroom are a bit tight in the back seats but average-size adults will be comfortable enough and children should have no complaints about the space available. The boot is fairly roomy, with space for three medium suitcases. It’s much larger than the boot of rivals like the Mini Electric and Vauxhall Corsa-e, and the back seats fold down to create an even larger load area. All Zoes come with air con, cruise control, sat nav and a 10-inch digital display.
The Zoe is one of the most affordable electric cars, though it costs more to buy than a petrol or diesel car of similar size. Running costs will be very low, with the cost to charge the battery far less than what you’d pay to cover the same mileage in a petrol or diesel car.
After an update in 2019, the Zoe can comfortably go more than 200 miles before it needs recharging. Cars built before 2019 have a shorter battery range of around 185 miles. Some earlier Zoes are subject to a separate monthly leasing charge for the batteries, but that doesn’t apply to any Zoe from Cazoo. Vehicle Excise Duty (car tax) is free and insurance costs are low.
Renault scored a mid-table ranking in the J.D. Power 2019 UK Vehicle Dependability Study. Safety experts Euro NCAP gave the previous Zoe a full five-star safety rating when it was launched in 2013, but gave the latest model a disappointing zero-star score in 2021. This was in part because of changes Euro NCAP made to its testing criteria over time. Renault plans to introduce a standard automatic braking system in 2022, which should improve the safety rating for new Zoe models.
A lot of small electric cars were launched in the 2020s but before then the Zoe was in a class of one. Its closest competitor was the Nissan Leaf, a bigger car with about the same battery range. Among the Zoe’s new rivals are the Honda e, Mini Electric and Peugeot e-208, as well as the Fiat 500 Electric and Vauxhall Corsa-e. But none of those can match the latest Zoe’s battery range.
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The Zoe is one of the few small electric cars with enough range to be used for long journeys. It’s stylish, good to drive and very cost-effective.
Electric cars like the Zoe have fewer moving parts to go wrong and Renault has a solid reputation for reliability.
A full recharge will likely never cost as much as a tank of petrol or diesel fuel. Road tax is free and insurance costs are low.
The Zoe has lots of space in the front seats, while the back seats are comfortable for children. The boot is a good size for this type of car.
Before 2020, there were no other small electric cars similar to the Zoe on sale. Newer ones such as the Honda e, Mini Electric and Peugeot e-208 are a similar size and price but can’t match the Zoe’s battery range.
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