I'm considering buying a Renault 5...

I'm considering buying a Renault 5. This is a potential purchase made with my heart as much as my head. My parents ferried me to primary school in a 1985 Renault 5 TL that I still have fond memories of.

I'm currently driving a 2008 Volvo C30 2.0 diesel. I recently moved house, so my commute has halved and I'm now doing approx. 11,000 miles a year, making an EV a real choice for the first time.

However, I'm a complete technophobe and am afraid buying a brand-new EV will be too much of a jump for me from what I am used to.

Technically there's not much wrong with my Volvo. It is cheap to run and reliable even at 243,000 miles. However, I do hanker for something more modern and absolutely fell in love with the 5 from the first moment I looked at it.

Am I overthinking things or is EV ownership too much of a leap for someone who finds it difficult to work our air-to-water heating?

David (Cork)

Jan 2026 Filed under: choosing new car

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Expert answer

Hi David,

Driving and owning an EV is arguably easier than a petrol or diesel car with one important caveat – you get a home charger. Do that and, with your low annual mileage, you'll rarely have to bother with the public charging network. No more petrol stations, either. Just plug your car in at home overnight and it's ready to go in the morning, for a lot less “per kilometre” than any petrol or diesel model.

EVs are simple to drive as they're automatic and they also have a lot less maintenance. Even standard servicing requirements are less.

Pop into a Renault dealer and book a test drive and I doubt you'll look back. They'll even help you with the process of sorting the home charger. Once that's done it's all plain sailing and you just drive the car as normal.

Feel free to come back to us with any other concerns or questions. EVs don't suit everyone yet, but it certainly sounds like one would suit you. And they don't come much more desirable than the new Renault 5.

Shane O' Donoghue - Complete Car Advisor