On Monday, October 17, 2022, the automobile and EV world witnessed the classic and iconic Renault 4 resurrect as a tantalizingly rugged all-electric small SUV. The 2022 Paris Motor Show unveiling revealed an enchanting blend of retro Renault styling and futuristic electric off-road motoring. The French automaker calls its latest electric vehicle the Renault 4Ever Trophy as a nod to the exclusive 4L Trophy humanitarian rally across the Moroccan desert.

The 4Ever Trophy’s unveiling is just in time for the 25th anniversary of the annual rally reserved for Renault 4 cars. This new B-segment mini-SUV is a modern take on the Renault 4L, following the trail of the recently unveiled Renault 5 returning to life as an EV concept.

Both resurrected icons are ditching combustion engines in favor of pure electric, with the 4Ever Trophy show car donning a gunmetal silver coating offset by 19-inch wheels wrapped in 255/55 R19 tires. Try to control your excitement because this superbly rugged Renault off-roader won’t be hitting the dunes until 2025. Renault calls it a part luxurious and part adventurer that “will pay tribute to its iconic predecessor that sold 8 million units… symbolizing simplicity, agility, robustness.”

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The Renault 4Ever Pays Homage To The Iconic Renault 4

Renault 4ever Trophy Concept rear view
Renault

With the Renault 4Ever Trophy’s production slated for 2025, the French company has around three years to build interest and remind gearheads why they dare not forget the Renault 4's rich heritage. They probably don’t have to try very hard to convince us, since the iconic 4L may have got forgotten in the US and Europe but remains an enviable classic despite ending production three decades ago.

Pronounced “Quatrelle” in French, the Renault 4 (or Renault 4L) is a small economy car that Renault produced and marketed as a short station wagon (we consider it to be a hatchback) from 1961 until 1994. It was the marque’s first-ever FWD family car, and might as well be the world’s first-ever mass-market hatchback. Historically, the 4L arrived just in time to ride on the wings of resurging prosperity after decades of economic depression. It sold its millionth car on February 1, 1966.

If the automaker’s claim of 8 million units of the model sold in its thirty years of production is true, then the Renault 4, not the Citroen 2CV, is the real French people's car. When Renault celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Renault 4 in 2011, it was a surprise to learn it was the best-selling French car globally and the third bestselling model in automobile history, behind the Volkswagen Beetle and Ford Model T.

It certainly fulfilled its purpose, conceived by Pierre Dreyfus, as a “blue jeans” versatile and inexpensive car with a global calling. Now, the French automaker says to celebrate the 4L Trophy's 25th anniversary, the 4Ever Trophy E-Tech 100% electric concept will play multiple roles, perfect for both daily adventurers and distance explorers. It promises “simple shapes, rugged reliability, minimum maintenance, and an exhaust that gives zero noise and zero CO2 emissions.”

As a modern reinterpretation of the original Renault 4L hatchback, the 4Ever Trophy is significantly bigger, complete with oversize tires, off-road suspension, and overlanding gear. And unlike its 1960s namesake, the new E-Tech 4L leans heavily towards off-road capabilities, with the “Trophy” in its name alluding to the annual off-road competition reserved exclusively for classic Renault 4 models.

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The Features On The New Renault 4Ever Trophy

Renault 4ever Trophy Concept rear third quarter view
Renault

The all-electric Renault 4Ever Trophy is 163.7 inches long, 74.8 inches tall, and 76.7 inches wide and gets propulsion from a front-mounted 134-horsepower e-motor capable of accelerating the Trophy to 62 mph in less than nine seconds. It relies on a dedicated (CMF-BEV) electric platform that allows trimming the front and rear overhangs without compromising the wheelbase. Where the original Renault 4 had short rear doors, the doors of this modern reinterpretation of the classic hatchback seem far bigger.

The company is banking on the retro design to lure the young and nostalgic, although 4Ever's cutting-edge, futuristic look isn't a clear-cut interpretation of the past. Renault sees the new SUV serenading the same market as the Renault Captur C-SUV, while the electrified Renault 5 positions as the EV equivalent of the Renault Clio supermini. The Trophy’s dimensions make it much larger than the original 4L, with ample ground clearance complemented by its boxy wheel arches.

Its built-in tire inflators look pretty cool while distinguishing the vehicle as a rally-ready off-roader. We haven’t seen the inside just yet, but the lengthier wheelbase means the Trophy will provide much more generous legroom compared to the classic 4L. Its dedicated CMF-BEV platform can accommodate a 42 kWh battery pack mounted between the axles, providing approximately 250 miles (402 kilometers) of range.

If you looked at these pictures and thought the Renault 4Ever Trophy looks too good, that's probably because you shouldn't expect the production version to sport all the features of the concept car. Renault will probably delete the carbon fiber roof rack, air compressors in the wheels, reinforced underbody, and some or all of the weight-adding body cladding.

However, we expect the production model to be mostly the same as the prototype since Renault said the 4Ever Trophy, as it stands now, is already 95% of the production-spec. The French automaker believes small SUVs will account for around 45 percent of EV sales by 2027 and hopes the new 4Ever should position the company for a head start on the segment.

What We Love Most About The Renault 4Ever Trophy Concept

Renault 4ever Trophy Concept front third quarter view
Renault

A small and rugged off-roader – what’s not to like? In fact, that’s the sum of what we love most about the 2025 Renault 4Ever Trophy. What makes up the sum includes the visible and adjustable air compressor that adapts the tire pressure depending on the approaching terrain. The generous ground clearance provided by the large fenders and wheel arches is a massive plus for this car.

The Trophy took care not to deviate too much from its classic ancestor, and we love how Renault took the round headlights of the original 4L and reimagined it as an LED matrix.

Viewing from the side, you don’t have to squint too hard to get flashbacks of the 4L’s boxy silhouette and slanted rear end. You know what this vehicle is best for the moment you see it. “Made to drive in harsh conditions but also to make weekends fun and environmentally friendly, 4ever Trophy E-Tech 100% electric Concept restyles the "historic" 4L's personality and features, giving them a modern twist.” — Renault.