In this video, I will be reporting from the Charge & Drive event I attended in my local town of Brighton, UK in April 2025. This is a new event organised by the Brighton Council, who recently announced it will be installing 6,000 curbside electric vehicle charging points throughout the city.
To coincide with this announcement, the Charge & Drive event was set up to help educate and inform potential EV owners about the available EV brands and offer test drives. Since it was so local, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to jump into a few new EVs, ranging from affordable models by MG to more premium offerings from brands like Tesla. But the EV I was most looking forward to trying was the all-new Renault 5.
So without further ado, let’s jump into my first test drive…
Smart #1 Brabus Edition
From: £29,960 (Pure Edition) | Tested: £43,460 Brabus (£592pm Leaseloco)
The Smart #1 (and Smart #3) has been created in collaboration between European brands Smart and Mercedes, and Chinese EV brand Geely. So it was no surprise to see Mercedes dealing with my first test drive booking.
Jumping in the Smart #1 (for a second time since a motor show last year), shows its German maker’s design influence. It’s a nice-looking car on the inside, but I can’t say the same about the outside. The #1 has an American football helmet look to it that I can’t unsee now. The #3 looks a lot better in my opinion, especially in black, which helps to hide the helmet look.
The model I tested is the Brabus performance edition. A sportier and much more spritely version of the #1, but at a much higher premium cost. Starting at around £43,460, or around £592pm on lease right now, the Smart #1 is targeting a different demographic to my own budget limitations.
Inside, the Smart oozes money and good build quality; we have Mercedes to thank for that. Its anthracite wheel and comfy seats were a nice initial experience, yet I feel this plush wheel material may not last as well over 20K miles. Its untested Beats-powered stereo system will no doubt sound good, and the display was large enough and suited the car’s interior. With its informative HUD and small instrument cluster, there are plenty of helpful visual aids to enhance the driving experience.
With a 0-62 time of 3.9 seconds, the Brabus edition is no slouch off the line. This is emphasised even more thanks to the synthesised exhaust note it gives out during heavy acceleration. As fake engine notes go, I thought its engine sound was decent, and it never failed to raise a smile when I was able to put my foot down, and its control under power was good, thanks to all-wheel drive technology.
Overall, my drive in the Smart #1 was good fun, and as it shares a similar footprint to the Cupra Born. Its a well rounded size of car with plenty of performance under the hood and its quality is not as well matched by its closest rivals, but it turns its back on many who are unable to afford its relatively high price tag.
MG4 Long Range
From: £26,995 (SE) | Tested: £32,495 Trophy Long Range (£302pm Leaseloco)
My next test drive was in an MG4 Long Range Trophy Edition EV, which was a decent drive. However, due to its price point, there were some compromises in quality and overall feel that reflected its more affordable entry-level status.
Its interior, although basic, was familiar and classic—reminiscent of older cars. I can see the MG4 being a comfortable transition for those looking for their first EV, without having to deal with the complex and sometimes confusing interiors seen in many modern EVs. That said, I found the instrument cluster display and main screen a bit cheap-looking—almost like someone had slapped an Android tablet onto the dashboard. It didn’t feel as though it had been thoughtfully integrated. The lightweight buttons and large slabs of piano-black plastic further cheapened the look and feel inside the cabin.
That said, the drive was decent, and the cabin was roomy. As you’d expect from an EV, the MG4 had good acceleration and could comfortably carry several passengers and a fair amount of luggage—comparable to a petrol-powered car of similar size and performance.
Visibility was good all around, including the mirrors and rear view, which weren’t particularly restrictive.
The 10.25” display is standard across all four MG4 trims—from the basic SE to the Trophy Extended Range—which feels a little underwhelming considering the size of displays now found in modern EVs and the price you’re paying for such a small central screen.
The ride was smooth, and I can imagine the MG4 XPower model—with its 429 horsepower—would be a lot more fun compared to the roughly 200 horsepower of the standard premium model I was driving.
The MG4’s exterior design is a bit space-age and adventurous. I feel it could look dated after a few years. But if you’re looking for an affordable entry into EV ownership, the MG4 is likely to be on your shortlist. For me, though, the overall quality didn’t quite match the price tag. If it were my money, I’d be looking at alternative EVs in this price range—especially when leasing, as more premium-feeling options might be available at a similar monthly cost.
My time with the MG4 was short, but it was certainly worth test-driving to get a sense of what you can expect in this price bracket.
Tesla Model 3
From: £39,990 (RWD) | Tested: £53,890 Long-Range AWD (£399pm Leaseloco)
This was my first time driving a Tesla. I sat in the new 2025 Highland model briefly last year, and I was surprised by what I can only describe as a boat-like cockpit interior, due to its short dash. This was no bad impression; the short depth of the dashboard and a minimalistic, wrap-around interior made it very roomy inside, yet it also made a saloon-style car feel quite compact at the same time.
The new Model 3 features a number of changes, some external, such as the sharper horizontal front nose, and some internal, such as the lack of stalks, indicator buttons on the wheel, and a gear selector that is either toggled on the side of the touch screen display, or via some touch buttons above the rear-view mirror-which can feel even more of a stretch.
Once on the move, the power of the dual motor and all-wheel drive was very present. With a 0-62 of 4.2 seconds, the Model 3 felt a lot tighter and punchier in its delivery of the acceleration than in my E-Boost Cupra Born. With AWD and a lower centre of gravity than the Smart #1 I drove earlier, the Model 3 held the road very well, and wind and road noise were dampened very well.
Being such a minimalist cockpit, all functionality is carried out via its very responsive display. The user interface is also very minimal and at times harder to work my way around. Icons were quite small for a car-focused display, so elements on screen took some careful attention and finger placement to press them successfully. The Tesla is full of smarts, though, so 25 minutes of my test drive wasn’t enough time to get familiar with the on-screen controls and the Tesla’s smarts. Voice control is also present via the wheel button, but again, I didn’t have any time to try it out, nor test any of its self-driving modes.
Overall, I was very impressed with the Model 3, and if it wasn’t for the lack of Apple CarPlay, this car, or the Model Y, could have been on my shortlist for my next lease vehicle. With some very enticing lease deals to be had at the moment, if you can live without native CarPlay or Android Auto, I can only mirror many others in saying that the Tesla is still a very good whole package to consider.
Renault 5
From: £22,995 (Evolution 120hp) | Tested: £28,045 Techno 150hp (£296 Leaseloco)
The last time I saw a Renault 5 was at a motor event last year, and being so new, the car was completely locked. I could not get inside, let alone drive it. So I was looking forward to jumping into the R5 the most out of all five cars I was test driving at the event.
My excitement was met on first jumping into the driver’s seat, ahead of my 25-minute test drive. The seats felt comfy, very similar to the Megane E-tech, and in pictures, the dashboard felt a little too retro and chunky, yet in real life, the dashboard and screens were a good size and were fitting to the overall size of the B-segment class of car, anything bigger would just have looked too big, althrough, if I am honest, I was still craving for bigger screen.
Being a cost-focused vehicle, the R5 E-tech has a few more basic features over its more costly Megane E-tech. There’s no park button on the gear stalk, instead a VW-like handbrake sits low down, and a bit out of reach, in the centre console. Auto handbrake button is applied when powering off the vehicle, opening the door or when releasing your seatbelt. So perhaps this lever and button may not get used that much, but cost us £200 more and have it dynamic like other vehicles could have cleaned up its interior presence a little bit.
One the move, I found the drive wasn’t as punchy as I had hoped. The Alpine A290 might scratch that itch, albeit at a much higher price tag. The R5 has some hot-hatch looking flare to its design, but sadly, the power doesn’t quite mirror its looks. This was the same issue for the Cupra Born, although the Cupra manages to pull this off a little better, thanks to its E-boost trim, its extra horsepower and rear wheel drive motor.
The R5 pulls away quite gradually and casually, even in Sport mode. With the R5 being lighter and carrying less battery weight, it was a surprise not to be a little faster off the mark. This might be great for everyday use and for passengers in the car, but with a go-kart feel to its handling, I just wish it had 50 horsepower or more than its top-end 150 hp. We have the Renault 5 Turbo edition coming later this year, but at a starting price of £127,500 here in the UK, this is just too much to ask for power and bodywork alone. A simple Turbo or Williams edition of the standard R5 with around 200-250 hp would have been better.
Being a B-segment EV, the rear leg room and boot space are the most disappointing factors for the R5. Small kids and drivers with a seat adjusted to a height of around 5’8″ or less will just get by with the available room in the back, but teenagers, adults or taller people in the front will start to suffer with leg room and even also getting into the back seat of the car. It’s tight. Not as tight as the Fiat 500e or the electric Mini Cooper I drove, and it is a little similar to the Peugeot e208 rear entry and leg room.
The R5 also has a large-ish boot compared to its rivals. With 326 litres of minimum volume, that’s pretty good against 210 L in the Mini Cooper, 311 L in the Peugeot e208 and a tiny 186 L in the Fiat 500e. So it’s fairly usable in its space, and its box-like wide opening isn’t too restrictive either.
Considering the drive, the feel of the car inside, its featured technology, its overall nailed retro looks and its price point, the Renault 5 will certainly be flying off the shelves in 2025. Going by the amount of pre-orders taken from my local dealer, we’re going to see a lot of the R5 riding the streets this summer.
Ford Explorer
From: £39,885 (Select RWD) | Tested: £54,785 Premium AWD (£384 Leaseloco)
The last test drive was in the new Ford Explorer EV. Unfortunately, I completely messed up the recording for this one. It was also an accompanied test drive, so I couldn’t film the full experience or record my initial hands-on impressions. Hopefully, Ford will invite me back soon to spend more time with this vehicle, as well as their upcoming Capri model and the all-new Puma EV.
The Explorer is a small crossover or SUV, with a footprint that’s slightly longer and taller than my Cupra Born EV. Built on the same shared MEB platform, I immediately noticed how similar everything felt when I got in. The dials and switches were identical to my Born, including the instrument cluster and gear stalk. However, the Explorer uses a more vertical central display, similar to what you’d find in the Ford Mustang Mach-E.
The model I drove was the high-end Premium Extended Range version, which starts at a hefty £54,000 before any extras or colour options. While the ride was smooth and spacious—both inside the cabin and in the boot—the price feels excessive for what you get. That said, there are some attractive lease deals currently available, which could see you driving a 374-mile range 77kWh Explorer for a more reasonable £350 per month.
The Explorer is a big wedge of a car. Although it shares a similar footprint with my Born, its front bonnet is raised significantly to give it a more SUV-like appearance. As a result, the boot offers a lot of extra, usable space. It’s also heavier than the Born, and less aerodynamic, which affects its range.
Between the Explorer and the Capri, I’d personally choose the Explorer for its roomier interior—both for passengers and cargo. Hopefully, I’ll get more time with both models, as well as the Puma, later this year.
My Final Impressions
That concludes the five test drives I had booked. I really enjoyed the performance of the Tesla and I’m looking forward to trying the Model Y to see how it compares. The Smart #1 Brabus Edition was a well-rounded EV, full of premium features and high-quality materials, but I wasn’t a fan of its rounded exterior styling.
The MG4, in contrast, had a more adventurous exterior but felt budget-friendly inside. The Ford Explorer offered a solid comparison to my Cupra Born in terms of size and format, but I still prefer the Born’s interior styling and infotainment setup.
However, the real star of the show was the Renault 5. It’s a great little car with impressive efficiency, even after several test drives in Sport mode it was at 4.4m/kWh. I liked the interior, which was comfortable and had some unique elements. I would have preferred a larger display, but perhaps a big screen would have been too overwhelming for such a compact interior. My only real gripe was that Sport mode could use a bit more punch, but overall, the drive was fun.
Rear space and entry access were a bit tight—so while it might suit two adults with small kids, larger families might find it too cramped. Still, the Renault 5 was absolutely worth the test drive, and I hope to spend more time with it, along with the Megane E-Tech, in the coming months.
So stay tuned for that!
TIMESTAMPS:
0:00 – Brief overview
0:49 – Smart #1 Brabus
11:15 – MG4 Long Range Trophy
14:51 – Tesla Model 3 Dual Motor AWD
28:04 – Renault 5 Techno EV
41:29 – Ford Explorer Premium AWD
42:54 – My final thoughts
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