- Alpine A290 wins the ‘Best Fun EV’ category at the Autocar Awards 2025
- Electric hatch described as an “involving, responsive and affordable driver’s car”
- Five-model range available from £33,500 OTR
The Alpine A290 has won the ‘Best Fun EV’ category in this year’s Autocar Awards, with editors hailing it for “rewriting the formula” for a new generation of great driver’s cars in the electric age.
The pure-electric hatchback beat every other EV to the crown, including those that are much more expensive, after impressing the renowned magazine and website’s judges with its driving dynamics, accessibility and usability.
Autocar Editor Mark Tisshaw said: “It might not be the first electric car to
break the mould and show the world that EVs can appeal to enthusiasts, but the A290 rewrites the formula in an appealing, unique and accessible way. It deserves praise in pretty much every environment you’re likely to take it and, being developed by the same people who gave us unadulterated thrillers such as the Renaultsport Clio 182, it picks up where Renault’s hot hatches left off.
“It has a totally natural ability to flow from corner to corner without you having to continually jab the throttle and turn in with such ferocity that your passengers feel ill, and you won’t be wanting for too much more when it comes to general usability, either. This car is also as intuitive to use as it is to drive, the A290’s Google-based infotainment system being one of the easiest to use in its class and it also having a nice row of physical buttons for the ventilation system.”
Nic Burnside, Brand Director, Alpine, said: “It’s fantastic to see Autocar’s highly experienced team recognise the A290’s driving dynamics, fun factor and usability. The A290 adds a whole new dimension to Alpine, giving car buyers what was previously thought impossible: an exciting motorsport-bred hot hatchback that is at home on the track as in town, and which also happens to be fully electric.”
Starting from £33,500 OTR, the A290 has agility and lightness at its heart. It continues the legacy of the A110, while bringing Alpine into its electric, performance-focused future. It comes in five trims – GT, GT Premium, GT Performance, GTS, and Launch Edition – and offers customers the powertrain choice of a 52kWh battery with either 180hp or 220hp.
It has been built to perform, with an Alpine sport-tuned chassis that benefits from multilink rear suspension and hydraulic bump stops. Alpine Telemetrics also help to enhance the driver’s performance, as the A290 offers challenges based on the brand’s motorsport DNA.
Additional touches underscore its sporty nature such as an F1-inspired steering wheel in the ‘Feel at one’ cockpit as well as an all-new overtake button that gives drivers instant access to maximum power. All combine for an overall package that delivers what can be regarded as a true ‘driver’s car’.
Alpine A290 also offers rapid charging from 15-80 percent in 30 minutes. The 180hp version provides up to 236 miles of range (WLTP), whilst the more powerful 220hp model offers a range of up to 226 miles.