Alpine A290 goes on sale priced from £33,500

Alpine's new A290 electric hot hatch is now on sale, with prices starting at £33,500.

Based on the latest Renault 5, the Alpine injects a big dose of excitement with more power and lots of features to make it a more enjoyable drive. It marks a new sector of the market for Alpine, which has previously been known for its Alpine A110 sports car.

With two powertrain options and a range of up to 236 miles per battery charge, the A290 comes in a choice of five trim levels, and offers a compelling alternative to other fun EVs like the Abarth 500e, the MINI Cooper Electric and the MG4 XPower.

New 2025 Alpine A290: price and release date

You can order the new Alpine A290 now, with the first deliveries expected in April. Prices start at £33,500 for the entry-level 180 GT model, moving up to £36,000 for thee GT Premium and the GT Performance versions, £37,500 for the GTS and £38,500 for the GTS Premiere Edition. 

New 2025 Alpine A290: exterior and interior

The Alpine is based on the Renault 5, but with a sport, more dynamic look. All models have 19-inch wheels and full LED headlights, and come with Brembo brake calipers and a choice of three bespoke Michelin tyres – Pilot Sport S5, and Pilot Alpin 5.

Four paint colours are available – Metallic Black is standard, while White Pearly and Alpine Blue cost £700 and Matt Grey is £1100. Top trims give the option for two-tone paint options in Matte Shadow Grey, Alpine Vision Blue, and Artic White, all with a Diamond Black Roof.

The chassis has been tuned by Alpine over the standard Renault model, and has hydraulic bump sytops and muiltilink rear suspension.

Inside, all models get a 10.3-inch infotainment screen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as Google Assistant. The steering wheel design is inspired by Alpine's Formula 1 car and features an overtake button that gives a burst of extra power. The seats are clad in dual-tone Nappa leather featuring the French tricolore flag.

New 2025 Alpine A290: motors and batteries

There's a choice of two powertrains in the new Alpine A290, both powered by a 52kWh battery. The base electric motor has 180PS and 285Nm of torque, giving the car a 0-62mph acceleration time of 7.4 seconds. Alternatively, you can choose the 220PS model, which has 300Nm and a 0-62mph time of 6.4 seconds.

The A290 180 has a battery range of up to 236 miles, while the A290 220 has a 226-mile range. Both can fast-charge from 15%-80% in 30 minutes, Alpine says (although the usual charging benchmark is from 10%, so make of that what you will).

New 2025 Alpine A290: trim levels

There are five trim levels to choose from: GT, GT Premium, GT Performance, GTS and the GTS Premiere Edition made to celebrate the car's launch.

The Alpine A290 GT includes heated seats, a two-tone roof, wireless phone charging and a heated steering wheel, while GT Premium adds two-tone Nappa leather upgholstery, a premium audio system and blue-painted brake calipers. The GT Performance model has the more powerful engine, with a telemetrics package on the infotainment system to help you keep track of performance. The brake calipers are painted red.

The GTS model has black wheels and extra adjustment on the front seats, while the Premiere Edition adds a custom numbered plate and special floor mats to signify its importance, a blue wheel centre cap and blue brake calipers, as well as the normally optional Safety Pack and Driving Pack.