The all-electric Renault ZOE has been updated for 2018, and with it comes a new more powerful 106bhp motor

Verdict: 4 stars – The updates to the Renault ZOE bring a welcome dose of power, while keeping the old car’s usable range. Otherwise, it remains the same spacious, relaxing, all-electric supermini it was before. It’s worth sitting down to do some sums; the ZOE could save you money relative to established petrol or diesel-powered alternatives. Cars it’s more than good enough to be judged against.

There’s definitely more ostentatious electric cars than the Renault ZOE, but few are as successful. The ZOE has been the best-selling EV in Europe three years in a row, and only in 2018 did it slip behind the latest Nissan Leaf. It’s a car that is – quite literally – going quietly about its business.

To keep it fresh, the ZOE gains a range of updates for 2018. The infotainment system gets Android Auto for the first time and there’s a new purple paint finish on the options list. The range has been simplified, as well, with just two trim levels to choose from.

This Dynamique S Nav we’re testing here has all the kit you’d ever need; a seven-inch touchscreen with sat nav, auto headlights and wipers, climate control and rear parking sensors are all standard. The top spec Signature Nav adds leather seats, a Bose hi-fi (a £350 option on the Dynamique S Nav), and a rear parking camera.

The most significant upgrade comes to the motor, which produces 16bhp more than the old one. It’s an increase that is welcome on the move. While Renault quotes a 0-62mph time of 11.9 seconds (an improvement of 1.3 seconds over the old car) – at low speeds it feels much faster than those numbers suggest. The electric motor gives instant throttle response, letting the ZOE launch away from junctions and dart into gaps in traffic.

Read more: AutoExpress