2026 Alpine A390 GT | UK Review

It's the year of the electric SUV - how does Alpine's 'racing car in a suit' stack up?

In any other year, the arrival of the Alpine A390 would have been a bigger deal. Yes, it’s another electric sort-of SUV, but it’s also one-third of the Alpine dream garage, the most practical offering yet from the makers of the A110 and A290 - and brings proper torque vectoring to the table as standard.

But then 2026 is the year of the electric family SUV. Whether it’s BMW and its entire rebirth built around an X3 BEV, Volvo with its mega range claims, or Mercedes’ determination to make each electric SUV uglier than the last, there’s been plenty to discuss. There’s an electric Cayenne now, and that’s not even the biggest talking point when it comes to battery-powered Porsches. So the A390 was going to struggle for attention somewhat, without a headline-grabbing stat - be it price, power, or range - in its favour. Sales are apparently struggling to reach even modest expectations.

Rest assured that the Alpine does not struggle for attention in real life. It’s a properly arresting bit of car design, even in GT rather than GTS format. There are recognisable Alpine cues (beyond just the paint), some cool surfaces and nice proportions. It somehow manages to do the coupe SUV thing stylishly, arguably a first for any manufacturer - that might be why Alpine prefers the term ‘fastback’. But if you want a family car to peer out the window at with pride rather than resignation, and overhear whispered conversations about what the blue car might be in a car park, then the A390 is the car for you. It’s proof that a memorable design doesn’t have to be a controversial or overwrought one. No amount of BMW Individual Paint or optional wheel could make an iX3 look this smart.

Unfortunately, for those who want a family car to carry their family in and not just look at, the sleek A390 does struggle a bit. The boot will take a baby’s buggy, which is good given they’re boulder-sized in 2026, but anyone taking a pew on the rear bench will struggle for headroom, legroom and foot room. That tapered rear end compromises rear visibility as well. It’s hard to be too cross about the fact, because the Alpine really is a tremendous looking car, but it’s a reminder that family SUVs tend to be a bit boxy for a good reason. Still, Alpine was never likely to do things the conventional way; if any brand’s five-door family wagon would sacrifice space for style, this is it.

Elements of the interior are really lovely, too, including the seats (and the leather that adorns them), the fabric on the doors and the sculpted storage space below the central tunnel. The A390 isn’t simply a set of Sabelts in a generic Renault E-Tech interior. That said, its roots are recognisable, and when spending more than £60k that might irk. It all works well enough, and the Perso mode for ADAS is extremely welcome, if lacking a tiny bit of wow factor against the aforementioned rivals.

There is wow factor in the Alpine, though, most definitely. You just have to go searching for it. In much the same way that the design and interior feel focused on looking cool and prioritising the driver, the experience behind the wheel won’t win you many friends - but you’ll be enjoying it all too much to care. What the average customer will probably be looking for is decent efficiency and an accommodating ride for the school run; what they’ll get is a car never happier than carving through A roads at somewhere around the national speed limit.

Those who’ve squeezed in behind you will have something to say about the ride at low speed, as containing more than two tonnes on a passive setup makes it pretty unapologetic. But even then, you (maybe not them) will sense the purpose and polish to the suspension; every bump is being felt, though not deflecting the car or being dealt with clumsily. It’s damped like something quite modern and Renaultsporty, in truth.

The trade-off for the robust response around town is an EV that’s a joy on the open road. Control weights are light but reassuring, the front axle is tenacious and the body control impressive. That sacrifice in low-speed habitability might be worth it for the sense of connection when going a bit faster. Just occasionally you can feel the torque vectoring rear axle tightening the line on corner exit as well, which is great. This is an engaging EV driving experience, just one ostensibly pitched as a family car. It doesn’t need a mode to come alive, either - the special sauce has been baked in.

All of which you’ll have to remind yourself of when it comes to economy. While the majority of charging will likely come at home, there will be family holidays and weekends away that need public rejuicing - ideally quite quick. And sub-200kW just isn’t that impressive anymore, especially with the price to factor in. The A390 needs plenty of charging, too; while the official numbers are decent enough, the reality is that having three electric motors rather than the usual two does hurt efficiency. Our test averaged out at 2.7mi/kWh, with three seen rarely. Torque vectoring is a great USP, though perhaps not worth the trade-off; a heavier Cayenne Electric was easily averaging 3mi/kWh (with a higher average speed), and offered comparable performance.

The simple fact is that the A390 feels a tad old even as a brand-new car. In some ways, that’s great - with a finely honed driving experience and an interior not totally overwhelmed by screens. The overall size feels manageable as well. But it’s off the pace in terms of charging, range and efficiency; perhaps not the be-all and end-all, though it’s not entertaining enough for those compromises. You’re willing to tolerate the shortcomings of, say, an Ioniq 5 N, for the thrills on offer. The Alpine A390 is persuasive rather than unforgettable, so it’s harder to overlook the drawbacks. You’d have to really dig the looks to see past its flaws.

Nevertheless, it’s heartening to see Alpine give the A390 a really good go. This could very easily have been a Scenic or similar painted blue and with some new seats; that it feels a discrete model with its own character is to be applauded. A few days with it was enlightening; a similar test with a Macan certainly didn’t linger as long (or as fondly) in the memory. You would learn how to get the best from this car, both in terms of the drive and the available space, over time; most cars of this ilk feel like domestic appliances on 22s, so that’s to Alpine’s credit.

Let’s not forget, either, that this isn’t the end of the Alpine EV story - quite the opposite; there’s a new A110 coming, after all. Given what’s been achieved thus far with a hot hatch built from a Renault 5 and a family car, hopes should be high for what’s coming from a sports car on a bespoke platform and not very much weight. Alpine has already demonstrated that it can do driver reward and sense of occasion with an electric car, even when that might not be top of an A390 buyer’s must-have criteria. But it absolutely will be for an A110 customer - and this car means there’s every reason to believe it’ll deliver.

SPECIFICATION | 2026 ALPINE A390 GT

Engine: 89kWh battery, three electric motors
Transmission: Single-speed automatic, all-wheel drive
Power (hp): 400
Torque (lb ft): 488
0-62mph: 4.8 seconds
Top speed: 124mph
Weight: 2,121kg
MPG: 345 miles WLTP range (314 with GTS wheels), 190kW max charge rate
CO2: 0g/km (driving), 3.9miles/kWh efficiency
Price: £61,390

OP Posts Only

Prev 2 Next

OP Posts Only

Author

Discussion

blearyeyedboy

Original Poster

6,812 posts

210 months