Renault 4 JP4x4 Concept revealed as retro beach buggy

Most modern concept cars try far too hard to convince you they belong in the future, which is probably why the Renault 4 JP4x4 Concept feels strangely refreshing. Revealed at the 2026 Roland-Garros French Open, Renault’s latest electric SUV combines beach buggy styling, retro Renault 4 design cues and a proper all-wheel drive setup into something that looks more interested in surfing trips than software updates. The Renault 4 JP4x4 Concept also continues Renault’s increasingly playful run of electric concepts, proving the French brand understands that EVs do not need to look cold or overly serious to feel modern. In a market overflowing with anonymous crossovers pretending to be adventurous, this thing at least seems willing to get sand on its tyres.

Renault 4 JP4x4 Concept turns the Renault 4 into a beach buggy

The Renault 4 JP4x4 Concept is based on the Renault 4 E-Tech electric, although Renault has heavily reworked the design to create what it calls a modern leisure vehicle. The result is effectively a cross between a compact electric SUV, a beach buggy and a stripped-back off-roader designed for coastal roads rather than shopping centre car parks.

Unlike most concept cars that hide behind dramatic lighting and impossible proportions, the Renault 4 JP4x4 Concept actually looks fairly production believable. Openwork doors, a roof structure without a soft top and a tailgate that folds down like a pickup tray give the car an intentionally relaxed feel that harks back to the original Renault 4 Plein Air and JP4 models from the 1960s and 1980s.

The styling is deliberately playful without becoming cartoonish, which is a difficult balance most retro-inspired EVs fail to achieve. Emerald Green paintwork contrasts with a bright orange interior, while details like the roof-mounted surfboard and skateboards in the rear make it clear Renault is targeting lifestyle appeal rather than outright practicality.

Inside, Renault has resisted the temptation to turn the cabin into another minimalist tech experiment. The bucket seats reference old Renault designs from the 1970s, while textured fabrics, exposed structures and a floating centre console make the interior feel airy rather than dominated by screens.

There are still modern touches throughout the cabin, although Renault smartly keeps them secondary to the overall atmosphere of the car. A passenger grab handle, durable materials and open-air styling suggest Renault expects this electric SUV to be used somewhere rougher than a valet stand outside a hotel.

The more interesting part of the Renault 4 JP4x4 Concept sits underneath the bodywork. While Renault initially focuses on the styling and lifestyle angle, the concept actually introduces a second electric motor mounted on the rear axle, giving the car permanent all-wheel drive capability.

Electric SUV gains proper all-wheel drive capability

That second motor transforms the Renault 4 JP4x4 Concept from a design exercise into something with genuine off-road ambition. Renault says the all-wheel drive system improves agility while also allowing the electric SUV to tackle sandy, stony and unpaved terrain more effectively than the standard Renault 4 E-Tech electric.

The concept also sits 15mm higher than the production Renault 4 and features wider front and rear tracks to improve stability. Renault has paired the setup with bespoke 18-inch wheels and Goodyear UltraGrip Performance+ tyres, reinforcing the idea that this is intended to be more than just a static motor show prop.

Interestingly, Renault describes the concept as demonstrating the potential of its small EV platform to support four-wheel drive systems in future B-segment electric vehicles. That could be the real story here, because compact electric SUVs with genuine off-road capability remain surprisingly rare despite every manufacturer claiming their crossovers are built for adventure.

It also feels like Renault understands something many larger manufacturers have forgotten. Not every electric SUV needs to look futuristic and expensive to attract attention, especially when buyers increasingly seem drawn toward smaller, more characterful vehicles with a sense of identity.

The Renault 4 JP4x4 Concept arrives at a time when retro-inspired EVs are becoming increasingly common, although few feel this intentionally carefree. Renault appears to be leaning heavily into nostalgia while still making the car usable enough that people can realistically imagine owning one.

That matters because concepts like this often reveal far more about a brand’s direction than their official production announcements do. Renault has spent the last few years rebuilding its image around smaller electric cars with personality, and the Renault 4 JP4x4 Concept suggests the company intends to keep pushing further into lifestyle-focused EV territory.

Whether this exact beach buggy ever reaches production is another question entirely. Still, if Renault can translate even half of this concept’s charm into a real-world electric SUV, it might end up creating one of the few affordable EVs people actually feel emotionally attached to rather than simply tolerate.