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Alpine’s A390 arrives as a pivotal model for the marque — an electric, fastback-shaped car meant to widen the brand’s appeal without abandoning the sharp handling Alpine is known for. After extended UK road testing and comparison drives, the A390 proves engaging when driven hard but shows compromises that matter in everyday use and against direct rivals such as the Porsche Macan and Hyundai Ioniq 5 N.
Powertrain and how it feels on the road
The A390 uses an 89kWh battery and a three-motor layout: one motor up front and two at the rear. That architecture gives Alpine a unique place in this segment and enables its rear axle torque management system to do some interesting work.
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Two outputs are offered. The entry-level GT delivers roughly 395bhp, while the range-topping GTS pushes that toward the mid-400s with substantially more torque. Alpine quotes sub-4-second 0-62mph for the GTS and a 3.9s sprint, with the GT a little slower but still brisk.
- Battery: 89kWh
- Layout: One front motor, twin rear motors
- Power figures: ~395bhp (GT) and ~463–464bhp (GTS)
- Weight balance: close to 49:51 front to rear
The rear motors are lighter permanent‑magnet units mounted in their own aluminium cradle, which helps the A390 achieve a near-neutral balance. Alpine’s torque management — shown live on the in‑car display — can route a large proportion of drive to the outside rear wheel in corners, sharpening turn-in and aiding rotation. In practice this system, labelled Active Torque Vectoring, makes the car feel eager to correct mid‑corner and exit crisply.
Handling and ride: an Alpine character
Alpine has pursued a sporty, controlled feel rather than a floaty ride. The suspension uses passive dampers with hydraulic bump stops rather than adaptive shocks, a choice intended to keep complexity and weight down. The result is a chassis that communicates constantly — it gives a strong sense of what the tyres are doing, but that comes with a degree of low‑speed busyness over poor surfaces.
Steering is quick and precise, with a fairly fast 12:1 ratio that rewards small inputs but can feel fidgety on imperfect motorway surfaces. When the A390 is pushed on a good road, its composure and modulation of throttle and brakes are impressive; the swap from city to spirited driving is where the car shows its engineering strengths.
There are trade‑offs. The firm physical setup and focused damping do not offer the pillowy comfort some buyers expect from a premium crossover, and the car can be more restless than rivals when trundling through villages or over potholes.
Interior, tech and everyday usability
The cabin mixes Alpine‑specific elements with hardware and controls shared across the Renault group. You get a clear 12.3‑inch driver display and a vertically oriented 12‑inch central screen angled toward the driver. The interface is tidy and distinctively branded, but some control placements are dated and a few material choices feel familiar from mainstream models.
Practicality is limited in places: rear legroom and headroom are tighter than many family crossovers, and an intrusive trim piece on the tunnel can hit the knee when someone needs extra rear legroom. We also encountered a couple of usability quirks on a 500‑mile run — the adaptive cruise sometimes hugged the inside lane on sweeping bends, and at one point the car failed to read the key until it was placed in a discreet cubby beneath the infotainment screen.
Range and charging in the real world
Alpine quotes roughly 314 miles for the GTS and about 345 miles for the GT under WLTP. Those figures rely on differing battery chemistries between trims and different peak charging rates — around 190kW on the GTS and 150kW on the GT.
In sustained high‑speed driving the A390’s real‑world range falls short of the headline numbers. On motorway‑heavy runs we recorded averages near 2.5 mi/kWh and saw projected range drop from the claimed figure to closer to 210 miles under brisk conditions. During charging tests at appropriately low state of charge, peak rates hit roughly 100kW before settling to an average nearer 75kW — slower than some rivals unless the car preconditions the battery ahead of arrival.
How it stacks up against rivals
Alpine positions the A390 as its own thing — a “sport fastback” rather than a conventional SUV — but in the market it competes directly with premium sporty electric crossovers. Its tuned dynamics are a clear selling point, yet buyers focused on interior finish, range or outright value have strong alternatives.
| Alpine A390 GTS | Porsche Macan 4 Electric | Hyundai Ioniq 5 N | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Motors | Twin rear, single front | Single rear, single front | Single front, single rear |
| Power | ~463–464bhp | ~402bhp | Up to 641bhp (with overboost) |
| Torque | ~608lb ft | ~479lb ft (launch control) | ~546lb ft |
| 0‑62mph | 3.9s | 5.2s | 2.3s |
| Top speed | 137mph | 137mph | 161mph |
| Price (UK from) | £69,390 | £71,900 | £65,800 |
Compared with the Macan, the A390 undercuts or matches on dynamic intent but the Porsche typically wins on cabin fit and finish. The Polestar 4 offers an alternative value proposition with strong range and power options, while Hyundai’s Ioniq 5 N has redefined how extreme and entertaining an electric performance crossover can be — and it does so at a competitive price point.
Bottom line
The Alpine A390 is a convincing statement of intent for the brand: it delivers a distinctively sharp, driver‑centric experience unusual in this segment. If you prize handling, steering feel and the character of an Alpine, the car rewards enthusiastic driving and brings true sporting nuance to an EV crossover package.
But there are compromises for buyers who put everyday comfort, rear‑seat space, charging pace and pure range at the top of their checklist. Against well‑rounded rivals that also offer strong warranties and showroom polish, the A390 will win hearts with its dynamics but must rely on that same appeal to overcome practical shortcomings for mainstream purchasers.
Key specifications
| Alpine A390 GT | Alpine A390 GTS | |
|---|---|---|
| Motors | Twin rear, single front | Twin rear, single front |
| Power | ~395bhp | ~463–464bhp |
| Torque | ~479lb ft | ~608lb ft |
| Weight | ~2,124kg | ~2,121kg |
| 0‑62mph | 4.8s | 3.9s |
| Top speed | 124mph | 137mph |
| UK price from | £61,390 | £69,390 |
