This year I am grateful for the new Renault 5 (and actually all French cars) – Jalopnik

No one likes being stranded in another city due to bad weather or flight delays when you’re just trying to get home, especially if that city is on the other side of the world, but in the grand scheme of places you can get stuck, the City of Love is probably one of the better ones. As you can probably guess, I spent an unexpected night in Paris on the way home from the Genesis Magma unveiling event (thanks again to Genesis for taking such good care of the six of us who got stuck), and apart from the general magic of being in Paris when it’s snowing, there was one real highlight of the detour, something for which I am endlessly grateful: the new Renault 5.

Really, this year, like every year, I am grateful for all the French cars, because they are simply the best, but the retro 5 is absolutely perfect. There are so many new Renault 5s driving around Paris, as there should be, and they all brought a smile to my face. But the best moment was when, wearing the yellow Renault 5 jersey I bought at the Munich Motor Show earlier this year, I came across a matching 5 parked on the street.

Daniel Golson/Jalopnik

It also looks fantastic in motion, especially at night with the rectangular LEDs in the bumper turned on. Base model 5s have a hubcap design that is actually quite nice (seen above), while the mid-range trims have an excellent three-spoke design. Renault offers contrasting pinstripes, fantastic graphics packages, denim interiors and some fun colors like bright frog green. Earlier this year, a Roland-Garros special edition was released with its own tennis-themed design elements, and I’m sure Renault has plans for numerous new styling cues and special editions in the future.

But as I said at the top: I am grateful for all French cars. Their designs are simply better and more interesting than those from any other country – except the ingenious Koreans – and that applies to all segments, sizes and price categories. From city cars like the Citroën Ami, to “normal” vehicles like the Peugeot 2008 crossover and luxury cars like the DS N°8, no one does it as well as the French.