First Drive: Can the Alpine A390 deliver this brand’s usual fun-factor?

Billed as a sportier take on the typical electric SUV format – Alpine calls it ‘sport fastback’ – the A390 aims to bring some of the character that you’d find in the brand’s smaller models but in a larger and more practical format. We’ve been out to Spain to see how it gets on.

Inside, there’s the same screen-heavy layout that we’ve come to expect from a lot of the latest cars, though Alpine has still committed to including several physical controls to help make adjusting certain features easier on the move.

Range-wise, Alpine claims up to 345 miles from a single charge. The A390 is rated to accept a maximum charge rate of up to 190kW, too, which would result in a 10 to 80 per cent charge being completed in 25 minutes. There’s also a vehicle-to-load function, which allows you to charge up domestic items with the car’s battery.

It rides well, too, and even some craggier stretches of Spanish road surface did little to interrupt the way the A390 goes down the road. However, it can’t disguise its weight and through sharper corners, you do feel more of that 2.1-tonne bodyweight shifting around. Plus, there’s quite a bit of wind noise at motorway speeds, which is odd given the slippery-smooth exterior.

There are plenty of more active design features, too, including a projection of the Alpine logo surrounded by snowflakes, which is cast to the side of the car when it is unlocked. You’ve got six exterior colours to choose from, too, ranging from Noir Profond to Blanc Topaze.

In the back, that sloped roofline does eat into headroom, while legroom will be tight for taller passengers. It also feels like Alpine has reduced the quality of materials for the rear compared to the back- there are far more scratchy plastics to be found here, both on the door cards and on the centre column. You do get a usefully sized 532-litre boot, which is quite long overall. It’s more than you’ll find in cars like the Audi Q6 e-tron Sportback, too.

That said, there’s plenty of kit included as standard on all models, with the 12-inch infotainment screen, which runs Google features built-in, being one of the easiest to operate on the market today. Thankfully, the A390 features physical controls for heating and ventilation, while other enhancements, such as heated seats and 21-inch alloy wheels, help boost its appeal. We’ll have to reserve final judgement until spec details are finalised, mind you.

While Alpine’s previous models in the A110 and A290 feel like they’ve moved the game forward somewhat, it doesn’t seem to be the same story for the A390. There’s a nice sense of lightness, which has been a core part of the Alpine story. We’re big fans of the ride quality, too, and the same goes for the steering, while that torque vectoring system certainly helps this car to corner like a far smaller vehicle.

It looks special and, for the most part, feels special inside too. It’s just a shame that the rear-seat space is so compromised, as it’ll make this car a more difficult proposition for family buyers who are usually the target market for cars of this size. It’s not a bad car, but it might struggle to stand out in what is a very competitive market.