Overview
The Alpine A390 marks a significant pivot for the historic French marque, launching as its first five-door sport fastback and entering the highly competitive premium electric crossover segment. Positioned as a direct rival to the Porsche Macan Electric, Hyundai Ioniq 5 N, and the Kia EV6 GT, the A390 is built on the AmpR Medium platform. Despite sharing fundamental architecture with more mainstream family crossovers, Alpine has re-engineered the vehicle to project the agile, driver-focused ethos of the A110 sports car into a more versatile, everyday package.
Design
The exterior styling of the A390 abandons traditional chunky SUV proportions in favour of a sweeping fastback design. The front fascia uses sharp lighting cues from the A390_ß concept. The side profile reveals heavily sculpted door panels that pay homage to the A110, leading to a tightly tapered roofline and a sporty rear pillar. High-spec models fill the wheel arches with massive 21-inch 'Snowflake' alloys with performance tyres, while a crisp, full-width LED light bar dominates the long tail section.
Interior
The cabin balances premium French craftsmanship with a distinct motorsport-inspired atmosphere. Drivers are positioned low in a way that mimics a traditional sports car rather than a raised crossover. The dashboard layout features a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster paired with a 12-inch central touchscreen powered by a Google-based operating system. Standard equipment across the board includes a premium Devialet sound system and an F1-style steering wheel equipped with a prominent, bright red "Overtake" boost button. Upper trims replace standard seating with heavily bolstered Sabelt bucket seats upholstered in genuine two-tone Nappa leather, incorporating heating, memory, and massage functions.
Performance & Powertrains
The A390 utilizes a sophisticated tri-motor layout, with one on the front axle and two at the rear. This setup enables active torque vectoring, allowing the rear wheels to handle cornering loads independently. The entry-level GT model produces 400 hp and 661 Nm of torque, achieving a 0-62 mph sprint in 4.8 seconds and a top speed of 124 mph. The flagship GTS variant ups the output to 470 hp and 808 Nm of torque, dropping the 0-62 mph time to 3.9 seconds and raising the top speed to 137 mph. Both versions draw energy from an 89kWh battery pack. The GT achieves a range of 345 miles on its 20-inch eco tyres, while the GTS drops slightly to 320 miles due to wider 21-inch performance tyres and more powerful motors. Rapid DC charging speeds peak at 190 kW for both models, allowing a 15% to 80% charge in 25 minutes.
Practicality
The compromises made to achieve the sleek fastback roofline are evident for the rear passenger. While front occupants enjoy ample space, the rear seating area suffers from a high floor and a flat seat cushion, resulting in tight headroom and limited legroom for taller adults. However, everyday utility is rescued by the lengthy rear overhang, which provides a substantial 532-litre boot accessible via a standard power-operated tailgate. Total cargo capacity expands to 1,643 litres with the rear seats folded flat.
Buying
UK pricing for the Alpine A390 line-up starts at £61,390 for the base GT trim. The mid-tier, limited-run Premiere Edition is priced at £65,390, while the range-topping GTS begins at £69,390. Standard equipment is generous, but stepping up past the base model adds meaningful upgrades like the 22 kW AC on-board charger, and the upgraded Devialet Xtreme Sound audio system. EV Hub Recommended Configuration is the mid-spec A390 Premiere Edition offers the most compelling value proposition. It retains the more efficient 400 hp powertrain of the GT to maximize the 345-mile range while adding the highly desirable Nappa leather Sabelt bucket seats, the faster 22 kW AC on-board charger, and exclusive cosmetic touches for a smaller premium than the full GTS.