Renault is a French carmaker founded in 1899. The cars themselves are another matter: across 1 VIN prefixes on record they came off lines in 1 country — the United States 100%. 3 models are tracked here (1983–1987). Reliable? yes, on balance — 4.0 out of 5 across 3 rated models, though the spread between model years is far wider than the badge suggests (every model ranked →).
Who makes Renault
Renault S.A. is a French multinational automaker headquartered in Boulogne-Billancourt, in the Paris metropolitan area. Founded in 1899 by Louis Renault and his brothers Marcel and Fernand, Renault is the namesake brand of Renault Group, which also owns Dacia, Alpine and Mobilize. Renault's alliance with Nissan and Mitsubishi makes it part of the world's third-largest automotive partnership by combined volume. Renault has won 12 Formula 1 Constructors' Championships (8 outright as Renault F1, 4 as engine supplier to Williams and Benetton during the Renault-engine era). The Clio, Captur, Mégane and Espace anchor European sales, while the Mégane E-Tech, Scénic E-Tech and revived Renault 5 E-Tech represent the brand's electrification. Renault exited the United States in 1987 after the failed Renault-AMC partnership, and the brand has not returned to North America. Renault Group trades on the Euronext Paris exchange under RNO and on OTC US markets as RNLSY. Recall data for European-market Renault vehicles is tracked through Euro NCAP and equivalent agencies. ForCar.org maintains historical Renault VIN data from the brand's 1957-1987 US era.
Louis Renault built his first car, the Voiturette 1CV, in 1898 at age 21 and demonstrated it by climbing the Rue Lepic in Montmartre — a feat that earned 12 orders from witnesses. Renault Frères was founded in 1899 by Louis, Marcel and Fernand. Renault dominated French automobile production for the first half of the 20th century. The company was nationalized by France in 1945 (after the German occupation) and privatized in 1996. The 1972 Renault 5 popularized the modern hatchback in Europe, and the 2024 revival as the Renault 5 E-Tech electrifies the lineage.
| Renault | |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1899 |
| Founded by | Louis Renault, Marcel Renault, Fernand Renault |
| Headquarters | Boulogne-Billancourt, France |
| Listed as | RNLSY |
| Slogan | «Passion for Life» |
| Models tracked here | 3 (1983–1987) |
| Assembled in | 1 countries |
Technology it is known for: E-Tech full hybrid powertrain, CMF-A / CMF-B / CMF-EV platforms, Renault EASY LINK infotainment, Multi-Sense driving modes, Active Driver Assist (highway autonomy).
This page covers Renault, the French automaker brand within Renault Group — not Dacia, Alpine, Mobilize (the other Renault Group brands) or Renault personally.
Where Renault cars are actually built
A badge says where a company is registered, not where its cars were bolted together. The first three characters of any VIN — the world manufacturer identifier — say the second thing, and that is what we counted: 31 vehicles on record, 1 distinct manufacturer codes.
| Assembled in | Share | VIN starts with | Years seen |
|---|---|---|---|
| the United States | 1XM | 1984–1987 |
Read your own: the first character is the region, the first three together identify the plant's manufacturer. A Renault beginning 1XM was assembled in the United States.
All Renault models 3
Every Renault model we track, grouped by body type. Click any model for its VIN decoder, recalls, MPG, safety and ForCar Reliability Score — broken down by year.
Renault Cars & sedans 3
| Model | Years | Recalls | Complaints | Best MPG | ForCar score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Renault Alliance | 1983–1987 | 13 | 48 | 33 mpg | 3.5/5 |
| Renault Fuego | 1983–1986 | 1 | — | 24 mpg | 4.5/5 |
| Renault Encore | 1984–1987 | 10 | 6 | 33 mpg | 4.0/5 |
Renault by the numbers
What the federal records say about the marque. Each line links to the full breakdown by model and year.
| Topic | Renault | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Recalls | 24 campaigns | Most recalled: Visibility:defroster/defogger/hvac System:heater Core |
| Owner complaints | 54+ filed | Most reported: Alliance |
| Fuel economy | 33 mpg best | Leader: Alliance |
Compare model years like a dealer does.
- Full research report on any model year
- Market chart: how this model holds value
- Exact values with mileage adjustment
- Price-drop alerts on the trims you're watching
- No ads, no tracking — and much more
Get a Renault window sticker by VIN
Recreate any Renault's original Monroney label — MSRP, factory options, EPA MPG and safety — free from the VIN.
Renault window stickers →How to read a Renault VIN
Every Renault built since 1981 carries a unique 17-character VIN (Vehicle Identification Number). It encodes where and when the vehicle was made, its engine and body — here's what each part means:
- WMI (1–3) — country & manufacturer. Tells you it's a Renault and the country it was built in (real Renault codes below).
- VDS (4–8) — model, body style, engine, trim & restraints. The 8th digit is the engine code.
- Check digit (9) — a math check that proves the VIN is genuine.
- Model year (10) — the year it was built (e.g. R = 2024, S = 2025).
- Plant (11) — which factory assembled it.
- Serial (12–17) — the unique sequential production number.
- FranceVF1 · VG8
- South KoreaKNM
The remaining digits — engine (8th), model-year letter (10th) and plant — follow the universal SAE standard. Our VIN lookup reads every position for you — engine code, model year, assembly plant and country of build.
Who owns Renault, and what you get
Renault is independent, French-owned and publicly listed as RNLSY. Renault competes in mainstream European passenger and crossover segments against Stellantis brands (Peugeot, Citroën, Opel), Volkswagen, Hyundai-Kia and Toyota. The Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance, restructured in 2023 after Carlos Ghosn's departure, shares platforms across the three brands. Dacia (Renault Group's budget Romanian subsidiary) and Alpine (the sports-car brand) operate as separate marques. Renault has no plans to re-enter the US market.
| Renault | |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | France |
| Ownership | Independent |
| Stock ticker | RNLSY |
| Basic warranty | 3 years / 36,000 miles |
| Powertrain warranty | 5 years / 60,000 miles |
| Assembly countries | United States |
⚠ Worth knowing before you rely on it: across our complaint records the typical car reaches the halfway point of its faults at five years, while basic cover here runs 3 years / 36,000 miles. See when Renault models actually start to break →
Renault — frequently asked
Is Renault french?
Renault is a French company, headquartered in Boulogne-Billancourt and founded in 1899. The cars are a separate question: 100% of the Renault vehicles in our records were assembled in the United States.
Where are Renault cars made?
Across 1 manufacturer codes on record, assembly splits as: the United States (100%). The first three characters of a VIN identify the manufacturer and plant country — that is where these shares come from.
Who owns Renault?
Renault is independent, publicly traded as RNLSY.
How many Renault models are there?
We track 3 Renault models spanning 1983–1987. The full list is above, ordered by how often each is searched.
What is the Renault warranty?
New vehicles come with 3 years / 36,000 miles basic cover and 5 years / 60,000 miles on the powertrain. Terms vary by model year and market — confirm with a dealer.
Is Renault reliable?
It depends far more on the model and year than on the badge. Every Renault model is ranked by complaint rate here, along with the age at which each starts to fail.