Renault has made changes to its popular Clio and Jack Evans has assessed their impact.
What is it?
The well-known Renault Clio has provided reliable, relatively low-cost transport for years. But things aren’t quite as easy for this popular French hatch as they once were, due to the rise of the SUV and crossover, plus price, with Dacia and MG providing cars that undercut most of the market.
What’s new?
This latest Clio uses the same CMFB platform as the previous car, but the exterior design is far sharper and inside there’s more technology. A rangetopping
‘Esprit Alpine’ trim level has also been added for the first me.
What’s under the bonnet?
The Clio will be available with a ‘standard’ petrol engine or – as tested – a hybrid setup, pairing two electric motors with a four-cylinder 1.6litre petrol engine. With 143bhp and 144Nm of torque, it’s efficient rather than powerful. Renault claims up to 67.4mpg, low emissions of 96g/km CO2, and that you can travel on electric power for up to 80 per cent of the time while city driving. 0-60mph takes 9.1 seconds, with a top speed of 112mph.
What’s it like to drive?
The steering is light but accurate, while the powertrain has pleasant immediacy from the electric motors. It feels brisk and the sixspeed gearbox is smooth.
However, there’s tyre roar at speed and wind noise too. At slower speeds, the Clio is unsettled by larger bumps.
How does it look?
The look is sharper and there have been plenty of tweaks to distinguish it from the car it replaces. The new signature lighting setup gives a distinctive ‘face’, while brushed-satin chrome accents create a more premium feel. Techno or Esprit Alpine trim levels include an F1inspired ‘aerofoil’ style diffuser beneath the front grille.
What’s it like inside?
Up front, the view is nicely unobstructed with good visibility, but rear space is a little tight, though there’s a decent amount of headroom for this size and shape of car.
To help boost its green credentials, the Clio now has no leather inside, with surfaces coated in a fabric made from bio-sourced and polyester fibres. There’s a usable 254 litres of boot space.
What’s the spec like?
The Clio is now available from £17,795 for the entry-level petrol version, making it one of the cheapest cars currently available in the UK. Equipment levels are good, with a full suite of driver assistance systems, alloy wheels and full LED headlights. Both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are included. Topnotch Esprit Alpine models get 17inch diamondcut alloy wheels, Alpine badges and a larger 9.3inch infotainment display. This increases the price to £20,595 for the petrol model or £24,095 for the hybrid.
Verdict
This is a hefty revision of a successful original. The ‘new’ Clio feels improved due to its incar technology, while the hybrid version should prove cheap to run. It’s smooth to drive. At its new base price, the new Clio feels good value, particularly considering the amount of standard features. But it feels a little too compromised in terms of space at higher spec levels.
