Compact hatchbacks continue to grow in popularity, partly due to soaring fuel prices, and the more-upmarket examples of this species offer appealing features to entice those buyers who are “buying down” from larger, thirstier cars. The new Renault Clio wants some of that action, and comes to the party with some neat tricks of its own.
This is more like it!
While the fourth-generation Clio turned out to be a strong seller in South Africa, accounting for about half of all Clios sold in South Africa since the year 2000, it was in some ways a bit incomplete at the outset. Yes, it had all the mod-cons of its time and the GT-line and RS variants were good fun to drive, but the entry-level derivatives started out a bit below par and then dropped even further their class behind as time went by.
The car itself wasn’t particularly solidly-made, and, while it had plenty of toys inside the cabin, the combination of creaky plastics and weird ergonomics made it feel like it really belonged in a lower price class. In fact, the mechanically-identical Sandero II offered the same oily bits and similar equipment, but with more cabin space and scarcely-lower perceived quality, at a much lower price. Why even bother with a Clio, then?
But those days are over now. The Sandero has been withdrawn from the local market to make room for the Triber and Kiger, creating more breathing room for the Clio to slot in above its Indian-built siblings. It obviously doesn’t hurt that the new Clio is a much, much better car than its predecessor, either.
Styling
At first acquaintance, it’s easy to imagine that the new Clio is derived from its predecessor, but it really is all-new. The same swoopy styling theme remains, though, albeit updated with Renault’s latest front-end design and LED light elements at both ends.
Finished in vivid “Flame Red”, our test car looked extremely pretty, especially around the bulging rear wheel arches and C-pillar area, where intriguing and complex curves catch the eye and invite closer scrutiny. Full-bodied surface treatment gives the new Clio a visual solidity none of its predecessors ever had, and the tapered wedge shape of its side windows lends an athletic stance.
The details mirror the current Renault styling language, with C-shaped headlight clusters and some brightwork accents to highlight the curvaceous shape and break the visual bulk along its flanks. This may just be the best-looking hatchback in its class, with enough visual distinction to keep it from blending in but without any exaggerated elements.
Interior and space
Stepping inside the new Clio reveals the first obvious departure from the old model, because cabin design, fit and finish is in a whole other league. Just about as nice inside as anything coming from Germany or Korea, the new Clio speaks “quality” much more convincingly than before.
Soft-touch plastics feature more prominently, and the switchgear feels a lot more substantial, too. There are some small reminders that Renault is still playing catch-up in this department, though, such as our test car’s cubby hole that didn’t quite align with its surrounding dash panel, but even this isn’t enough to detract from the overall impression of solidity and good build quality.
The dashboard design follows the modern template, with horisontal lines to create a feeling of width, a centre console that’s turned slightly towards the driver, and a colour touchscreen perched in the middle of the dash. A key difference is the gear lever location, which has been elevated along with the centre island to reduce the distance between steering wheel and gear knob.
Ahead of the gearshift, you’ll find a wireless charging pad (spec-dependent) along with 2 USB ports (one for data transfer, one for charging) and an AUX input port. And, in our Zen-spec test car, the multi-functional steering wheel is wrapped in artificial leather for a better tactile experience.
As for space, there’s more than enough room for two 6-foot-plus adults in front, and two average-sized adults will be more than happy in the rear. That rear headroom is somewhat compromised by that sloping roofline, though, and the tapering side windows do limit outward visibility for rear-seat passengers. Luggage space is also larger than average, measuring a solid 391-litres despite the full-sized spare wheel under the boot floor.
Standard equipment
This is a traditional Clio strong suit, and the new one doesn’t disappoint in this regard. The colour touchscreen infotainment system incorporates on-board navigation and full smartphone mirroring, and the instrument cluster is partially-digital (and features some eye-catching graphics).
Other standard features include cruise control with a speed limiter, manual-control air-con, electric front windows, remote rear-view mirrors and remote central locking. In short, everything you need for comfortable motoring is fitted as standard in mid-level “Zen” trim, although the top-line “Intens” derivative adds even more niceties, such as alloy wheels, climate control, and the option of upgrading the infotainment system’s screen from 7-inches to 9.3-inches.
Safety
The new Clio boasts a 5-star Euro-NCAP crash safety rating, augmented by ISOFIX child seat anchors for the passenger seat as well as the rear seats, ABS, stability control, and 6 airbags. Other handy include full-LED headlights and rear parking sensors across the range, and the Intens adds upgraded headlights, lane-departure warning and an optional rear-view camera.
Performance and driving impression
Apart from interior quality, the new Clio also marks a major step forward from its predecessor in the engine compartment. To a large degree, the old Clio’s main shortcoming was its drivetrain: While a turbocharger was present, the 0.9-litre 3-cylinder was lethargic off-boost, thirsty on-boost, and rough-running all the time.
It never had a chance against Ford’s excellent 1.0T EcoBoost or Volkswagen’s 1.0TSI triples, but its replacement certainly does. Motive power is now provided by a new 1.0-litre turbocharged 3-cylinder, mated exclusively to a 5-speed manual gearbox.
The new engine is much, much nicer to use than the old one, and plays a large part in the Clio’s transformation. Its outputs of 74 kW and 200 Nm aren’t earth-shattering, but the torque is available over a wide rev range, the power delivery and running characteristics are much smoother than before, and turbo lag is comparatively minor now. Renault quotes a 0 – 100 km/h sprint in 11.8 seconds and a top speed of 187 km/h, and on-road experience suggests that this should be easy to achieve.
There’s one fly in the ointment, however, and that’s the 5-speed gearbox. It’s slick-shifting enough and geared appropriately to provide reasonable about-town performance, but cruising at the national speed limit sees the rev counter head for the 4000 r/min mark. The result is an unnecessary racket and excessive fuel use on the freeway, and for no real benefit, as the new engine has enough torque to pull an overdrive top gear with ease, so adding a 6th ratio will definitely improve refinement at speed as well as fuel economy.
Driving dynamics are sparkling, in the best Clio tradition. The ride quality is compliant, and road surface disturbances are dealt-with largely quietly and fluidly. At the same time, the steering is sharp, the car is eager to change direction, body motions are well-contained and the grip limits are progressive and easy to explore safely. Consequently, the new Clio is a pleasure to hustle along, even if it isn’t actually quick in a straight line.
Fuel consumption
Renault says that the new Clio should consume an average of 5.7 ℓ/100 km, but our test period registered an average of 6.4 ℓ/100 km. This isn’t quite excellent, but it is. roughly in the ballpark for a car of this size and performance. Importantly, it’s much better than the mid-7 ℓ/100 km averages that the old Clio returned in similar usage cycle.
The long and the short of it is that the new Clio uses less fuel than before while going a whole lot better, so it’s an all-round improvement. But, if it had an overdrive 6th gear as well, it would have been even more parsimonious.
Pricing
With a list price of R 324 900, the mid-spec Clio 1.0T Zen goes up against formidable opponents, such as the new Honda Fit, Opel Corsa, and Hyundai i20, and it can match all of them in most respects. What sets the Clio apart in such company is its entertaining chassis, very attractive styling, good standard spec, and impressive practicality.
However, the entry-level “Life” trim offers most of the same equipment and creature comforts, while being scarcely any less-attractive for its lower price. In this light, the best-value new Clio currently resides right at the bottom of the price list, giving you all the new-Clio loveliness for only R 309 900.
Included in the list price is a warranty for 5 years or 150 000 km, along with a service plan for 2 years or 30 000 km. The latter could do with some improvement to properly compete in this segment, so that is the one slight dent in the Clio’s otherwise-impressive suit of armour.
* Pricing was accurate at the time of writing, but is subject to change without prior notice.
Verdict
Beautiful to look at, fun to drive, nicely made, well-specced, safe, and surprisingly practical, the new Clio is a massive step ahead for the nameplate, and a genuinely enticing car on its own merits. It has all the virtues you’d expect from a modern supermini, along with distinctive style inside and out, and a good value proposition to boot. Apart from the too-short gearing, it’s genuinely difficult to fault – and that in itself is quite an accomplishment for a Clio of any stripe!
Keyword: Renault Clio 1.0 Turbo Zen (2022) Review