Renault Clio review

Overview

What is it?

It’s the fifth-generation Renault Clio, launched in 2019 almost 30 years after the original hit our roads way back in 1990. Fast forward to the present day and it’s based on the CMF-B (Common Module Family-B) platform shared with Nissan, the use of which is said to deliver improvements in space, safety, weight saving and tech. Which it does, but more of that in a minute.

Outside it’s shorter than the previous Mk4 (though the 12mm reduction in length isn’t all that obvious), a touch wider and lower, but with more space, load capacity and general volume inside. Noticeably more space, in fact, especially up front, although the rising windowline makes it a little less airy stuffed in the back.

That’s hardly groundbreaking. What else?

There are LED headlights across the range, and ‘C’-shaped daylight running lights. There are sharper creases, bonnet feature lines, the usual hidden rear doorhandles up in the C-pillar, a big Renault badge in the front grille, some nice horizontal lines that widen the car visually. It’s all very clean and crisp, without being scary or revolutionary.

If Laurens van den Acker’s (then Senior VP, Corporate Design at Renault, now just Head of Design) intent was to clean up a Mk4 Clio, then the brief has been exceeded. The Clio has been Europe’s best-selling B-segment supermini since 2013, so an external overhaul really wasn’t on the cards – this is still a familiar Clio, tidied up and made contemporary.

But overall, a big improvement right?

Oh yes. The interior is leaps-and-bounds better (see the interior tab) and new engines move the game along. Right now there’s a choice of two powertrains: either the 1.0-litre turbocharged TCe 90 producing 89bhp, or the 1.6-litre hybrid E-Tech 140 capable of 138bhp. The former comes with a six-speed manual, the latter a six-speed auto. The entry-level SCe 65 has been removed from the line-up, and the option of diesel has long since vanished too.

As for trims, Renault has kept it simple with Iconic Edition, SE Edition and R.S. Line. Prices start from £18,590 for the base-spec car, which gets a seven-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration, rear parking sensors, cruise control, automatic air con and plenty else. Not bad really, but heaven forbid you opt for a colour other than white. In which case, prepare to part with at least £600.

Ouch. What are my other options?

You see, the Clio is handsome enough, a decent size for a supermini, more efficient and a bit cleverer than before. All good. But if you’re considering one, the chances are you’ll also be open to a Ford Fiesta, Volkswagen Polo, Vauxhall Corsa, Peugeot 208, Seat Ibiza, Mini Hatch, Mazda 2, Audi A1, Skoda Fabia, Toyota Yaris or Honda Jazz. Heck, even the cheap-as-chips Dacia Sandero sits on a lower spec version of the same platform. And that’s a lot of competition to fend off.

Our choice from the range

Renault

1.0 TCe 100 RS Line 5dr

£17,810

The Renault Clio gets a lot right: the interior is great, the ride is very comfortable and fuel economy is excellent. And given that the base model gives you most of what you need, it’s competitively priced too. Until, that is, you remember that the Dacia Sandero is some £6,000 cheaper. And given the sheer number of superminis on sale, where exactly does the Clio excel where the others don’t? Interior aside, there’s precious little else that really stands out. Considering the uninspiring drive – and the absence of an RS model to really explore the abilities of the chassis – it’s hard to see many mainstream buyers pivoting away from the usual suspects like the Fiesta and the Polo.

Driving

What is it like to drive?

Surprisingly mature, actually. There are pseudo-MacPherson struts up front and a twist-beam (torsion bar) in the rear, all tuned to ride with a bit more squish than you might expect. It means the Clio corners with a quiet confidence, and precise steering makes it easy to place on the road. Which is fortunate, because visibility isn’t the best on account of the tiny rear window.

Brakes are strong and progressive, while the clutch and six-speed manual are light and easy. It’s really a very tidy car to travel about in, without ever tempting you to raise your heart rate.

Ah, but I can get the Clio RS for that.

Bad news. The Mk5 Clio has yet to spawn a hot (or even warm) hatch variant on account of changes at the firm’s factory in Dieppe to make way for the Alpine A110 a few years back. And several years on from the car’s launch, it’s unlikely to ever materialise. Renault Group giveth, and Renault Group taketh away.

So what we have here is a supermini that’s abundantly sensible, capable of handling everyday driving but not an ounce more. You can pretty much write the playbook from your armchair: push too hard and you’ll get gentle understeer. Lift hard and you’ll get a very slight unweighting that means precisely nothing. Which is as it should be for a car like this.

Drat. Anything to get excited about?

Of far more real-world relevance is the fact that this version rides better than before. Much better. The suspension isolates you from rough surfaces better than you’d expect for a car in this class, and also recovers from bumps and potholes quickly, so you don’t spend every mile of your journey being jiggled about.

There’s also very little engine or wind noise at motorway speeds: tyre roar is usually the dominant sound, depending on how smooth the tarmac is. Combined with its compliant nature, this means the Clio is relaxing to cruise along in. Very good news indeed.

What of the engines?

At launch you’d have had several options, but now there are only two petrols: the 1.0-litre turbocharged TCe 90 (89bhp, 0-62mph in 12.2secs, 54.4mpg, 118-121g/km CO2) or the hybrid 1.6-litre E-Tech 140 (138bhp, 0-62mph in 9.9secs, 64.2mpg, 99g/km CO2).

The first of those comes with a six-speed manual gearbox, (the old TCe 100’s five-speed has gone the way of the dodo) while the latter gets a six-speed automatic. Hybridisation is a welcome addition to the Clio line-up: in mixed driving Top Gear saw 57mpg without really trying, so 60mpg looks a good bet on the kind of town roads the Clio will most likely be used for.

What kind of hybrid is it?

The Clio E-Tech is of the ‘full hybrid’ variety – that is to say all the power ultimately comes from the fuel tank and you can’t plug it in to charge, but there’s a 48bhp electric motor and 1.2kWh battery that’s capable of zero-emissions driving in very short bursts. Renault reckons you’ll do 80 per cent of your urban trips in EV mode.

The Clio’s hybrid system is a little more complicated than that (there’s another e-motor that replaces the alternator, powers the gearbox and harvests energy from the brakes – read more in our separate E-Tech review) but all you really need to know is that it behaves like any other auto: perfectly happy at normal speeds, but a bit lazy to shift if you give it full throttle. Which you’ll hardly ever do.

Interior

What is it like on the inside?

If you wondered where all the real newness was in the latest Clio, then Renault seems to have stuffed it all inside. Because where it really scores is with its new interior, which is leagues better than the old one. Renault calls it the ‘Smart Cockpit’, and the first thing you notice is the infotainment screen stuck up in the middle of the console portrait-style. On entry- and mid-spec cars this is a seven-inch unit, rising to 9.3 inches on top-of-the-range R.S. Line models.

Rotary knobs for air-con and ‘piano buttons’ for other functions are handily perched beneath, so Renault hasn’t fallen into the trap of putting all the functionality in a touchscreen. Volume buttons for the radio are an exception though, and these are annoying to operate on the move.

The gearstick is pushed up into into the semi-floating console just below, there’s a seven-inch TFT instrument cluster behind the steering wheel. The layout is very clear although the information available is limited to speed, mileage, fuel economy, driving mode and very basic sat nav directions. E-Tech models also get a readout displaying battery charge, not that you’ll ever need to look at it.

The material quality is generally good and the seats are very comfortable, especially for taller drivers: the steering wheel is a touch smaller than before, for instance, with the steering column slimmed down to make more room for knees. You get the feeling that Renault has tried to hone this one along with the more obvious headline changes. You could argue the interior is the Clio’s high point, as you’ll almost forget that you’re in a supermini at all. Add the strong standard kit list into the mix and it’s very hard to go wrong.

One small but important point: non-hybrid versions of the Clio come with a 318-litre boot with the seats up, while hybrid E-Tech models drop this slightly to 299 litres on account of the added electrical gubbins. Either way it’s pretty average for the class, albeit short of the 351 litres you’ll find in the Volkswagen Polo. The loading lip is quite high too.

Buying

What should I be paying?

Prices start from £18,590 for the base-spec Iconic Edition, which includes 16in alloy wheels, tinted windows, automatic air con, automatic headlights and wipers, traffic sign recognition, rear parking sensors, automatic high and low beam assistance, cruise control, lane keep assistance, plus a seven-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. And that’ll be plenty for most people to get by with.

Meanwhile SE Edition starts from £19,590, with upgrades including bigger, 17in alloy wheels, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, front parking sensors, a rearview camera, an electric parking brake and ambient lighting. Heated seats, a leather steering wheel and the 9.3in touchscreen become available as options.

The top-of-the-range R.S. Line commands a price tag of £20,690, which adds design touches like a signature steering wheel, aluminium pedals, red interior stitching, an F1-inspired ‘blade’ element under the front grille, plus an active emergency braking system with cyclist detection. The options list gets broader too, should you be tempted.

As for finance, if you’re willing to stump up a smidge over £4,000 for a deposit, you can lock down an entry-level Clio for £199 a month on a two-year deal with a fixed interest rate of 0.0% APR. Commit closer to £5,000 up front and you’re only looking at a small jump to £214 per month for the R.S. Line. Plenty will be sucked in, even if the annual mileage limit of 6,000 is a little stingy.

Whatever spec you go for, the E-Tech 140 hybrid powertrain costs £4,000 more than the 1.0-litre turbo TCe 90. Is the hybrid worth the extra outlay to unlock the extra speed and fuel economy? If you’re in it for the long-haul then it probably is. If not, don’t bother.

Keyword: Renault Clio review