Pros: Great to drive, high-quality interior, efficient hybrid
Cons: Not in Ireland until 2027
Renault Clio Design
While you won’t mistake the new Clio for anything but a Renault – thanks to its prolific use of the company’s diamond logo across its distinctive nose – it does represent quite the departure from the previous five generations of the nameplate in terms of style, and it doesn’t look like any other Renault model on sale today, either. That’s no bad thing, as it’s certainly an interesting design and more daring looking than most superminis in the sector. We particularly like the rear lights, though the car as a whole has a great stance on the road.
Renault Clio Interior
Inside, the Clio isn’t perhaps as daring looking as the exterior, but it’s still interesting, with a wraparound style joining the door cards to the dashboard featuring various tactile finishes depending on trim level. The dashboard itself is an all-digital affair. It looks sharp and works intuitively. It has Google software built in and yet key features - such as the heating and cooling - can be controlled via physical switchgear. Despite the market positioning of small hatchbacks such as this, the Clio’s interior is notably of high quality as well. There’s adequate room in the back and the boot is of a generous size for the sector - though the boot of the hybrid model is smaller.
Renault Clio Performance & Drive
The new Clio range will be propped up by an entry-level petrol model, while we tested the range-topping hybrid. It features Renault’s latest (non-plug-in) hybrid system pairing a 1.8-litre petrol engine with a sophisticated electric motor setup. The headline figures include peak power of 160hp and exceptionally low emissions of just 89g/km. That efficiency seems all the more remarkable after you drive the car and experience its perky acceleration and performance. It has plenty of go, and the chassis seems to be developed to cope with it. Though it’s not marketed as a performance car in any way, the new Clio is really great to drive when the mood takes you, though it’s also comfortable and quiet on the motorway. We really like the new “Smart” driving setting that adapts to the driver’s style and delivers maximum response when required yet defaults back to the most economical settings at other times.
Renault Clio Pricing
As the new Clio won’t hit Irish shores until 2027, there is no pricing information available at the time of writing. It’s assumed there’ll be a modest increase over the outgoing generation, as is the norm, though with fierce competition in the car world these days, that’s not always a given, either. We’d guess at a starting price of in and around €27,000, with the hybrid a few grand more. There will be three distinct trim levels to choose from.
Carzone Verdict
Although it’ll be a while before the Clio arrives, and pricing has yet to be tied down, it has the makings of a great new compact hatchback for buyers in the market for such a thing. The hybrid model in particular balances solid performance with exceptional efficiency, while also being genuine fun to drive.